The Association of Residential Managing Agents is seeking to brush up its act by appointing a chairman and members for the disciplinary panel of its “new self-regulatory regime”.
It was advertising the posts in yesterday’s Sunday Times.
This is an attempt by the trade body to regain credibility after its long years of silence when numerous LVTs made rulings against its own members.
No managing agent has ever publicly been expelled from the organisation, and it is unclear whether the new system, when it is unveiled, will keep disciplinary hearings confidential.
“The independent regulator would determine disciplinary cases brought before the panel,” says ARMA.
So here is a first complaint – against ARMA itself.
Why is the annual conference of this trade body being sponsored by an outfit called Energy Renewals, which is offering “ongoing admin payments” of up to £250,000 to managing agents?
These payments are rewards for spending other people’s money in the form of energy contracts and can go straight into the pockets of managing agents, or freeholders, without leaseholders knowing a thing about them.
Energy Renewals says that the payments would typically be between £3,000 and £50,000 a year.
Major corporate clients – presumably the largest national managing agents – can do better still with payments of £50,000 to £250,000.
Leaseholders would not have to be told anything about these payments.
How does this sort of sponsorship tally with ARMA’s enthusiasm “to make a difference to the lives of the thousands of people who live in leasehold flats by raising standards and promoting customer service”, as its advert in yesterday’s Sunday Times puts it?
Full story on Energy Renewal offer, Bungs ‘r’ Us, can be read here
It would seem ARMA is worried by LKP and is trying to counteract the loss of members!! It clearly won’t work as more and more people, both leaseholders and reputable managing agents become aware of the fact that ARMA is a total farce!
I agree. ARMA is financed by the management companies. All they do is have a fee paid by them and they speak up and defend where they can. ARMA is total farce and should be disbanded asap as it gives a false image. If am agent uses the term “Arma registered” the ordinary folk would think, “oh thats sounds re-assuring”. It’s not.
Builders always use “10 year NHBC gaurantee”. This means absolutely nothing. The NHBC is financed by the buildes themselves. Like ARMA, worthless.