Standing Orders / modus operandi

[Mark Brough]

I dug out the list of "standing orders" which Kevin and I worked up for BNS dec21. I record it here because we need to agree something similar with Alex.
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The following is a list of minor yet specific instructions, discussed and agreed with Mark Treasure autumn 2021, which, through their neglect, have caused frustration and distraction over the years.

These are not important requests, and yet are very easy for a managing agent to implement with just a little diligence and at almost zero cost.

1. keeping residents informed of progress re. serious issues
2. recording all issues on MyBNS, even when raised by 'phone or email.
3. always include VAT
4. authorisation requests - clear and comprehensive summary for directors, with total costs
5. avoid trivial responses to MyBNS posts
6. nurture our favoured suppliers: Keymaster, Aquablast, Mawdselys, David Bath, NGSL, Westbury Electrical
7. matching lights' colour temperature
8. keep records of major works - what, why, where, when, by whom for how much
9. no BNS advertising (or logos) on our notices
10. confirm that an issue really has been resolved before closing its MyBNS record. Do not close the record if there are likely to be further instances of the same issue recurring, for example, if the symptom has been resolved, rather than the underlying cause of the symptom.
11. Do not close an issue record without (within reason) reporting the cost of its resolution.

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In this new 3Sixty era I would list:

1. keeping residents regularly informed of progress re. serious issues (Some residents have been posting that they are not kept informed.)
2. letting us know when our property manager is on holiday or off work, so that people understand if they do not get a response, and so not waste time chasing things up
3. for issues affecting several residents, post the issue on the forum so that others know it is being attended to (Alex doing a good job of this today)
4. always include VAT, unless not warranted (3Sixty currently doing a good job of this)
5. authorisation requests - clear and comprehensive summary and explanation for directors, with total costs (Today this still does not always happen - we often waste time having a cycle of going back to ask for more information.)
6. keep records of major works - what, why, where, when, by whom for how much (Alex did not agree to this request when we put it to him)
7. contractors not to display (permanent) notices, stickers, plaques, advertising, branding etc. without directors' approval (It is commendable, for example, that the Openreach fibre is all clean white, with no branding or advertising.)
8. match lights' colour temperature
9. QC and snagging - find a way to check that an issue is resolved before declaring it resolved, or closing its "ticket".
10. In the future, I would like to see the posting of the £ cost of resolving an issue, once sorted out.

I do not suggest attempting to agree this list with Alex at present - he is too busy - but wanted to record one here for future discussion.

 

[Mark Brough]

standing instruction sep24
Updated list in preparation for contract review with Adam. We are struggling for a name for this list. Kevin's "standing orders" sounds a little military. Robin & I cannot think of anything better than "standing instruction":

1. Undertake a methodical handover when onboarding new staff.
2. Always include VAT in all communications (written, verbal) (unless not applicable).
3. DRBML does not communicate via email. Use the forum, for simultaneous visibility to all directors and in order easily to achieve record-keeping and audit trails.
4. Respond promptly to queries from directors, leaseholders or residents on first asking.
5. Address queries with care and respond to all of their aspects on first asking.
6. Keep residents regularly informed of progress re. serious issues.
7. For issues affecting multiple residents, post the issue on the forum. (So that others know it is being attended to.)
8. Let directors know (via the existing forum thread) when members of the team are on holiday or other significant absence from work. (So that people understand if they do not get a response, and so not waste time chasing things up.)
9. Authorisation requests - clear and comprehensive summary and explanation for directors, with total costs incl. VAT.
10. When work is completed, record on the topic thread what was done, by whom, at what cost incl. VAT
11. Contractors must not display (permanent) notices, stickers, plaques, advertising, branding etc. without directors' approval.
12. Match lights' colour temperatures.
13. QC and snagging - find a way to check that an issue is resolved before declaring it resolved, or closing its "ticket".

 

[Mark Brough]

modus operandi
In preparation for an account review with Adam Booth sep24, Robin presented the above list to Adam, and I reckon that Adam more-or-less sort-of accepted it, although not explicitly.

For the induction of Alexandra Davies, I will push to have this list adopted in full.

I am adding #14:

14. Whenever proposing a meeting, please place a stake in the ground, and propose one, two or three suggested days, dates, times and a venue. (To save much ambiguous back-and-forth delay and time-wasting.)