Who Does What at The Chocolate Works?

If you’ve ever wondered who is actually responsible for looking after different parts of The Chocolate Works, you’re not alone.

Residents often hear names such as Barratt, Watsons, the Management Company and Yorkshire Housing Trust used interchangeably, which can make things confusing. This guide explains, in simple terms, who does what and who you should contact when issues arise.

Watsons Property Management – Your Day-to-Day Contact

Most residents will be familiar with Watsons Property Management, as they are the organisation you are most likely to deal with directly. Watsons are the Managing Agent for The Chocolate Works. They were appointed to carry out the day-to-day management of the development on behalf of the Management Company. Their role includes:

• Organising repairs and maintenance to communal areas
• Inspecting buildings and reporting issues
• Managing contractors
• Preparing service charge budgets
• Collecting and administering service charges
• Arranging building insurance
• Ensuring legal compliance, including fire safety and lift inspections
• Responding to resident enquiries and complaints
• Keeping records and advising on future maintenance needs

If you need to report a problem in a communal area, ask a question about service charges, or raise a concern about the management of the estate, Watsons will usually be your first point of contact.

However, Watsons do not own the development and do not make all decisions themselves. They work under the instructions of the Management Company.

The Chocolate Works Management Company

Behind the scenes sits The Chocolate Works Management Company Ltd. This company exists solely to manage The Chocolate Works and operates on a not-for-profit basis. Any money collected through service charges is intended to be used for maintaining and managing the development.

The Management Company has overall responsibility for the estate and communal areas, while Watsons carries out the day-to-day work on its behalf.

Ultimately, the Management Company is accountable for how the development is run.

Who controls the Management Company?

At present, the developer maintains that the development has not yet formally transferred into resident control. This means the directors of the Management Company are currently appointed by the developer. Once formal handover takes place, residents and property owners are expected to be able to appoint directors from among their own community.

The Developer – Barratt, David Wilson and BDW

You may come across several different names in documents and correspondence, including:

• Barratt Homes
• David Wilson Homes
• BDW Trading Ltd
• Barratt Redrow plc
• Yorkshire East

These all relate to the same wider organisation. The Chocolate Works was marketed under the David Wilson Homes brand, while the legal entity involved in property sales was BDW Trading Ltd, part of the wider Barratt Redrow group.

The developer remains responsible for certain matters, particularly while the development has not yet completed formal handover.

Estate Service Charges – What Does Everyone Pay For?

Every property at The Chocolate Works contributes towards the cost of maintaining shared areas used by the whole community. These costs include the upkeep and management of the estate’s communal areas and are often referred to as the Estate Service Charge.

All residential properties contribute equally towards these costs, with the Co-op also contributing through an agreed allocation.

Block Service Charges – Apartments and Coach Houses

Residents living in apartments and coach houses pay an additional service charge relating to their own building. This covers costs specific to that block, including:

• Corridors and communal hallways
• Lifts
• Roofs and external fabric
• Internal plant and services
• Building-specific maintenance and repairs

These costs are separate from the estate-wide charges and are held in ring-fenced accounts for each building.

Ground Rent and Rent Charges

Apartment leaseholders are also responsible for paying the ground rent specified in their lease.

This payment is collected on behalf of the freehold owner of the building. The freehold owner is often a pension fund or similar financial institution.

Freehold houses do not pay ground rent. Instead, they are subject to a nominal annual £1 rent charge which provides the legal mechanism to ensure they contribute towards shared estate costs.

In all cases, these payments are the responsibility of the property owner rather than any sub tenant.

Some Apartment Blocks Are Managed Differently

Although Watsons Property Management is the Managing Agent for The Chocolate Works estate, not all apartment blocks operate in exactly the same way.

The freehold of some blocks has been sold by the developer to Yorkshire Housing Trust (YHT). In those buildings, Yorkshire Housing Trust has responsibility as freeholder for the management and maintenance of the block itself.

This means that matters relating specifically to those buildings may be dealt with by Yorkshire Housing Trust and their appointed representatives rather than Watsons. Examples can include:

• The structure and fabric of the building
• Roofs and external walls
• Internal communal areas and corridors
• Building services and plant
• Building-specific maintenance and repairs

However, Watsons continues to manage the wider estate on behalf of The Chocolate Works Management Company. This means they remain responsible for communal areas outside the buildings, including:

• Parking areas serving the development
• Estate landscaping and surrounding grounds
• Estate-wide communal areas
• The collection and administration of estate service charges

As a result, residents in these blocks may find that different issues need to be directed to different organisations depending on whether the matter relates to the building itself or to the wider estate.

If you are unsure who to contact, Watsons can usually advise whether an issue falls within their remit or should be referred to Yorkshire Housing Trust.

What About the Roads and Footpaths?

Many residents assume the Management Company is responsible for the roads and pavements, but that is not currently the case.

The roads and footpaths are intended to be adopted by City of York Council. Until that adoption process is complete, responsibility remains with the developer.

This means that responsibility for roads and pavements currently sits with the developer, not Watsons, the Management Company or residents.

The Chocolate Works Residents’ Association (CWRA)

The Chocolate Works Residents’ Association is entirely separate from the developer, the Management Company and Watsons.

The CWRA is a volunteer-led organisation run by residents for residents. Its aims include:

• Helping residents understand how the development is managed
• Sharing information and updates
• Raising awareness of issues affecting the community
• Representing residents’ views where appropriate
• Encouraging neighbourly cooperation and engagement
• Supporting initiatives that improve life at The Chocolate Works

The Association does not have legal powers to manage the development, but it seeks to be an informed and constructive voice for residents.

Membership is free and open to both residents and non-resident owners.

In Summary: Who Do I Contact?

Watsons Property Management

• Day-to-day management of the estate
• Repairs to communal areas
• Service charge enquiries
• Reporting issues relating to the wider estate
• Parking areas and estate grounds

The Chocolate Works Management Company

• Overall responsibility for managing the development
• Strategic oversight
• Appointment and supervision of the Managing Agent

The Developer

• Outstanding developer matters
• Current control of the Management Company pending handover
• Responsibility for roads and footpaths until adoption by the Council

Yorkshire Housing Trust (Applicable Blocks Only)

• Management and maintenance of certain apartment blocks where it owns the freehold
• Building-specific matters within those blocks
• Internal communal areas and building fabric

The Chocolate Works Residents’ Association

• Independent residents’ association
• Provides information and updates
• Supports residents and owners
• Represents residents’ views where appropriate
• Encourages community involvement

Understanding who is responsible for what can help residents get issues to the right people more quickly and make it easier for everyone to navigate life at The Chocolate Works.

This article is intended as a general guide for residents and owners at The Chocolate Works. It is not legal advice, and anyone requiring formal advice should seek independent professional guidance.