Managers of the Month 

How long have you worked in the property management profession?

I have a seventeen year career within both the commercial and property management fields. For the past nine years I have worked within the residential block management sphere.

Can you tell us a bit about the firm?

Livingcity was established back in 2000 and is headquartered in Manchester. Over the years, it has driven a niche in the creation and implementation of long-term stewardship strategies for complex mixed-use urban schemes.  We employ over 30 people at our head office with a further 100 personnel who are either onsite or field based. As well as its property asset management division, the company also operates a number of other arms, including LcBC – its chartered building surveying team; and TLCbyLc which offers bespoke cleaning and maintenance services for both commercial and domestic clients.

Livingcity was an innovator in online communications with the launch of its Web Portals concept over a decade ago. What is the main function and how has it evolved?

Livingcity pioneered the idea of an online community when it launched the portal concept – this was long before Facebook took hold! We now provide every development we manage with a bespoke web portal, which are available to all residents and non-resident apartment owners.  Each web portal can be accessed globally via the Internet and have been specifically built to meet the needs of occupiers and investors. They enable Livingcity to provide users with “real time” estate management communication via the forums and they permit users to download key documents relating to their apartment, i.e. service charge budgets, year-end certified expenditure statements and insurance schedules. They also allow members to communicate, which great for community building

How does it help the smooth running of the buildings under your management?

The portals have become an integral part of the management service Livingcity provides and, whilst not intended to replace “face-to-face” contact with residents, they are intended to be an additional method of driving communicating with occupiers. Our staff are under a KPI to ensure all resident enquires submitted via the portals are addressed within one working day of receipt. This ensures residents are aware that their concerns are important to us and they provide timely feedback on intended actions.

How else do you communicate with residents and owners?

The majority of my portfolio involves Residential Management Company Directors; some of whom are residents whilst others are investors and live elsewhere. Communication is, of course, key to ensuring that all directors are involved in high level issues so I therefore arrange regular meetings, issue monthly management reports and provide on-going email and telephone contact. Some developments also hold resident meetings which I attend; whilst property owners, tenants and lettings agents regularly drop into the office for one to one updates.

Why do you think being transparent and driving effective communication is so important?

Managing agents are responsible for the expenditure on a development (i.e. they’re spending other people’s money via the collection of their service charge) so it is imperative that we are open and transparent. That can never be compromised.

You were one of the first firms to attain ARMA-Q back in May 2014.  What do you think the key benefits to the industry will be?
ARMA-Q will only be awarded to companies that meet the best industry standards and levels of customer care, so we are very proud to be one the first. It will offer the greatest quality assurance (and confidence)  to both current and potential clients of accredited firms and it will give a competitive edge to the whole industry. It will also protect consumers thanks to its Consumer Charter, which is a specific set of standards for residential managing agents, along with an Independent Regulatory Panel.