UPDATE: February 2025
The board of Riverview Gardens (Freehold) Limited continues to meet monthly. Between meetings, an enormous amount of personal time has been put into trying to address the issues and concerns that we all share as residents. Our Board members are all permanent residents and volunteer their time freely to the benefit of all. They serve the interests of Leaseholders who are all themselves members of the Company.
Residents and Leaseholders were promised transparency on estate matters via these newsletters and the board is determined to keep to that promise. It is unfortunate that transparency doesn’t always result in positive reading. The newly expanded board has learned much from the experience of the past four months; progress is now being made and there is cause for optimism. Directors are also in contact with their opposite numbers on the Castelnau Mansions’ board and hope to benefit from their longer-established knowledge and practice. It is our Board’s aim to oversee an estate that is maintained to the standards that residents are entitled to expect, at a reasonable cost. Where the Board can learn from others, it will do so. It remains interested in hearing from anyone who feels that they could bring something to the administration of the estate.
Residents’ Association
Whilst the voicing of frustration on the WhatsApp group and in person to Board members is understandable, it doesn’t make for the most effective method of communicating issues. It is also not universal in its coverage as not all residents are, or wish to be, part of the group. We reiterate our hope that a formal Residents’ Association can be established to allow all residents to have a voice. This would allow shared frustrations and positive suggestions to be discussed and communicated to the Board. If you would be willing to help establish such an Association, we urge you to contact info@riverviewgardens.co.uk.
Update on works
- Current major works
It is clear to all that these have been significantly delayed and that this is a source of understandable frustration to all residents and particularly those living in flats 37 to 76, as can be testified to by two Board members living in the block.
Some background may be helpful. These major works were originally due to be undertaken during Quadrant’s period of management. As a result of that company’s very poor general delivery, it was felt by the then Board that they should not be trusted to deliver such a project. To progress the already delayed works, and as Fredericks Hearl and Gray (FHG) and Minerva had done a good job in respect of previous works on the estate, FHG was engaged to draw up a specification and Minerva was recommended for inclusion in a formal tender process to complete the works. When Tideway was appointed new managing agent, they inherited these relationships and, after a formal Section 20 tender process, FHG was appointed as project managers with Minerva as the contractor, having been the lowest bidder.
As a result of the worsening state of disrepair, the major works project was scheduled for the first possible opportunity. With the benefit of hindsight, this was an error as the weather has delayed progress significantly.
When the contract was awarded, the Board were unaware that there had been significant changes at both firms and, as has become clear, they were not in the position to be able to deliver a project to the same standard as previously achieved. Scaffolding was erected before the contractor had staff available to commence work. However, although exasperating, it is important to note that this delay, caused by the contractors themselves, has had no detrimental effect on the cost of the project.
Once progress was eventually made, unexpected issues with the fabric of the building were discovered. Damage to window frames was considerably greater than envisaged and the deterioration of some balconies has required structural engineers’ inspections and remedial works which have delayed progress further.
The lack of previous relationship and the lack of detailed control measures in the project contract have made life difficult for both Board members and the Tideway team whose responsibility it has been to manage the project at high level. Board members, especially Orla Collins and Dominic Hughes who have responsibility for projects and external relationships, continue to put constant pressure onto the managing agent and FHG/Minerva directly. Orla has been up the scaffolding to review progress in person several times.
Discernible progress is now being made and the contractors are making a decent job of the project. The first stack of scaffolding will be struck within the next 10 days.
It is absolutely true to say that errors were made in the preparation of this project by the Board; that Tideway have had problems in exerting operational control; and that FHG and Minerva fell short of the Board’s expectations in several respects early in the project. Communication between the different groups involved and residents has been poor throughout.
On the positive side, with lessons well-learned and the new Board in place, these difficulties are unlikely to be repeated.
- Next phase major works
The next phase of cyclical major works will be on flats 100 to 129. A Section 20 notice is already being prepared and will be circulated shortly. The works are expected to take place between May and July this year. Surveyors and project managers have been interviewed jointly by the Board and Tideway and will be appointed during the coming week. Standards of work will be laid out in detail in the contract and both the contract and tender processes will be closely monitored by the Board. Control measures will be put in place that will include weekly site inspections by Tideway and by Board members.
All this means that Tideway can be properly judged on a clean sheet project, on which they will have been involved from the outset. This will enable the Board to make an informed judgement on their suitability as managing agent for our estate in good time prior to the end of the current contract period. The board will continue to seek advice from other similar estates and review alternative providers to ensure best overall value for residents in terms of both delivery and price.
- Minor works
With the exception of flats 100 to 129 – because it was decided that, given the scope of works necessary, these should be incorporated into the next phase of major works as detailed above – the minor works have now been completed to what is believed to be a satisfactory standard. The board would like to thank Orla particularly for her determination in this respect, again climbing up scaffolding on one occasion!
Orla and the Board’s job was made more difficult than necessary during these works. The contractor walked off site at one point due to what their workers regarded as undue interference, and even rudeness, by a small number of residents. We understand the frustration caused by the delay undertaking these works, poor communication on timescales and the apparent lack of progress and anger about security issues. We will continue to drive improvements. However, it is vital that residents use the proper channels to report issues rather than taking direct action with contractors. If we lose a contractor mid-project, the result is further delay and damage to the reputation of the estate. It is much easier to control a project that may not be going well if communications are channelled correctly so the right people know about an issue. The communication pathway graphic from the last newsletter will be put up in all communal hallways shortly. Please do use it.
As a reminder here, contact emails are as follows:
Tideway: rvg@tidewayproperty.co.uk
The Riverview Gardens (Freehold) board: info@riverviewgardens.co.uk
We are aware that some residents are still concerned about damp following completion of these minor works. Damp can take a considerable period to resolve, particularly so in the recent weather conditions. We ask residents to be patient and to contact either Tideway or the board if the issue persists into the warmer and drier weather.
Fire safety
Following the fire door survey commissioned by Tideway, only a small number of front doors to individual flats are compliant with 30 minutes’ fire resistance standards recommended by the London Fire Brigade and required, in some circumstances, by law.
The replacement of individual doors would be the responsibility of individual leaseholders. In order not to inflict any unnecessary cost, the board has commissioned a legal opinion to ascertain definitively what is required in our buildings. Please be assured that no action will be taken unless it is a legislative necessity. If doors do need to be updated or upgraded, the board will consult with leaseholders to ensure best value and uniform appearance.
Parking
Board members share other residents’ annoyance with the new parking arrangements in Riverview Gardens. The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames undertook a consultation in this regard in the summer of 2024. All residents should have received a letter directly from the council. The initial statement detailed an increase of the B1 zone. However, later in the document was a diagram showing new bicycle and expanded motorbike parking areas. More critically, all parking spaces in the road between RVG and Clavering Avenue, where the bins garage is sited, were shown as being changed to dual-use Pay to Park/Residents’ spaces. The result was a net reduction in overall spaces as well as a reduction in spaces for the exclusive use of residents. Some residents complained to the council at the time but the summer holidays tend to be a good time to limit feedback.
The Board intends to make representations to the council on behalf of the estate but urges all concerned residents to contact Richmond directly to request a reinstatement of exclusive residents’ places and a reduction in the size of the motorcycle bay. You can do this by emailing parkingpolicy@richmond.gov.uk. The more voices, the more likely it is that we will be heard.
Security
Again, the more that is reported, the more support we will receive to rid our street of the petty, and not so petty, crime that is proliferating. Please report everything, including suspicious individuals hanging around. It is preferable to report this to both the police on 999 or 101 (depending on the seriousness of the situation) and the Board at info@riverviewgardens.co.uk. If you don’t wish to involve the police for any reason, please do ensure that the Board are informed so that we can use the anonymised information to appeal for additional resources.