EPAG 27/10/2004

Paper 12

The University of Edinburgh

Estates Advisory Group [EPAG]

27 October 2004

Management of Rented Property on Bush Estate

Brief description of the paper

To harmonise the management of the residential properties at Bush Estate with University arrangements.

Action requested

To consider the recommendations and endorse/advise as appropriate.

Resource implications

Does the paper have resource implications? Yes

Surveys and a programme of planned repairs and remedial works are required for all properties.

Risk Assessment

Does the paper include a risk analysis? Yes

Properties will fall into poor repair if maintenance not carried out on a planned basis.

Equality and Diversity

Does the paper have equality and diversity implications? No

Any other relevant information

This matter was highlighted at the University Farms Management Group meeting in June 2004 and this Paper, along with the outcome from EPAG, will be presented at the Farm Management meeting on 9 November 2004.

Freedom of information

Can this paper be included in open business? Yes

Originator of the paper

Alison Forrester Smith

Assistant Surveyor

Estates & Buildings

Bush Estate

Management of rented property

Paper for EPAG on 27th October 2004 and Farms meeting on 9th November 2004

Background

Lawrence Hodgson-Jones, Farms Manager, currently “factors” 34 houses owned by the University of Edinburgh (UoE) in and around the Bush Estate.

The houses are a mixture of Tied, Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO), and Short Assured Tenancies (SAT) (both furnished and unfurnished). The present annual income is circa £90,000 per annum, which is accounted for through Estates and Buildings property accounts.

This factoring was initially limited to maintaining the tied houses attached to Langhill Farm but the portfolio expanded and following a steady decline in the farm workforce, the majority of cottages are now rented out.

These properties are remote from the other residential properties held by UoE. All the houses are clustered fairly close together out at Easter Bush, Langhill, Easter Howgate and Bush (see appendix).

Works Division handle the technical/major repairs for the properties such as re-roofing etc. Minor repairs such as blocked drains, burst pipes, electrical faults etc. are handled on a day-to-day basis by the Farms Manager. Maintenance expenditure is recovered from rents received.

At the Easter Bush there are also 3 flats each with 3 bedrooms in the Hospital for Small Animals that are currently managed directly by the School of Veterinary Medicine.

Presently circa 40 Let Property flats and houses mainly in the Edinburgh city centre area are factored on behalf of UoE by James Gibb Property Management. This arrangement has been in place for several years. Many of the tenancies are Regulated tenancies with Tenants having been in occupation for many years.

Current issues

For a variety of reasons the current situation is not tenable as the Farms Manager is to be involved in teaching and is required to lead the restructuring of the current farms business and the realignment with the College of MVM and in particular the School of Veterinary Medicine.

The Farms Manager has reported that looking after all the houses/flats is now very time consuming and is not an appropriate use of his expertise, which is required to regenerate the Farm business. The workload is partially due to the high turnover of tenants in the HMO and furnished SAT premises. The furnished, shared flats/rooms are the most time consuming but are felt to be vital for visiting workers and staff on-call because of the poor transport infrastructure at Bush and absence of suitable alternative accommodation.

In relation to repairs, local Contractors are being used by the Farms Manager that are not on the UoE approved Contractors list or on Construction Line and Works Division do not have the capacity to handle additional workload if the properties were to be managed in-house.

The Farms Manager does not have access to the Repairline or the Bush Estate Maintenance Account as his office is within the SAC building at Bush. It is also felt that he is not best placed to provide an appropriate management service, which is compliant with onerous regulations.

Maintenance and Security issues are consequently increasing in complexity. The Farms Manager is effectively “on-call” 24 hours a day 365 days a year. UoE Security personnel are likely to become the first point of contact in an emergency and key holders lists need constant updating.

Recommendations

EPAG is invited to endorse the following

  • The Let Property factoring agreement is due to be re-tendered and it is proposed that some of the flats/houses at Easter Bush be added to the existing portfolio and included in the tender. The tender documentation will specify that the Agents will carry out surveys, quarterly inspections and organise repair programmes.

EPAG is asked to consider the following;

  • Management of the rooms/flats in the Small Animal Hospital – these are currently managed directly by the School. Accommodation Services have indicated that they would be willing to manage on behalf of the School for a fee.
  • Accommodation Services (AS) to manage weekly and short term lets in numbers 11,15 and 16 Easter Bush (the HMO properties) and the furnished properties as they have a high turnover of tenants and AS have the systems in place to manage.
  • James Gibb or their successor to manage remaining properties as outlined above. Which include all tied properties and those on Short Assured Tenancies and those that are unfurnished.

Lawrence Hodgson-Jones, Farms Manager

Alison Forrester Smith, Assistant Surveyor, Estates & Buildings

October 2004

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