Britain's Best Apartment Building Management Resource

Sheffield-based block management company Horizon Management has been appointed to manage 347 apartments across five residential buildings in Sheffield and Merseyside, after leaseholders at both developments exercised their statutory Right to Manage (RTM).

When something goes wrong in a building, a resident’s first thought isn't to think about the systems and processes behind it, they want things fixed quickly and efficiently.   

For many property managers, utility management has evolved from a routine administrative function into one of the most demanding aspects of portfolio management. Rising energy costs, increasingly complex supplier relationships, changing regulations, billing disputes and the growing expectation for greater transparency have all combined to place significant pressure on already stretched management teams.

Many managing agents and property owners are beginning to see a change in insurance premiums after several challenging years. In some cases, renewals are becoming more affordable as market conditions soften.

Most conversations about AI in property start with the technology, hunt for a problem to solve, then rush to deploy — even when the data bedrock isn't fit for purpose.

The Team at 4site Consulting explains how embracing the Golden Thread can help property professionals strengthen compliance, improve record keeping and enhance building safety. 

Residential property management has changed considerably in recent years. Transparency has improved, compliance obligations have expanded and residents have greater access to information than ever before. Yet despite these changes, one topic continues to dominate discussions across developments of all sizes: service charges.

When an RMC or RTM appoints a managing agent, its directors will usually examine the management fee, proposed property manager, inspection frequency, experience of similar buildings and, increasingly, building safety capability.

Property management has never been a profession for those who shy away from difficult conversations. We deal with complex legislation, major works, service charges, building safety, financial management and, perhaps most importantly, people. We understand that when issues affect someone’s home, emotions can run high and complaints are part of the job.

AI has been transforming how people work across all industries and shows no signs of letting up just yet. Building compliance is no exception, and it would be remiss of the industry to think otherwise. The administrative burden on those within our industry is ever-increasing; Building Safety Act obligations, certifications, inspections, risk assessments, reports, and the documents that support these outputs – and your Golden Thread – all rely on manual intervention, and for many, that applies to hundreds of buildings across portfolios of varying and substantial sizes.  

When I started working in PropTech five years ago, property management systems were still mainly used by larger agencies. Today, the Building Safety Act, AI and rising expectations from residents and landlords mean spreadsheets, email threads, WhatsApp groups and post-it notes are no longer enough and can create real compliance risks.