At the last WRA AGM a number of residents joined and expressed openly their frustration with the service provided by our current factor for the wider Woodilee estate (RMG) who were appointed by the consortium of developers when the estate was first built. RMG were in attendance and made verbal promises to progress to resolution the issues raised. Similar frustrations and feedback were passed on by the outgoing WRA committee members. The new WRA members (as a Committee) made a decision at this time to work with RMG and seek improvement over a short time frame. That promised improvement unfortunately hasn’t materialised. Today the WRA sent on a formal complaint to RMG. Attached was a detailed fact based assessment of their performance against their own documented service commitments. One of our Committee members spent considerable time over the festive period writing up this detailed and valuable document. As we want to give RMG the right to respond (as per their quoted 10 day complaints procedure timeline) I cannot share the report publicly just now. This formal complaint follows a similar one made by the outgoing WRA Chair in 2018.
The WRA would like to progress a “phased” approach to remediating our current factoring issues. PHASE 1 is to seek a wider feedback from residents on their engagement with RMG and whether they would support voting to empower the WRA to replace them (should they fail to meet their own service commitments within a reasonable period of time).
PHASE 2 would be to formally run a voting process to make that decision. In advance of this the WRA would provide residents with further information on RMGs performance to date and the logistical and financial aspects of any switch. The powers to appoint another factor would also be caveated with constraints around cost and other aspects to ensure the WRA does not replace the current factor with a factor that costs a lot more.
Should residents vote to empower the WRA to determine who factors the estate going forward we would intend to open discussions with a select group of alternative factors and compare their offering with what RMG have provided and provide at that time (including any uplift in performance). PHASE 3 – Termination, selection and appointment of a new factor OR retention of existing factor would sit with the WRA.
Please note that performance observations relate to the property management service not the 3rd party vendors who provide services to the factor for the benefit of residents such as grounds maintenance. Clearly management and measurement of 3rd party vendors is a key factoring service but I just wanted to make that clear.
I would also flag that a number of streets within the Cala Ph2 development are classed as Oxgangs and NOT part of RMG’s Woodilee Village factoring contract. They have a separate contract with RMG. Further, many of the blocks of flats have separate contracts with RMG for factoring services related specifically to the flats. This is in addition to the fees paid by these flat owners for RMG’s management of the wider estate. The clock tower flats have previously replaced RMG for this factoring service (which included also the grounds specific to the Clocktower) as have one of the blocks of flats on Rutherford Drive. I raise this as I think many residents are not aware of the factoring arrangements and accountabilities in place across the wider estate.
To help us assess resident’s appetite to empower the WRA to progress this agenda, can you email us at feedback@woodilee.org.uk with your thoughts/feedback/concerns and whether you would support such a proposal if presented in future as a formal vote.