External Decorations Block Management
Professional external decorations block management and internal communal decorations that protect your building, maintain its appearance, and preserve property values for leaseholders.
Why External and Internal Communal Decorations Matter
The condition of a building's exterior and its shared internal spaces directly affects property values, resident satisfaction, and the long-term structural integrity of the block. External decorations block management encompasses the cyclical redecoration of all exterior surfaces including painting, rendering, metalwork treatment, fascias, and soffits. Internal communal decorations cover the redecoration of hallways, stairwells, lobbies, and other shared areas within the building. At Block, we manage these programmes as an integral part of our block management services, ensuring that every building in our portfolio is maintained to a high standard.
Without a structured approach to cyclical decorations, buildings deteriorate faster, repair costs escalate, and leaseholders face unexpected bills for emergency remedial work. Peeling paintwork exposes timber to moisture and rot, while neglected rendering can lead to water ingress and structural damage. A proactive planned maintenance approach to decorations is always more cost-effective than waiting for problems to develop. This is a core principle of sound block management.
Our decoration programmes are fully integrated with building maintenance, service charge management, and compliance planning to ensure a seamless, professionally managed process from specification through to completion.
External Redecoration Programmes
A comprehensive external decorations block management programme covers every element of the building's exterior that requires cyclical treatment. External redecoration is typically carried out on a five to seven-year cycle, depending on the building's location, exposure, and the condition of existing coatings. The scope of a typical external redecoration programme includes:
Every external redecoration project is managed by our property managers, who oversee contractor selection, specification compliance, and quality control throughout the works. We ensure that all external decoration works are carried out to the best external decorations block management standards, protecting the building envelope and extending the lifespan of external finishes.
Internal Communal Decoration for Shared Areas
Internal communal decorations cover the redecoration of all shared spaces within the building. Hallways, stairwells, lobbies, corridors, and lift lobbies all require periodic repainting to maintain a clean, welcoming environment for residents and visitors. The condition of communal areas has a significant impact on the overall perception of the building and contributes to the quality of life for everyone living there.
Internal communal redecoration is typically scheduled on a similar cycle to external works, usually every five to seven years, though high-traffic areas such as ground floor lobbies and stairwells may benefit from more frequent attention. We work with leaseholders and residents to agree colour schemes and finish standards that are durable, easy to maintain, and sympathetic to the building's character. Our internal communal decorations prices are competitively tendered and transparently presented so that every leaseholder understands the costs involved.
Where internal and external decoration works are due at the same time, we coordinate both programmes to minimise disruption to residents and achieve economies of scale. This integrated approach is a hallmark of professional planned maintenance management and ensures that the building is comprehensively cared for.
Section 20 Consultation and Cost Budgeting
Major decoration works costing more than £250 per leaseholder are subject to the Section 20 consultation process under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. This statutory procedure requires the freeholder or managing agent to notify leaseholders of the proposed works, invite observations, obtain competitive estimates, and allow leaseholders to nominate contractors. At Block, we manage the entire Section 20 consultation process meticulously, ensuring full compliance and protecting the right of the freeholder to recover costs through the service charge.
The cost of cyclical decorations is budgeted through the annual service charge and a dedicated reserve fund. Rather than presenting leaseholders with a large, unexpected bill when works fall due, we collect annual contributions that build up over the decoration cycle. For example, if an external redecoration programme is estimated at £30,000 and the cycle is six years, annual reserve fund contributions of £5,000 are collected so that funds are available when the work is needed. This approach to managing external decorations block management cost is fairer, more transparent, and avoids the need for special levies.
Our property managers prepare detailed specifications for all decoration works, obtain competitive tenders from approved contractors, and present clear cost comparisons to leaseholders as part of the consultation process. This ensures that the freeholder responsibilities for maintaining the building are met while delivering value for money. Scaffolding and access requirements, which can represent a significant proportion of the overall cost for taller buildings, are carefully planned and competitively procured.
Cyclical Decoration Schedules and Specification Standards
Establishing a clear cyclical decoration schedule is essential for effective block management. The schedule sets out when each element of the building's external and internal decorations is due for attention, based on the expected lifespan of the coatings and finishes used. A typical cycle for external decorations block management is five to seven years, though this varies depending on the quality of previous work, the building's exposure, and the types of substrates involved.
Colour schemes and specification standards are agreed in advance, often in consultation with leaseholders and in accordance with any planning restrictions or conservation area requirements. We prepare detailed specifications that set out surface preparation methods, primer and undercoat systems, and top coat finishes for every element. This ensures consistency, durability, and a professional result. Good specification is particularly important for controlling external decorations block management cost over the long term, as properly prepared and coated surfaces last significantly longer than those where shortcuts have been taken.
As part of our planned maintenance approach, decoration schedules are reviewed after each cycle and updated to reflect the building's current condition. Where condition surveys identify areas that need earlier attention, we adjust the programme accordingly and advise leaseholders of any impact on the reserve fund. This proactive management protects the building and ensures that building maintenance costs remain predictable and well controlled.
Frequently Asked Questions About External and Communal Decorations
What does block management include?
Block management includes the full administration and maintenance of a block of flats on behalf of the freeholder or a residents' management company. This covers day-to-day building maintenance, service charge budgeting and collection, insurance arrangement, compliance with health and safety regulations, contractor management, Section 20 consultations for major works, communal cleaning, grounds maintenance, and cyclical programmes such as external decorations and internal communal decorations. A professional block management company coordinates all of these services to protect the building and the interests of leaseholders.
Can my landlord stop me from decorating?
Your landlord or freeholder can restrict decorating within your flat if the lease contains specific covenants about alterations or decorations. Many leases require leaseholders to obtain written consent before making changes to the interior of their flat, particularly structural alterations. However, the external decorations of the building and internal communal areas such as hallways, stairwells, and lobbies are the responsibility of the freeholder or managing agent, not individual leaseholders. These areas are maintained through the service charge as part of a planned cyclical decoration programme managed by the block management company.
How often should a rented property be redecorated?
For blocks of flats, external decorations are typically carried out on a cyclical basis every five to seven years, depending on the building's exposure, the type of finishes used, and the condition of existing coatings. Internal communal decorations for shared areas such as hallways, stairwells, and lobbies are usually scheduled on a similar five to seven-year cycle. The precise frequency should be established through regular condition surveys and set out in the building's planned maintenance programme. A shorter cycle may be needed for buildings in exposed or coastal locations, while sheltered buildings in good condition may extend to seven years or beyond.
What is fair wear and tear after 5 years?
Fair wear and tear after five years refers to the natural deterioration that occurs to decorations and finishes through normal use and the passage of time. For external decorations, this includes fading, chalking, and minor cracking of paintwork, weathering of rendered surfaces, and surface rust on metalwork. For internal communal areas, fair wear and tear includes scuffing and marks on walls, fading of paint colours, and general dulling of finishes in high-traffic areas such as stairwells and lobbies. A five-year point typically marks the stage at which a cyclical redecoration programme should be considered to restore the building to a good standard and prevent further deterioration.
What is the right to manage a block of flats?
The right to manage is a statutory right under the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 that allows qualifying leaseholders to take over the management of their block of flats without having to prove fault on the part of the existing landlord or manager. Once a Right to Manage company is established and the process is completed, the RTM company assumes responsibility for all management functions including arranging external decorations, internal communal decorations, building maintenance, service charge collection, and compliance. Most RTM companies appoint a professional block management company to carry out these duties on their behalf, ensuring that cyclical decoration programmes and other planned maintenance works are managed to a professional standard.
Need a Decoration Programme for Your Block?
Contact us for a free, no-obligation discussion about external decorations block management and internal communal decorations for your building. Our team will assess your block and recommend a cyclical decoration programme that protects your property and controls costs for leaseholders.