Cunninghame Housing Association factor around 450 properties. The properties we factor range from new build to traditional tenemental appartments, our factoring service covers 9 towns in Ayrshire:
- Ardrossan
- Millport
- Irvine
- Saltcoats
- West Kilbride
- Beith
- Stevenston
- Largs
- Kilbirnie
Everyone living within mixed tenure areas has an interest in keeping the area safe, pleasant and a well maintained. Everyone has an obligation put to the cost of maintenance and repair of common areas.
Tenants living within these areas pay their share of common maintenance and repair costs within their monthly rental charges. Owners in line with their Title Deed/Deeds of Condition and the Property Factors (Scotland) Act should pay their percentage share of any common works carried out within the area where they live.
As Factors we have a legal responsibility to make sure proper upkeep of common areas. As such we give regular inspections, note and do common repairs, likely improvements and the upkeep common grounds. In addition, we can give you building insurance cover through our block policy at reasonable rates.
Some of the service we give include:
- Regular estate inspections
- Instructing common reactive maintenance and repairs
- Planning for, arranging and overseeing cyclical maintenance and major repairs
- Co-ordinating environmental maintenance and services
- Making sure there is comprehensive buildings insurance for the full rebuilding value
- Giving management and administration services
- Maintaining a list of approved contractors
- Terms of regular information and consultation
- Apportioning costs and liaising with solicitors about sales etc.
In addition, as Factors we can give you building insurance cover through our block policies at competitive rates. Our Factoring Handbook is sent to Owner Occupiers when you finsih the buying your home. We will also send our Statement of Services. These documents give full details of the services we have.
If you are an Owner Occupier and your property is covered by our management services. You can get a copy of these documents by contacting our Senior Finance Officer. Do this if you are an Owner Occupier and your property is covered by our management services.
For illustration common repairs include: door entry system faults, front/rear close door and stair head window problems, handrails and common lighting faults.
Most Common Repairs will be scheduled or non-routine repairs. However, there may be times that are of an emergency category. Eg, if there is no electricity in your common close area, call our Freephone Number on (0800 068 1466). Misuse of the emergency repair process means that you may have to pay a charge.
All owners with a gas service within their homes should make sure that they have an yearly gas safety inspections. This will make sure that all their gas appliances have been correctly serviced and are considered safe.
As Factors our roles are restricted to common areas and common parts of buildings. Within their property lines, Owners are responsible for service and maintenance of same.
Owners should make sure that they pay their factoring invoices in a prompt way. Factoring Invoices are sent to owner occupiers on a quarterly basis as per the under noted timetable. Quarter End Dates are as follows:
- Quarter End 31st March
- Quarter End 30th June
- Quarter End 30th September
- Quarter End 31st December
The target for sending Factoring Invoices is within 10 working days of the quarter end. Our performance in this will be told to owners within the Cunninghame Housing Association Ltd Factoring newsletter.
To give choice Cunninghame Housing Association accepts payments in a number of ways. Postal Cheques (postal cheques will be onward receipted).
- Cash Payments at our Head Office in Ardrossan (all cash payments are receipted)
- ALLPAY swipe cards previously sent ( replacement cards given when asked)
- Direct Debit Payments
- ALLPAY Internet Payments: www.allpayments.net
- ALLPAY Telephone Payments: (0870 2436040)
For ALLPAY Payments above you will need your ALLPAY payment card or a note of your account reference number.
We would ask that owners pay using either their ALLPAY swipe card or set up a direct debit. This will aid efficiency and make sure that we keep the annual administration fee as low as possible.
Factored Owners who wish to talk about their itemised Factoring invoices or the method of payment can contact Stuart Ross. You can call our Senior Finance Officer on (01294 606004) for advice.
He will be able to tell you the monthly amounts needed and payment choices to make sure that your Factoring Invoices throughout the year are paid.
The owners are responsible to make sure that they pay their factoring invoices on a regular and timeous basis. This is one reason why Cunninghame Housing Association Ltd promotes the use of monthly direct debit payments.
Every tenant, sharing owner and owner must contribute to the cost of the maintenance and repair of all common areas. Cunninghame Housing Association Ltd is supportive of owners who may have affordability problems. Payments can be arranged to suit individual circumstances.
Persistent non-payers in blocks, closes and estates are breaking the law of Title deeds and the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004.
Cunninghame Housing Association Ltd reserves the right to instruct any of these legal remedies against Owners in pursuit of debts. Owners will bear the costs of raising court proceedings and their Factoring Debt.
Owners should be aware that court proceedings raised may have a harmful impact on your individual credit ratings. It may affect your other financial commitments in the future.
Full details of our arrears recover processes can be found in your Factoring Handbook.
Cunninghame Housing Association is committed to making sure that our customer’s views are sought on our performance. We always seek to improve our services and we will often let you know about our targets and performance. The results will be published on our web-site.
Factoring Newsletter December 2019
CONTACTING US
The first point of contact for the factoring service is Stuart Ross. In addition appointments can be made to suit individual owners who wish to discuss issues in person.