https://www.genapm.com/blog Plain-English guides to leasehold living, service charges and block management. en-GB © 2026 Gena Property Management Limited https://www.genapm.com/post/how-to-stop-condensation-in-a-flat https://www.genapm.com/post/how-to-stop-condensation-in-a-flat Why flat windows stream in winter, where 10 litres of water a day comes from, and the ventilation, heating and insulation fixes that work in a block. Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Property Management Building Safety and Compliance https://www.genapm.com/post/the-cladding-insurance-rollercoaster-are-premiums-finally-coming-down https://www.genapm.com/post/the-cladding-insurance-rollercoaster-are-premiums-finally-coming-down Buildings insurance on cladding-affected blocks has fallen roughly 30% from its peak. What the Fire Safety Reinsurance Facility changed, and what it can't. Sat, 29 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Finance and Service Charges Building Safety and Compliance https://www.genapm.com/post/why-a-new-water-meter-needs-your-freeholder-s-consent https://www.genapm.com/post/why-a-new-water-meter-needs-your-freeholder-s-consent Fitting a meter, moving a pipe or swapping a boiler can knock out a neighbour's water supply. Why the pipes serving your flat are your responsibility even outside your front door — and why let flats are where this usually goes wrong. Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Property Management Legal and Leasehold https://www.genapm.com/post/beat-the-heat-air-conditioning-in-flats https://www.genapm.com/post/beat-the-heat-air-conditioning-in-flats You cannot hang a condenser box on the outside of the block — but "invisible" internal air conditioning exists. What the systems cost, why cladding rules some of them out, and the Licence to Alter you will need before a single tool is lifted. Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Property Management Legal and Leasehold Building Safety and Compliance https://www.genapm.com/post/drips-from-above-what-to-do-when-your-ceiling-starts-leaking https://www.genapm.com/post/drips-from-above-what-to-do-when-your-ceiling-starts-leaking In a block of flats your ceiling is your neighbour's floor. Where leaks between flats actually come from, who is responsible under the lease, and the steps to take in the first few hours. Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Property Management Legal and Leasehold https://www.genapm.com/post/who-controls-the-mailbox-demised-vs-communal-post-boxes https://www.genapm.com/post/who-controls-the-mailbox-demised-vs-communal-post-boxes The bank of post boxes is communal, but the lock on yours almost certainly is not. Who is responsible, how to order a replacement key from the code on the barrel, and how to change the lock yourself. Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Property Management Legal and Leasehold https://www.genapm.com/post/settling-cracks-vs-structural-damage-when-to-call-a-surveyor https://www.genapm.com/post/settling-cracks-vs-structural-damage-when-to-call-a-surveyor How to tell a harmless settling crack from genuine structural movement — width, pattern and progression — how to monitor one properly, and whether you need a building surveyor or a structural engineer. Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Property Management Building Safety and Compliance https://www.genapm.com/post/where-s-my-package-the-delivered-myth-under-the-consumer-rights-act https://www.genapm.com/post/where-s-my-package-the-delivered-myth-under-the-consumer-rights-act A courier leaving a parcel wherever it likes is not a legal delivery. Section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, and a template to send the retailer. Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Property Management Legal and Leasehold https://www.genapm.com/post/where-did-all-the-extinguishers-go-why-london-fire-brigade-doesn-t-want-them-in-your-block-s-corrid https://www.genapm.com/post/where-did-all-the-extinguishers-go-why-london-fire-brigade-doesn-t-want-them-in-your-block-s-corrid Ever taken a walk down the communal hallway of your apartment building and wondered, Where are the fire extinguishers? Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Building Safety and Compliance https://www.genapm.com/post/major-works-section-20-when-is-a-managing-agent-not-enough https://www.genapm.com/post/major-works-section-20-when-is-a-managing-agent-not-enough Property management comes with a lot of moving parts, but few things cause leaseholders more anxiety than major works. Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Property Management Legal and Leasehold https://www.genapm.com/post/navigating-the-5-year-ews1-deadline-what-leaseholders-need-to-know https://www.genapm.com/post/navigating-the-5-year-ews1-deadline-what-leaseholders-need-to-know For many flat owners, the EWS1 form has been a crucial key to selling or remortgaging their homes since its introduction in December 2019. Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Building Safety and Compliance Legal and Leasehold https://www.genapm.com/post/the-great-billing-mystery-why-is-my-new-agent-charging-me-for-a-full-year https://www.genapm.com/post/the-great-billing-mystery-why-is-my-new-agent-charging-me-for-a-full-year Why a brand-new managing agent bills you for the whole year — the two clashing timelines behind the invoice, and what you are actually being charged for. Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Property Management Finance and Service Charges Legal and Leasehold https://www.genapm.com/post/the-financial-roadmap-understanding-your-block-s-budget-and-reserves https://www.genapm.com/post/the-financial-roadmap-understanding-your-block-s-budget-and-reserves How a block's budget and reserve fund actually work, why both exist, and what your service charge is paying for across the year ahead. Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Property Management Finance and Service Charges https://www.genapm.com/post/why-we-charge-a-one-off-set-up-fee https://www.genapm.com/post/why-we-charge-a-one-off-set-up-fee When a new management company takes over a block, it's rarely a "plug-and-play" situation. More often than not, it's a rescue mission. Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Finance and Service Charges https://www.genapm.com/post/companies-house-director-personal-code https://www.genapm.com/post/companies-house-director-personal-code RMC and RTM directors must now verify their identity at Companies House. What the personal code is, who needs one, and what happens if you miss it. Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Legal and Leasehold https://www.genapm.com/post/major-works-navigating-the-section-20-framework https://www.genapm.com/post/major-works-navigating-the-section-20-framework In the realm of block management, the term "Major Works" is often met with trepidation. Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Property Management Building Safety and Compliance https://www.genapm.com/post/planning-renovations-in-your-flat https://www.genapm.com/post/planning-renovations-in-your-flat Renovating your home is exciting — whether you're refreshing a tired kitchen, opening up a living space, or replacing your bathroom suite. Sat, 14 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Legal and Leasehold https://www.genapm.com/post/why-fire-safety-rules-ban-items-in-communal-areas-even-when-they-re-out-of-the-way https://www.genapm.com/post/why-fire-safety-rules-ban-items-in-communal-areas-even-when-they-re-out-of-the-way You've just moved into a sleek new flat. Tue, 03 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Building Safety and Compliance Property Management https://www.genapm.com/post/the-power-of-precision-why-accurate-fault-reporting-saves-time-and-money https://www.genapm.com/post/the-power-of-precision-why-accurate-fault-reporting-saves-time-and-money A vague fault report costs more and takes longer to fix. What to include when you report something in your building, and why the detail pays for itself. Mon, 05 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Property Management https://www.genapm.com/post/the-property-insurance-maze-what-you-actually-need-and-what-you-re-double-paying-for https://www.genapm.com/post/the-property-insurance-maze-what-you-actually-need-and-what-you-re-double-paying-for If you own a property, the paperwork can be overwhelming. You likely have a stack of policy documents that all sound vaguely similar. Tue, 16 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Property Management Finance and Service Charges https://www.genapm.com/post/why-your-managing-agent-seems-powerless-against-noise-nuisance-and-what-to-do-instead https://www.genapm.com/post/why-your-managing-agent-seems-powerless-against-noise-nuisance-and-what-to-do-instead If you live in a leasehold flat, you probably know the drill. Mon, 08 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Property Management Legal and Leasehold https://www.genapm.com/post/whose-wall-is-it-anyway-a-leaseholder-s-guide-to-your-demise-and-the-service-charge https://www.genapm.com/post/whose-wall-is-it-anyway-a-leaseholder-s-guide-to-your-demise-and-the-service-charge Understanding what is your responsibility versus what is communal can save you a world of confusion, disputes, and unexpected costs. Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Finance and Service Charges Legal and Leasehold Property Management https://www.genapm.com/post/decoding-your-service-charge-why-costs-for-leaseholders-are-on-the-rise https://www.genapm.com/post/decoding-your-service-charge-why-costs-for-leaseholders-are-on-the-rise For millions of leaseholders across the country, the arrival of the annual service charge demand can be a moment of genuine anxiety. Fri, 10 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Finance and Service Charges Building Safety and Compliance https://www.genapm.com/post/is-your-front-door-just-an-entrance-think-again-it-s-a-lifesaver https://www.genapm.com/post/is-your-front-door-just-an-entrance-think-again-it-s-a-lifesaver Your front door is the first thing you see when you come home. But in a block of flats, your front door has another, far more critical role: it's a fire door. Thu, 09 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Building Safety and Compliance Legal and Leasehold https://www.genapm.com/post/caught-on-camera-protected-by-the-law https://www.genapm.com/post/caught-on-camera-protected-by-the-law For larger blocks, it is not uncommon to have parcels stolen. Many leaseholders opt to get CCTV installed to find the perpetrators. Wed, 08 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Property Management Legal and Leasehold https://www.genapm.com/post/a-guide-to-running-your-residents-management-company https://www.genapm.com/post/a-guide-to-running-your-residents-management-company When you own a property in the building, you typically become a member of the company, which gives you a say in how your building is managed. Tue, 23 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan Property Management Legal and Leasehold https://www.genapm.com/post/why-are-energy-standing-charges-so-high-since-the-russian-invasion-of-ukraine https://www.genapm.com/post/why-are-energy-standing-charges-so-high-since-the-russian-invasion-of-ukraine The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 resulted in a huge spike in energy prices which has settled down in recent years. Tue, 23 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT Stewart Tan News and Updates Finance and Service Charges