Your FAQs answered!!

Category: Useful Information

Published: Saturday, 28 June 2014

Written by Sally

The site of Napsbury Park is approximately 100 hectares in size and set in a beautiful conservation area, with a network of footpaths open for the enjoyment of all. The Napsbury Park Resident’s Association (NPRA) welcomes all new and current residents and we hope to be of assistance.

Your Frequently Asked Questions are answered here! 

What does the Napsbury Park Residents' Association (NPRA) do?

The NPRA is staffed by volunteers living in the Park who use their free time to represent the Residents. We are working on behalf of all Residents of the Park to ensure that the Management Company offers a fairly priced service and frequently maintains the defined areas of responsibility. We are representatives of local Residents who want to live in a pleasant and tidy environment that is maintained to a high standard. On a regular basis, we walk the estate to identify any issues/problems and raise them with the Management Company. We liaise with the local Police on security and anti-social behaviour problems. We also work closely with the Local and District Councils.

What are some of the things the NPRA Committee have achieved?

We have overseen and agreed a change in Managing Agents.

We oversee all works being done via the Managing Agents and review how the service charges are being spent. 

We have an excellent relationship with the gardeners, MBS, and make sure all landscaping concerns are addressed.

We've established a good relationship with HSC, Hightown and other managing agents, Crest Nicholson, the SADC and LCPC, police and other stakeholders

We are working directly with Crest, the freeholder, on road adoption and transferring the block freehold. 

We have produced a booklet of estate regulations with HSC and Crest, to make it easier for residents to understand what is in their leases and deeds. 

We work with all councils regarding planning applications and local developments

We have ensured that the landscaping, infrastructure and playgrounds are maintained.

We have creates ways to communiate for residents, the committee and third parties via monthly member emails, thsi website and social media channels. 

We currently have over 350 paying NPRA members and membership is managed online at http://membermojo.co.uk/npra 

We hold a number of social events throughout the year including bulb planting days, litter picks, Summer and Christmas events. 

Why should I join?

The more members the NPRA has, the more influence we can have when dealing with the managing agents and other bodies including the Councils. For example, provided 51% of eligible households have signed up, we can change the managing agents, if we are dissatisfied with their services or fees.

How do I join the NPRA?

Please join or renew your membership or update your email details online here: https://membermojo.co.uk/npra/ 

Once you do, it tells you how to pay your £6 annual household membership fee. 

For any questions, email our Membership Secretary
. 

Do I have to pay to join?

Yes. From Sep. 2016, it is £6 per year to cover admin costs, events, donations to agreed causes and other ad hoc expenditure as agreed at committee meetings.

If I join, do I have to do anything?

If you don't want to, you do not have to do a thing! However if you do want to get involved as a committee member or volunteer on any of

our projects, please email the comments@npra.org.uk. 

How do I contact the NPRA Committee members?

Email comments@npra.org.uk  to get in touch about general question. For membership issues, email membership@npra.org.uk. 

Why do we have a service charge?

During the planning process, Crest Nicholson, the developers, agreed with St Albans County Council that the Park would be handed over to a Management Company who appoint a Managing Agent to maintain the Park once the building work and landscaping were complete. The Managing Agent spend the service charge now under direction from the NPRA committee. 

Who are the Managing Agents?

The main company is Hurford Salvi Car (HSC). Our property manager at HSC is Tijen Suavi. Team line: 01992 507 183. Email: tijen.suavi@hscpm.co.uk. 

What happens if I don't pay my service charge?

The service charge is stated within your Lease or Transfer Plan (TP1) from HM Land Registry and should have been highlighted to you by your Solicitor during the conveyancing process when you purchased your property. You are free to challenge aspects of your service charge with HSC, however, to keep the maintenance of the Park on track HSC need sufficient funds to meet all costs. Any debt will be placed in the hands of debt Collectors after a reasonable period – around eight weeks. Ultimately you will be unable to complete the sale of your property until the amount you owe, including interest and other costs that might be incurred, has been paid.