Why summer is the most important season for your building

From roof inspections to major works planning, here's what should be happening at your building this Summer.

For many managing agents, summer means quieter phones and a lighter inbox. For a proactive one, it means something very different. The warmer, drier months are the ideal window to carry out building inspections, commission roof and facade surveys, progress major works, and set budgets for the year ahead. The buildings that suffer most in winter are almost always the ones whose managing agents did nothing in summer.

A well-managed building should have a site inspection every quarter  (we actually inspect our monthly and in some cases weekly) — and summer is the most productive time to act on what those inspections reveal. Key areas to focus on include: roof and guttering (cleared and in good condition before autumn rains), external decorations and render (any cracking or moisture ingress spotted and treated while dry), communal HVAC and ventilation systems (serviced before peak heat), and fire safety equipment (tested and documented ahead of any regulatory visit).

Section 20 consultation — required before any major works costing leaseholders more than £250 per head — takes time. The legal notice periods alone can run to 60 days or more. If your building needs significant works next year, the planning, specification, and contractor tendering process should begin now. Managing agents who leave this to November are setting their clients up for disruption, delay, and often higher costs as contractors fill their books.

Summer is also the right moment to review your sinking fund position. Is the reserve adequately funded for the likely major expenditure over the next 5–10 years? A reserve fund study — carried out by a qualified surveyor — will model this and flag any shortfall. Addressing a funding gap gradually through modest annual increases is far less painful than a large special levy when a roof replacement can no longer be deferred.

Every building we manage has a rolling maintenance schedule, a planned preventative maintenance programme, and a 5-year major works projection. In June, our team is conducting site visits, progressing live Section 20 consultations, and reviewing reserve fund positions across our portfolio. It's not reactive management — it's what good management actually looks like.

Is your managing agent doing any of this? If you're not sure — or if the answer is no — it might be worth finding out what you're missing.

Get in touch for a free initial conversation about your building.