This month, we explore the challenge of complaints and disputes within the sector. Our contributors share practical strategies for defusing tensions, resolving issues fairly and using feedback to strengthen your developments.

In the News!

  • The government has today (27th January 2026) published the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill in draft, for pre-legislative scrutiny by the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee.
  • The qualification of a seventh Chartered Surveyor has been celebrated at Principle Estate Management, along with three other staff members achieving coveted places on a prestigious property sector list.
  • Strangford Management Ltd, the London-based specialist leasehold block management company, has announced the appointment of Georgia Clements as Building Safety & Compliance Manager and Sam Brown as Senior Property Manager, as the business continues to expand and strengthen its technical capability across complex residential developments.
  • JMJ Asset Management has been shortlisted for New Start Up of the Year at the South West Business & Community Awards, recognising the company’s strong start and growing impact across the region.

Featured Articles

Emergency lighting in residential buildings has long been a fundamental life-safety provision, particularly within communal areas such as corridors, stairwells and lobbies. Learn more from Jordan Begg from Future Group.

Rob Denman, Head of JB Leitch Real Estate, looks at the impact implications of a key element of the recently introduced Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

Property managers have a legal and moral responsibility to ensure the safety of their buildings. Regular risk assessments help to prevent harm, meet legal requirements, and maintain insurance coverage. Learn more in the article by 4Site Consulting.

They are information, important data that can shape decision-making and improve processes. They can help protect budgets and raise standards throughout your development by turning recurrent issues into clear plans for change. In their article, the team at Residentsline Flats Insurance explain how to flip complaints on their head, creating positive outcomes and benefit all.

For many property managers, a failing lift is more than just an inconvenience; it’s a reputational risk. But when frustrations with your service provider hit boiling point, it’s worth asking: is the contractor underperforming, or is your maintenance contract failing to protect you? Learn more from the team at ILECS Lift Consultants.

In the fast-paced world that we all live in, good, timely communication is key. Without this people are in the dark and don’t know what you are doing for them. The team at Earl Kendrick explain further.

Lauren Fernandes, an Associate Solicitor in Bishop & Sewell’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution team provides examples of some of the most common areas of conflict between landlords and leaseholders of residential properties and some practical measures which can help resolve disputes between the parties.

In their article, the team at Residentsline Flats Insurance explores the top 10 complaint themes and which early-intervention tactics can be utilised to help reduce any friction.

Passenger lifts are designed to fade into the background of daily life. But when they fail, complaints escalate quickly. From residential towers to hospitals and offices, lift-related disputes have become a common and costly problem for building owners and managers as highlighted in the article from Ardent Lift Consultancy.

Living in close proximity with others brings many benefits, but it also brings the occasional clash of personalities, expectations and priorities. In the block management industry, complaints and disputes are part of the job, but how we navigate them can make all the difference. Jodie Fraser, Managing Director at JMJ Asset Management tells us more.

Cathy Reid, Director of Customer Experience at FirstPort, explains how the business is building trust and confidence through a more connected and accountable customer service model.

The team at Block in a Box look at how good record-keeping is one of the most powerful tools available to managing agents, protecting everyone by creating a clear, shared version of events.

Most disputes within blocks of flats can be resolved through discussion, complaints procedures or mediation. But sometimes, a tribunal may be considered. The aim of the tribunal is reassurance. They are structured and focused on evidence and reasonableness, not confrontation. Learn more from the article by Flat Living Insurance.

Close living, shared spaces and different lifestyles can all create friction in blocks of flats. Noise complaints, parking rows, refuse issues or disagreements over balcony use can quickly escalate. The difficulty is knowing when a dispute is a private matter between neighbours and when it becomes a management issue. The article by London Flats Insurance explains where that line sits.

Read all of these articles and more, in the latest edition of Flat Living Magazine.