Inside the Box Advisory

Today marks a significant milestone for us at Inside the Box Advisory as we proudly celebrate our first anniversary! What a journey it has been! Over the past year, we’ve had the privilege of working alongside amazing clients, collaborating with talented professionals, and contributing to safer buildings in our community. Our commitment to supporting our clients in their journeys to compliance with the Building Safety Act and coordinating multiple cladding remediation projects has never wavered, and we are grateful for the trust and support we've received. A huge thank you to our dedicated team for their hard work and passion, as well as to our clients. We wouldn’t be where we are today without you! As we reflect on our achievements, we’re excited for the future. We’re committed to continuing our mission of promoting safety and excellence in building management, delivering a wide range of property management consultancy services and by the imminent launch of ItBox our building safety, resident engagement compliance platform, and we can’t wait to see what the next year brings.

Rising Costs vs. Managing Agents' Fee Adjustments While much attention is given to residents facing increased service charges, it's important to recognise the mounting pressures on managing agents. Over the last five years, cumulative inflation has reached 23%, with estate budgets often exceeding this figure. According to The Property Institute Service Charge Index 2024, utilities have increased by 73%, building insurance by 92% and general expenditure by 34%. However, managing agents' fees have only increased by 21%, forcing them to deliver the same or enhanced services with tighter margins. At Inside the Box Advisory, we understand these challenges. We're here to help managing agents identify efficiencies and develop strategies to navigate this tough economic landscape. #PropertyManagement #ServiceCharge #RealEstate #ManagingAgents

With the new service charge code imminent, we’ve been working with our clients to ensure service charges are fair, transparent, and compliant.  Often, managing agents and landlords bear the brunt of frustration over rising service charges, which can also be made worse when rising costs are unexpected for the leaseholder.  Kemi O. has written an article on the Inside the Box approach to setting up service charges. For further guidance and support on this matter, please get in touch. Email: [email protected].

The Waking Watch Relief Fund is reopening to provide support for buildings still affected by fire safety issues. This fund aims to alleviate the financial burden on leaseholders and freeholders facing increased costs associated with waking watches.  If your building is still in need of assistance, be sure to apply for the fund and access the support you need.  Let's work together to ensure the safety and security of all residents. Please get in touch with Kiara L. for more information. https://lnkd.in/e6cbKAYt #WakingWatchReliefFund #FireSafety #WWRF2023 #BuildingSafety

How the Government might end 'foot-dragging' over cladding remediation In response to Angela Rayner’s pledge made last week to end ‘foot-dragging’ over the removal of Grenfell-style cladding. Inside the Box Advisory founder, Charles Seifert has six suggestions that the Government might consider. 1. This Government should set a closing date for applications to the various remediation funds (as they did with the initial ACM fund and BSF).  If the funds close and there are penalties for those who fail to submit applications or conclude remediation by prescribed dates, landlords will be forced to focus their attention on remediation. 2. This Government should provide early and adequate pre-tender support to enable investigations and reports to be commissioned. Cost of living pressures can make it challenging to raise sufficient funds from leaseholders to undertake the necessary investigations (such as FRAEW’s), to establish the risks presented by the external wall build-up. Pre-tender support needs to be sufficient to fund the necessary first steps and this is broadly quantifiable. 3. This Government should explicitly commit to being the funder of first resort to remediate buildings with unsafe cladding.   The Building Safety Act makes it challenging to understand who is responsible for remediation and how to progress a claim. This Government should commit to funding remediation, with action to recover costs being run separately.   In certain cases, the policy of handing claims over to developers has served to slow down remediation as they commission their own FRAEW’s.  4. This Government should invest in properly resourcing the cladding remediation teams at Homes England and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government so that they can process and progress applications quickly and efficiently. Having had several applications sit with the various agencies for many months, it is essential that the various government agencies are properly resourced and held accountable for the speed and efficiency with which they manage applications. 5. This Government should publish the rule book for each remediation fund. It is a constant challenge to make progress as Government agencies regularly change the rules as to how they assess approve and fund applications. 6. This Government should fund wider remediation costs than purely external wall remediation. The BSA prohibits the recovery of any cladding-related remediation costs from leaseholders. The problem is that where remediation goes beyond cladding (e.g. wooden balconies), applications can grind to a halt as funds are not available to undertake the full scope of necessary works. Some of these suggestions may not deliver a quick fix, there is complexity around each and the volume of claims will create other challenges, however, they may help keep people safer in their homes. Is there anything else you would add to this? #BuildingSafety #CladdingRemediation #CladdingSafetyScheme

At Inside the Box Advisory, we focus on simplifying safe building & asset management practices lending our expertise to landlords, developers, property managers, managing agents, RTMs and ManCos.  But to do that, we need a professional, experienced team behind us. Founded by Charles Seifert, our expert team support clients to manage complex legislative changes and comply with best practices. 🔹 Kemi, our Associate and Building Safety Act Lead focuses on building safety and management, simplifying the Building Safety Act to create safe living spaces. 🔹 Kiara L., Consultant and Cladding Remediation Lead, manages cladding projects, using her experience to improve building safety and make a real difference in residents' lives. 🔹 Katie Steward MTPI, Property Consultant, combines her background in criminology with real estate, contributing to the team with her dedication to growth and adaptability. 🔹 George Pearce MRICS, Property Consultant, brings experience in property management and the Building Safety Act, showing strong commitment in his work. 🔹 Rory Merchant MRICS, Property Consultant, has over a decade of experience in social and private sectors. Rory focuses on managing property challenges and developing client relationships. 🔹 Shilpa, our Head of Operations has 15 years of business experience, and guides our operations with a focus on growth and resilience. 🔹 Andrew Embury, Non-Executive Director and Advisor is a former IBM executive and senior equity partner at PwC and EY, advises our team on managing change and improving performance. Together, we are dedicated to helping our clients navigate and simplify the challenges of maintaining safe buildings and complying with changing legislation. #BuildingSafety #PropertyManagement #CladdingRemediation #AssetManagement

What is Dispute Resolution and How Can Inside the Box Advisory Help? At Inside the Box Advisory, we specialise in dispute resolution, providing essential support where disputes arise around property management, service charges, and building safety. As conflicts in these areas escalate, having experienced, neutral, authoritative advice is key. In the event that a dispute is heading towards court or the First Tier Tribunal, we offer expert witness services to assist solicitors, landlords, and leaseholders, You can trust us for expert guidance and effective resolution in the increasingly complex landscape of property disputes. #DisputeResolution #PropertyManagement #ExpertWitness  #AssetManagement

Our recent team meeting also turned into a team photo shoot with Tony Brown. We're really pleased with what we've seen so far and look forward to sharing them all with you in due course.  #BuildingSafety #Cladding #PropertyConsultancy #AssetManagement

Ensure your properties are safe and compliant, with a comprehensive Inside the Box audit. Tailored to meet the specific needs of managing agents, property managers and landlords, our audits will help to streamline operations and enhance efficiency. Find out more about - Audit Levels - Our Process - Quarterly Asset Management Support We're committed to simplifying the complexities of property management through our expert audit services, ensuring your buildings are safe and compliant.  #Compliance #OperationalEfficiency #AssetManagement #PropertyAudit #BuildingSafety

Onboarding Success & Building Safety Audit in Manchester Last week, Katie Steward MTPI, Property Consultant here at Inside the Box Advisory and Kemi Oguntoye our Chartered Surveyor, were on the ground in Manchester, onboarding a new managing agent client. Prior to our visit, we conducted a comprehensive review of their resident engagement strategy to ensure compliance with the latest legislation. During our time in Manchester, we also completed a targeted Building Safety Act (BSA) audit. The BSA audit serves as a vital tool to ensure that building safety practices are not just implemented but are seamlessly integrated into the day-to-day operations of managing agents. It's all about making sure safety is at the heart of everything we do. We're excited to continue driving forward with our commitment to safety, compliance, and excellence in the property sector! #BuildingSafety #PropertyConsulting #ResidentEngagement #Compliance #Manchester #TeamWork