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Leading Colchester-based property managers PMS Managing Estates have secured new contracts across Essex in the last 12 months, despite a challenging year interrupted by Covid-19 restrictions.  Although lockdowns and self-isolating posed problems for property managers and contractors to visit the nearly 150 developments managed by PMS across East Anglia, London and beyond, Director Liam Furr was able to add a range of new and historic properties to the company’s portfolio.  Liam explained: “2020 has been d

Residents in high-rise blocks that are over 18 metres high in England will not have to pay to remove unsafe cladding. Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick announced an extra £3.5bn package to help those who faced huge bills for fire safety improvements.  Many said they were trapped in unsafe buildings following new rules after 2017’s Grenfell Tower blaze. Mr Jenrick said it was the ‘largest ever government investment’ in building safety. The funding comes on top of a £1.6bn package to remove unsafe cladding l

An expert property lawyer at Thursfields Solicitors has highlighted a potential problem with the government’s new plans to finance the removal of unsafe cladding on blocks of flats. The leading Midland law firm was commenting after Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick announced that flammable materials will be removed from buildings over 18m high “at no cost to residents”, but that those at lower levels will be offered loans to make their homes safe. The government intervention comes in the wake of the 2017 G

External Wall Fire Review forms (ESW1), are intended to record in a consistent and universal manner what assessments have been carried out on the external wall construction of residential apartment buildings. At Benjamin Stevens Block Management, over recent months have been receiving requests regarding the ESW1 form usually in connection with a re-mortgage application or sale of property. To ensure clients were not being forced to spend money unnecessarily they decided to carry out some research on the E

“Today's announcement amounts to only a token gesture towards the cladding problems.  There is no timescale for many of the measures and in some cases only consultation is promised.  There are no retrospective measures in place for those affected in the last couple of years.  The measures repeatedly refer to cladding only and we are left unsure of what happens in buildings with no ACM cladding but highly unsafe external wall systems.  The money that has been pledged has not been put into any sort of conte

Top property management operators MetroPM today welcomed government plans to bring an end to unsafe cladding for leaseholders in high-rise buildings with a multi-billion pound intervention.   Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has said that flammable materials will be removed from buildings over 18m high “at no cost to residents”, with those at lower levels offered loans to make their homes safe. Ian Smallman, director of MetroPM, which has offices in Birmingham and Cheltenham and is currently dealing wi

The head of the UK’s fastest growing property management company has described the government’s proposed measures to tackle unsafe cladding as a “bit of a curate’s egg, good in parts”. Brett Williams, managing director of Principle Estate Management, said that while an extra £3.5 billion was good news for leaseholders in high rise buildings above 18 meters, it left thousands in buildings between four and six storeys facing years of paying off loans. “The £3.5 billion announced is to be added to the £1.6 b

£3.5bn in funding was promised by the Government yesterday to remove unsafe cladding from some high-rise buildings, drawing mixed responses from experts. Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick announced £3.5bn of funding for high-rise buildings over six storeys high to remove unsafe cladding, and leaseholders of these buildings would face no additional cost to these works. In a blow to those in smaller high-rise buildings, the Housing Secretary announced low-interest loans would be offered to leaseholders so th

Scanlans is the managing agent for numerous apartment blocks around the country, several of which have flammable cladding. The firm is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Association of Residential Managing Agents. Scanlans has campaigned against the restrictions of the Building Safety Fund in partnership with campaigners, residents and property owners. Commenting on today’s pledge by Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick to allocate further government funding to tackle unsafe clad

A collection of apartments and commercial units in Worcester city centre is to be looked after by MetroPM. The expanding property management company, which has offices in Birmingham and Cheltenham, has won the contract to manage what it has described as “a true hidden gem” at 7-8 Tything Court, The Tything, in Worcester. This Grade II-listed, three-storey property contains nine apartments and two ground-floor commercial units and had previously been self-managed by the leaseholders’ management company. Ia

IRPM Annual Seminars are the best in the business, famous for swift, punchy, forward-looking sessions on industry changes, latest trends and essential need-to-knows. Previously taking place at the QE11 Centre, London we are now moving our event for 2021, online.  We are taking advantage of the new format to deliver the very best content at speed and directly to you. The rapidly changing landscape means that our IRPM Annual Seminar taking place on the 11th of May 2021 will delve into critical policy change

The Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA) and the Institute of Residential Property Management (IRPM) have today launched a wellbeing and resilience survey, aimed at those working within the residential property management sector. The results will provide a mental ‘health check’ for the industry and ultimately help towards shaping future mental health and wellbeing support for property management professionals. Aimed at property managers as well as onsite and back-office support staff, the sur