From Chaos to Clarity: Turning Around Troubled Blocks

In the world of block management, not all buildings are created equal. Some operate like clockwork where they are smoothly run with strong communication, responsive maintenance, and a confident board of directors who understand their role. But others are the complete opposite. We’ve all seen them. A tired facade hiding deeper dysfunction with common areas falling apart or angry notices pinned to front doors following sky-high service charges with nothing to show for them. Other issues in these types of blocks see leaseholders shouting over each other in AGMs that go nowhere, contractors who come and go without accountability, and behind it all, a managing agent either overwhelmed, unqualified, or simply absent.

These are not only just mismanaged blocks. These are wounded assets. Unless something changes fast, they can become financial liabilities for every leaseholder involved.

At Pont & Lyall, we specialise in stepping into this mess and pulling everything into order in a systematic fashion with structure and poise. We don’t cover issues with a plaster. We execute full-spectrum turnarounds. That means forensic analysis, clear priorities, smart planning, and ultimately, rebuilding trust where it’s been completely eroded. We don’t just deal with what’s visible. We solve what’s systemic.

Every turnaround starts with clarity. That clarity begins with a comprehensive diagnostic phase with a deep dive into the operational core of the building. Not just looking at the budget, it gets scrutinised with the goal to address where is money leaking, and where can other services be provided at more cost effective prices for the benefit of all leaseholders. We also try to identify if any of the costs have ballooned without justification, and if reserve funds been used correctly, or are they being drained to plug operational gaps? Whilst identifying legacy costs that no one may have questioned in years, we do the best work possible to ensure leaseholders are actually getting what they pay for.

Next comes compliance. This is where most troubled buildings fall into the risk zone. It’s astonishing how many agents neglect legal and statutory duties. We’ve taken over buildings where the last fire risk assessment was done five years ago, where no action points were ever followed up, where no one knows if the emergency lighting even works, or where the asbestos register is a decade out of date. In today’s regulatory climate, especially with the Building Safety Act and the Fire Safety Act now active and enforceable, this isn’t just sloppy, it’s dangerous. Non-compliance is no longer a grey area. It exposes directors to personal liability and puts the entire block at risk of enforcement, insurance hikes, and reputational damage.

The real work begins when the operational infrastructure of the building is rebuilt. That includes overhauling maintenance scheduling, re-tendering key contracts, rebuilding contractor relationships, introducing a structured budget and reserve policy, and rolling out a new communication model for the leaseholders with a tech-focused approach. We don’t take the old agent’s mess and try to work around it. We remove what doesn’t serve the block and replace it with systems that do. Every building gets its own roadmap with timelines, priorities, risk logs, removing mystery and the chaos that generally follows.

One of the most undervalued elements of any turnaround is psychological. These buildings are not just operationally broken, they’re emotionally exhausted. Leaseholders feel ignored. Directors feel powerless. Trust is shattered. People assume that no matter what they do, nothing will change. That’s why we place such a heavy emphasis on tone, transparency, and presence. From day one, we engage directly with all stakeholders without hiding behind computers and phones. Pont & Lyall manage buildings in a hands-on manner that is truly bespoke to each and every building.

And the results? They’re visible. Within months, bins are collected on time, hallways are clean, repairs are actioned, costs are controlled, and leaseholders stop quarrelling and directors begin feeling supported rather than exposed. The AGM becomes a space for decision-making and harmony, not chaos. Flats start to sell again, and with higher valuations. Lenders and solicitors stop flagging the building as “problematic”, and even insurers offer more favourable rates because risk is finally being managed, not ignored.

We’ve turned around buildings where freeholders were on the verge of legal action with various parties, or where multiple leaseholders had formally withheld service charges due to lack of trust. We’ve also repaired buildings with chronic underinvestment, possible service charge fraud, and years of negligence. In each isolated case, the same principle applies: with clarity, competence, and a structured approach, there is always a way forward.

It’s not just about fixing the past. It’s about setting the foundation for the future. Once we stabilise a block, we shift into value-building mode. That’s where we look at long-term capital improvement of the service charge and reserve fund. If you’re living in a building where everything feels reactive, broken, and political, know this: it doesn’t have to stay that way. With the right management in place, even the most dysfunctional blocks can be transformed. Nothing happens overnight, and nothing happens without work. With clarity, structure, and the right management, chaos becomes competence.

And that’s what we deliver. Quietly. Relentlessly. Properly.