© 2025 News On The Block. All rights reserved.
News on the Block is a trading name of Premier Property Media Ltd.
© 2025 News On The Block. All rights reserved.
News on the Block is a trading name of Premier Property Media Ltd.
Grainger plc has bought a portfolio of 309 homes in East Dulwich, London SE22, including vacant units that will be brought back into use.
Two thirds of the properties are subject to assured-shorthold tenancies and over 50 are subject to regulated or assured tenancies. The majority of properties are situated around a private garden square. Grainger intends to refurbish and let 14 vacant units on assured shorthold tenancies, putting much needed homes back into the local market.
Commenting on the acquisition, Rupert Dickinson, chief executive of Grainger, said: “Professionally managed, private rented accommodation plays a key role in the UK’s housing market, providing an alternative to owner-occupation in the face of supply shortages and often prohibitive property prices. This is an excellent opportunity to add to our stock of regulated and assured-shorthold tenancies and turn vacant units back into homes.”
Encouraging more property companies to develop and invest in the private rented sector would boost supply, improve service and provide quality, professionally run accommodation for those unable to get on the private housing ladder, and who don’t qualify for social housing.
The property industry has long called for the kind of easily accessible private rented market enjoyed by consumers in Germany and the USA. The strategy admits that “too many landlords still provide poor value for money, inadequate maintenance and bad management”. The Mayor offers tough love – directing boroughs that the private rented sector should be used more to discharge their homelessness duties, but only with landlords that are accredited and offering longer tenancies.
Bournemouth-based Foxes Property Management has chosen Jordans PCSec software to handle their company secretarial function.
Concentrating solely on the management of residential flats and houses, mainly located within the Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch conurbation, its five property managers individually manage approximately 700 units each. All provide a personal service and a full range of property management services using comprehensive computerised accounting and record systems, now including PCSec company administration software from Jordans.
“We are very proud to be able to say that we retain almost 100% of our client base year-on-year,” commented managing director of Foxes, Peter Heasman.
“The software helps us to ensure that the companies we look after are not in breach of their statutory obligations, that the appropriate records are kept and timely returns to Companies House made – we are very pleased to have it as part of our computer systems.”
Andrew Simmonds, partner, commented: “The past few years have outlined the benefit in employing dedicated managing agents for blocks of flats and housing developments. Changes in legislation, including new fire laws, have been introduced and many flat owners don’t fully appreciate the impact on their property.”
A survey carried out by online property solution provider, www.leaseholdersupport.co.uk has revealed that a neighbour not paying their service charge is the number one complaint amongst flat owners.
Resident management companies who are responsible for the running of their own block of flats are the number one victim of service charge arrears according to the survey. Feedback from the survey reported that most blocks of flats have encountered problems with neighbours ignoring requests for payments and not attending residents meetings.
The Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA) who focus on matters relating to the management of residential leasehold blocks of flats also revealed in their Annual Report 2005-6, that 25% of complaints were about service charges/accounts, and 48% were about ‘promise’ not delivered.
Paying service charges is one of the leaseholders obligations set out in the lease. When buying a property, the flat owner should be advised on their duties under the lease that commits them to abide by the leaseholder’s covenants.
The 12th annual ARMA conference was another sell-out, and attended by many of the great and the good from the world of property management. Among the highlights was John Mills, technical consultant to ARMA, bringing delegates up to date on recent and looming legislation that will impact on their work. Also Frances Kneller of Digital UK explained the TV switchover and warned managing agents of the need to act now, and Peter Haler (ex chief executive of LEASE) entertained his audience with recent stories and decisions from the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal (LVT).
By all accounts the day was a huge success and the 10 ARMA sponsors were pleased to welcome delegates onto their stand.
HML Holdings Plc announced recently that it has acquired the property management business of W A Ellis LLP of Knightsbridge. The acquisition forms part of HML’s ongoing expansion programme in central London providing the company with a strengthened presence in particularly in the West End of London.
Commenting on the acquisition, Rob Plumb, chief executive of HML, said: “This acquisition is of significant importance for HML for a number of reasons. First, it complements our existing services in London, cementing our position as one of the leading property management services businesses operating in west and central London. Furthermore, the acquisition is an excellent fit within our existing business infrastructure and range of property services. The HML Group offer an extensive range of ancillary services such as building surveying, buildings and related insurance, health and safety inspections and company secretarial management. We are pleased that we will be maintaining an ongoing relationship with W A Ellis LLP to ensure our clients receive a quality and comprehensive service.”