Most residents in a block of flats have no interest in the behind the scenes nuts and bolts of the legalities that govern the interaction between the flat owners. The first time they experience a residents’ committee is when there is a problem and at that point the articles of the flat management company come into play. It’s important to ensure that the people running the management company are sensible and level headed , especially as there is often a resident who turns up at meetings and likes to hear the sound of their own voice usually because they have too much time on their hands. Therefore choose candidates for positions such as director or secretary with care as a firm hand may be needed to call meetings to order and ensure that outstanding issues are dealt with in a timely and appropriate manner. Somebody with professional experience of procedures and legalities is usually the best candidate although they may not have enough time to devote to what amounts to a voluntary job. Often the best results are achieved by engaging the services of an external manager to run the flat management company in addition to actually dealing with repairs and maintenance, although a cost will be incurred.