What is ‘Places’?
‘Places’ is a new app available to all residents of Kingsgrove. Its aim is to keep residents informed about Kingsgrove and make it easier to report maintenance issues. It comes from Preim, who are the managing agent for Kingsgrove. There is a news article on their website that explains ‘Places’ in more detail but here are the most important points.
Development news and updates
With push notifications enabled, residents never need miss a critical update. Whether it’s planned works, weather impacts, or building safety information, residents can be notified directly – keeping them informed when it matters most.
It is not only time-sensitive news that it available. The app is used to share details of estate inspections, upcoming events etc.
Estate information and service charge details
Important Kingsgrove-related documents, such as estate plans, legal documentation etc, as well as corresponding budget and service charge details are all available.
Reporting issues
Residents can use ‘Places’ to report issues. Photos can be easily attached from the photo roll (or camera) on your phone, meaning you can report an issue when you first find it!
Issues reported through ‘Places’ go straight to the right team at Preim, rather than a helpdesk inbox. Every query is automatically logged and tracked, so responses should be faster. If the resolution of an issue involves sub-contractors, residents will benefit from real-time updates on maintenance progress and transparent tracking of works orders.
How to get the ‘Places’ app and register
App stores
‘Places’ is available from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.
Registration details
In the event that any of these app-specific registrations have not been received or have been lost, residents, be they property owners or tenants, should contact Preim’s helpdesk to receive assistance in getting online and receiving regular updates via the app. The If such assistance isn’t made available, residents can contact the resident reps and we will do our best to facilitate.
Property owners, including landlords and housing associations, should have already received app-specific registration details. Landlords and housing associations were requested to pass the details on to their tenants.
Preim’s helpdesk
- E-mail: helpdesk@preim.co.uk
- Telephone: 01778 382210
Web-based alternative
Should residents be unwilling or unable to use the Places app on their phone, a web version is also available. It uses the same registration details.
Pro Tip – specify an exact location with what3words!
If an issue needs to be reported but the location isn’t easy to describe, then it is recommended to use what3words. This is either an app or a simple website. The entire globe is divided into 3m x 3m squares, each of which is given a unique series of three words.
For example, the location of the King Alfred statue in Wantage’s market place is ///ambushed.contexts.lately
Using this approach makes it really easy for people to quickly identify a location and is already used in the monthly inspection reports that Preim produce.
More about Preim
Preim are the organisation responsible for the maintenance of the shared open areas in Kingsgrove. They were appointed by the directors of the Kingsgrove Estate Management Company Limited (KEMCL). For more information about exactly who does what on behalf of whom, there is a (hopefully) helpful page that explains things in more detail.
Property owners at Kingsgrove should already be familiar with Preim because one of Preim’s duties is to collect the estate service charge directly from property owners in order to be able to fund the required maintenance work. Other residents will likely contribute to the service charge but will do so indirectly through their rent etc and therefore might not be as aware of Preim and the important work that they do at Kingsgrove.