March AGM

Surprises from the floor Chairman’s Letter

A good number of owners made the effort to attend our 34th AGM on 23rd March. The statutory proceedings were swiftly completed and then we were able to have a discussion that provided some constructive feedback which has been the subject of review by the hotel and the board.

There are always surprises when the floor is opened to discussion. Perhaps the biggest of these was that Rutland Hall no longer held its RCI Gold Crown. A checking of mobile ‘phones produced a conflicting answer. However, post-meeting it has been confirmed that we no longer hold a Gold Crown. RCI had not informed the resort of the change and the reasons for the change are not clear.

What we do know, from past experience, is that results are often based on a small sample of responses to questionnaires and those responses are biased towards being negative. Guests’ responses to the hotel’s questionnaires throw no light on why a change in rating might have occurred. Indeed, many of those responses were congratulatory rather than critical. The hotel management is now chasing RCI for a meeting so that we can get a better understanding of why the change happened and what can be done to remedy the situation.

Another surprise was to hear that the inventory in some units was incomplete. This should never have happened. A full inventory check of all units has been made and staff have been instructed to check inventories on a regular basis. Of course, it would help if occupants could report deficiencies as soon as possible. Staying with surprises, an owner claimed that their unit had not been upgraded at any time over the years. A week or so after the AGM I, together with Jo White and other Rutland Hall board members inspected the unit and were able to confirm that, in common with all units, it had had new bathrooms and a new kitchen, aside from routine renewals of other fabric and fittings. While this complaint seemed unjustified, there were others about untidy surrounds, blocked gutters and overgrown shrubs. These were fair comment and action is being taken.

The leisure facilities were the focus of many of the comments. There was general disappointment that no progress had been made with upgrading those facilities and that some had been withdrawn. This reflects the great importance attached to leisure facilities by the many owners who only bought their unit because of the benefit of year-round access. The hope is that the gym and pool will be merged into an improved unit on the same site as the current pool. Details of those plans are still not clear. In the interim, some of the gym equipment will be replaced. The Board will keep pressing for updates on progress.

Inevitably, there was some discussion about the management fee. Unsurprisingly, no-one thought it was too low! The management fee covers a wide range of line items, many of which have been subjected to substantial inflationary increases. Since the Board passed responsibility for fixtures and fittings back to the Freeholder, the fees no longer provide for any replacements or upgrades. If the Sinking Fund still applied, ownership cost would increase by around 20%. Similarly, if the baseline budget was updated on a triannual basis, as it has been in the past, owners would notice a marked increase in their costs. For the remaining years of the lease, changes in the baseline budget are being absorbed by the Freeholder. The management fee will rise by the annual change in RPI published in March, with increases limited to a maximum of 10%. This year, the change in RPI was 4.5%. Increases in costs are never welcome, no matter how justified. However, the Board has worked closely with the Rutland Hall Finance Director to keep those costs as low as possible.

Taking everything together, the post-AGM discussion period was a very useful exercise. The Board was able to throw light on some areas queried by owners and benefited from insights from owners into areas where improvements could and should be made. Our next AGM will be on Saturday 22nd March 2025. As ever, it will be a pleasure to see as many of you there as possible.

Message

From the Director & General Manager Adrian Pickard

Since my arrival in late January, Rutland Hall has been buzzing with activity and new developments which have kept both myself and the team incredibly busy. Highlights include:

Lodges

I am delighted to announce that the work to install Wi-Fi connectivity to all lodges is well underway.

In addition, a full inventory check of all units has now been carried out and staff have been instructed to check inventories on a regular basis to ensure that lodges aren’t missing any inventory items.

Four Roots

Wellness Opening soon…

Refurbishment works are in full swing on this exciting new development for Rutland Hall. Four Roots Wellbeing is set to open to guests later this summer, following a full refurbishment of the existing spa facilities.

Four Roots is the first wellbeing space of its kind. It will provide a unique, curated four-hour guided journey including a bathing ceremony, relaxation, rebalancing, a treatment and a light meal.

We are currently recruiting for a full team for Four Roots. The new facility will create part time and full-time opportunities for therapists and a team leader. We are also seeking a Four Roots Ninja who will be responsible for running the facility.

Major Refurbishment

Leisure facilities

Major refurbishments to the Leisure facilities are scheduled to start later this year.

The 15-week work plan will include the siting of a new leisure reception and changing areas, plus the levelling up of the swimming pool, an extensive upgrade of the surrounding areas, and the re-siting of the gym.

The new facilities will include a sauna and steam room.

And finally…

As we continue on our journey to position Rutland Hall as one of the leading destination resorts within the UK, we are looking forward to bringing you more detailed information of next year’s developments.

Works on the creation of a large new spa, boasting the best views of Rutland Water, are planned to start later this year.

Membership Services

Get in touch

Kellie (pictured left) and Karen from Membership Services are on hand to help with any questions and queries.

Get in touch: 

T: 01572 494 591

E: membership.services@rutlandhall.co.uk