Carmel Heights, St Leonards on Sea
Carmel Heights is substantial detached, late Victorian building designed with cantilevered square turrets extending over the entrance to the main building which sits proudly on the corner of Bulverhythe Road in St Leonards on Sea.
During the acquisition of Andrews Sales and Lettings and Oakfield in 2021, Oakfield’s Block Management were contacted by the Chair of the Board to also consider taking over the management of the Property, as well as the management of the individual flats, following a number of issues arising from the exterior redecorations at the time.
One of the first items to be addressed upon taking over management of the Building was the review of the external redecoration and upgrades required under the fire safety legislation at the time. This was inclusive of renewing all external redecoration and repairs and the building, installing a mixed fire alarm system and fire door upgrades. After working closely with the Chair of the Board over the last few years.
During the external redecoration project, an issue was located within the cavity wall structure of the Building which resulted in excessive damp in a number of the flats. During the project Oakfield had to work quickly with the Chair and appointed surveyor to agree a solution and implement any necessary changes. This involved creating several openings in the elevation and excavating the cavities on two elevations of the Building, before installing new vented brick work and renewing the paintwork. We have recently completed the full scale of the project, bringing the Building up the current regulations and ensuring the external elevations look fresh and renewed.
As a fully tenanted property, Oakfield have also had the opportunity to renew tenancy agreements with our dedicated Property Management team for management of individual flats, allowing there to be a closer working relationship with a significant number of the shareholders at Carmel Heights, which is a fairly unique opportunity to have with the variety of Agents in the area.
It has been a pleasure to work with the Board at Carmel Heights over the years and grow a good connection with the shareholders and we look forward to continuing management in the future.
A few words from our client, but says so much ……
As a collective group of owners, we decided to move management of Carmel Heights to Oakfield in 2022 after buying the freehold. The property had suffered from years of underinvestment and mismanagement (and fraud) with the previous management company, and we urgently needed a company who was able to work with us to bring the block back up to standard – both aesthetically and from a safety point of view, especially in light of Grenfell. The team at Oakfield have been excellent – knowledgeable, helpful and with excellent communication (I don’t think that I’ve ever waited more than 12 hours for a response to an email). They are proactive and as enthusiastic about the block as we are, it’s been very satisfying turning it from a run down, scruffy block into something which we are proud to own a part of. Rents have increased, as has the value of the properties and we are now attracting a much higher quality tenant. I cannot recommend Oakfield enough – and especially Hannah
