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Across the country, lockdown has reminded many people about the value of community spirit and finding enjoyment in where they live. Leading managing agent Rendall & Rittner has always recognised that community is a priority in building successful developments, but current circumstances have brought this into even sharper focus. In giving its residents a level of service that goes above and beyond, Rendall Rittner’s innovative Residents’ Club is just one way the company is helping enrich the lives of resid

MetroPM, the residential property management company with offices in Birmingham and Cheltenham, has appointed an experienced property manager.   Jean Brown, who has worked in the sector for 15 years, will look after the company’s portfolio in Cheltenham and the surrounding areas.   She is a member of the Institute of Residential Property Management and has qualifications with the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health.   Ian Smallman, a director at MetroPM, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Jean on

Leading managing agent Rendall & Rittner has been appointed to take over the management of Metis Apartments in Scotland Street, Sheffield. The block of 122 apartments and five commercial units contains ACM (Aluminium Composite Material) cladding similar to the Grenfell Tower, which is due to be replaced under the Government funding. Rendall & Rittner was selected by the First Tier Tribunal to oversee the reinstatement work and the ongoing management of the building because of the company’s expertise, expe

Principle Estate Management, the UK’s fastest growing residential management company, has made another key appointment as the business continues to expand.   Adam Jones joins as business integration and asset manager as Principle continues to add to its team. He is Principle’s fifth recruit in 2020, taking total numbers to 22, including three consultants.   Mr Jones is an Associate of the Institute of Residential Property Management.   Joe Jobson, director at Principle Estate Management, said: “We know Ad

An experienced property manager has been poached by Principle Estate Management as the business continues to grow in the wake of COVID-19.   Jamie Noon was headhunted from FirstPort, the largest managing agent in the country with approximately 300,000 units.   Mr Noon’s appointment maintains Principle as the UK’s fastest growing residential management company with him being the sixth recruit in 2020, taking total staff numbers to 23, including three consultants.   Now in its third year, Principle has trip

QUESTION  I am director of a leasehold property of 44 flats in Putney London. We are managed by a large, local management agent. Recently my fellow Director and I discovered that the previous building manager made payments to contractors without informing the directors.  He also arranged an insurance claim from our block policy for an extraordinary amount for a leakage into another flat. He paid the excess from our funds, once again without informing the directors.  The manager left the company in Februar

Keeping major projects moving forward during the Covid-19 pandemic needs careful planning, according to experts at MetroPM, the residential estate property managers.   Director Ian Smallman said that when lockdown was first announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson back in March, it was difficult to see how construction and maintenance projects could continue.   “We have now moved a long way forward and the Government was keen to get the construction industry back to work as early as possible,” he said.  

Richard Lane, formerly managing partner and latterly senior partner of Leamington Spa-based Wright Hassall, is advising MetroPM founder and managing director Matthew Arnold on governance and complex estate issues.   He will also advise the board as MetroPm embarks on the next phase of its expansion programme.   Matthew Arnold said: “In over 20 years at Wright Hassall in leading management roles, Richard has overseen the running of a major legal practice and understands the dynamics of growth.   “He is the

The ExCeL Exhibition Centre in East London has undergone a major transformation from a world leading events venue into the NHS Nightingale hospital to help towards the fight of the COVID-19 pandemic. Best known for its events such as Grand Designs and Britain’s Got Talent the venue has undergone its biggest change in its history. As the incumbent Fire Safety Company of the ExCeL Centre for the last 10 years, we were asked to install additional fire alarm components to the existing system to cover the new

The distinction between a “house” and a “flat” is an important one. Subject to satisfying a variety of complex qualifying conditions, leaseholders of houses have the right to acquire the freehold of their house and/or a 50 year lease extension; while leaseholders of flats have (again, subject to certain qualifying conditions) an individual right to a 90 year lease extension, and a collective right to acquire the freehold of their block and/or the right to manage, among other things (the right of first ref

QUESTION I write to ask for guidance on how to proceed with a problem relating to the Covid-19 precautions in my residential blocks of flats in Dorset and in particular the use of lifts. I complained to the managing agents that as a leaseholder in occupation, mine and my wife’s safe distance was being compromised when we use the lifts to enter and leave the building . My wife is on the shielding list which has been recently relaxed allowing her to leave the building. I requested that the managing agent po

Whether you are buying a property for the first time or looking to move house, it is important you understand what leasehold houses are. In this guide, we explain everything you need to know about leasehold houses and answer frequently asked questions about leasehold houses. 1. What are leasehold houses? A leasehold is a form of tenure. According to guidelines from the UK Government, a legal agreement is required from a landlord, also referred to as a freeholder, to allow a tenant to live in a leasehold p