Tell us a little about your background and how you came to your role at ARMA?

After I graduated as a Chartered Accountant in 1970, I carried out various assignments in Europe and North Africa for two years. When I returned to the UK, I became MD of a national building maintenance company that I expanded into insurance broking and property management. I guess it was this background that led me to be appointed Executive Secretary of ARMA in 1996.

What do you see as the greatest challenges affecting you in this role?

Ensuring that members maintain standards and deal with the issues when there is dissatisfaction with their service. Combating the negative attitude generated towards property managers caused by a very small minority of poor landlords and agents. Constantly fighting government on its implementation of legislation that affects or disadvantages leaseholders.

How do you plan to increase your funding, membership and services?

We tend to rely on word of mouth and the reputation we have for the information and support referred to above. As to services, these will expand with the needs of our members, their clients and their customers, the leaseholders.

What specific services does your organisation provide?

We provide amongst other things training, regular briefings and Act updates, an extensive reference resource on the members-only area of our website and information for lessees.

What upcoming legislation will affect (either adversely or positively) leaseholders, resident associations and RMCs?

Apart from CLRA 2002, things that are looming on the horizon are Disability Discrimination requirements relating to common areas, Digital Switchover, HMO status for houses converted into flats and we must not forget HIPs where the leaseholder is going to have to provide at least 10 more documents or pieces of information than freeholders.

How will the new service charge account legislation affect this sector?

Now that government has considerably revised its proposals for Annual Summaries and Separate Bank Accounts, the affect on reputable, competent managing agents (and RMCs) will not be anywhere near as onerous and costly as previously envisaged.

What are the main concerns of your members?

In a nutshell, the sheer volume of legislation and regulations and their complexity. A quick count indicates some 100 of them.

Why do you think, as Peter Haler bemoans, that no one in government is listening to leaseholders? How will you (and the industry) change this attitude?

For the most part, I do not believe it is that government does not listen. It seems that it is just ignorant of the special impact many general pieces of legislation will have on leaseholders. Government does occasionally listen – through the DCLG, ARMA and the ARHM persuaded the Treasury to reduce the tax rate on interest on service charge funds.

What legislative changes would most benefit your members?

It is not so much changes that would benefit our members (and lessees) but, say, a three year moratorium on anything new to give everyone time to catch their breath!

What do you see as the biggest growth areas in the industry?

The fact that some 80,000 new flats are being built each year – the ‘growth’ will be in recruiting hundreds more quality people into our sector to manage them.