Railings

[Aggers]

The car park at the front of our retirement apartments has ordinary iron railings painted black
and about five years old. Our management company has now presented us with their accounts
for the coming year, and have included a substantial sum of money for washing these railings.
Now, these railing look alright to me, and never, in my long life, have I ever heard of anyone
washing railings. What do you think? Have you ever heard of it? Painting, yes, but washing???
Should we question this item? I would welcome your comments.

[saundra]

Never heard of such a thing k
When it comes to spending other people's money management don't care
Personally I would strongly object

[meriad]

Agree with Saundra, why on earth would the railing need to be washed? Oddest thing I've heard in a while. I'd definitely query the action and associated cost and strongly oppose.

[Workingman]

It sounds very much like a company trying to make money out of nothing.

I have seen your railings, John, and at best it is a one man, one hour job, from setting up to clearing away: £30 tops. Though why anyone would want to wash railings when it rains in the Midlands is beyond me. I would be opposing in the strongest possible way.

[Kaz]

Absolutely you should be opposing this, it sounds quite ridiculous!

[Aggers]

I'm pleased you all think the same as me. The Lodge Manager says that it was approved
at a meeting of residents, at which we unfortunately were unable to attend due to a prior
commitment. It so happen that one of the senior offic1als of the managing company is
paying us a visit on Tuesday, so I will bring up the matter then. Thanks for your comments.

[Suff]

Aggers perhaps you might suggest that they take 10% of the money, give it to the Scouts and get the Scouts to clean the railings...

Thus doing a good civic duty instead of lining their pockets.

Clean the railings.... If you let them away with that it will be the drip at the beginning of a flood...

[Aggers]

Thinking about it, re-selling second-hand retirement apartments is not always easy, and anything
that can be done to make the place look newish might help. I've now had good look at the fencing,
and there is a certain amount of dirt on the horizontal members, which a blast from a hose pipe
would move. Certainly not an expensive operation.

[Weka]

I like the scouts idea.

[Aggers]

Regarding my opening post, it now seems that one is never too old to learn something new.
I have just searched the web for "maintenance of railings" and was most surprised to find a
website recommending that wrought iron fencing should be washed down every 12 months,
so I'd better keep my mouth shut.