Our Services
Reliable Local Contractors
Most of what residents experience of management is actually the contractor: the cleaner, the gardener, the electrician, the roofer. We use local trades wherever we can, often ones residents themselves recommended.
Why local matters
A contractor twenty minutes away attends a leak the same morning. One appointed centrally from a national panel may quote three days and a call-out premium. Local firms also know the housing stock: the same builders and roofers work across a town's developments for years and understand how they were put together.
Continuity has real value. When the same gardener has looked after an estate for several seasons, they notice what has changed. That is knowledge no tender document captures.
How contractors are checked
Before a contractor works on a development we confirm they are competent and properly covered, and we keep those records current rather than checking once and forgetting.
- Public liability and, where relevant, employer's liability insurance verified and kept in date
- Relevant trade registration and certification — for example for gas, electrical or fire safety work
- Method statements and risk assessments for works requiring them
- References, ideally from other developments we or residents know
- Competitive quotes for works above a modest value
No hidden margins
We do not take commission from contractors, and we do not mark up their invoices. Our income is the management fee agreed with the client, which means the cheapest suitable contractor is in our interest as much as yours.
Where the value of works crosses the statutory consultation thresholds, leaseholders are consulted on the estimates and can nominate a contractor of their own for us to obtain a price from.
Reliable Local Contractors: common questions
Can residents recommend a contractor?
Yes, and we welcome it. If they meet the insurance and competence checks we are glad to obtain a quote from them, and some of our best long-standing contractors came to us this way.
Do you own or have an interest in any contractors?
No. We are independent of the firms we instruct, and we take no commission from them.
What happens if a contractor does poor work?
We take it up with them directly and require it to be put right. Where performance does not improve we replace them, and we will not pay for work that has not been done properly.
Related services and guides
- Routine MaintenanceRoutine and reactive maintenance for residential estates, including apartment buildings: cleaning, gardening, window cleaning, communal repairs and how emergency work is handled.
- Regular Site VisitsRegular site visits and property inspections from an Abingdon-based managing agent: what we check, how often we attend, and what residents get from someone being on site.
- Clear CommunicationOur communication standards: replies within 24 hours on weekdays and 48 hours at weekends, emergencies handled sooner, and named contacts who know your development.
Local trades, checked properly, no commission
Ask us how we would resource maintenance at your development.