Tag Archives: property management

News

Paul rejoins Scanlans in new role as fire risk assessor

Property management and surveying practice Scanlans has welcomed back an experienced property manager who has retrained as a fire risk assessor, bolstering the firm’s specialist team in line with growing demand for its services.

Paul Christopher initially joined Scanlans in 2005 and remained with the firm until 2016.

He returned a year later and stayed as a property manager until early 2022. He has now re-joined again, this time in a new role as part of the building surveying team led by Tony Mancini.

Paul is based in Scanlans’ Manchester office and is working across the north west as the firm expands its fire risk assessment service beyond its own portfolio of managed apartment blocks to cover commercial buildings, including shops, offices and warehouses, and residential sites such as sheltered accommodation, houses in multiple occupation, local authority and housing association properties.

He has been accepted as an associate of the Institute of Fire Safety Managers and is already an associate member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, a member of the Institute of Residential Property Management and a member of the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management.

Scanlans’ partner Ian Magenis said: “Paul spent many years as a senior property manager and built a reputation as a well-respected practitioner in the north west market providing the highest standard of service.

“He’s always enjoyed working at Scanlans and appreciates that we are a supportive organisation which offers exciting and fulfilling career development opportunities.

“We will always look to develop the skillsets of our staff, even in new specialist areas. Paul was seeking a new challenge and so we sponsored him through his training to enable him to become a fully accredited fire risk assessor.

“With an increasing emphasis on fire safety across the property sector, Paul’s new role enables us to expand our offering and it’s great to have him back with us.

“We believe that his experience and qualifications will provide clients and colleagues with an excellent and knowledgeable perspective in this field, as he has an insight into not just the regulatory requirements but also into how these impact on the residential market, and practical solutions within leasehold legislation.”

Paul said: “After 17 years in property management, I decided to change direction and take on a new challenge.

“I saw an opportunity at Scanlans to move into fire risk assessment and I’m extremely grateful to the partners for supporting me with the required training to achieve the necessary accreditation. I’m excited to embark on this new phase of my career with the firm.”

Alongside property management and fire risk assessments, Scanlans provides commercial and residential property valuations and surveys, expert witness, building surveying and LPA Receivership services.

News, Property

Raft of contract wins propel Scanlans to milestone

Property management and surveying firm Scanlans has reached a milestone after securing a raft of block management contracts at sites across the country.

The spate of wins means Scanlans has surpassed 20,000 units under its management for the first time.

Recent instructions have come at apartment blocks in West Yorkshire, the West Midlands and East Midlands, Liverpool and Bournemouth.

The latest agreement, which enabled Scanlans to reach the milestone, came in Birmingham.

Scanlans has been appointed by Elevate Property Group to manage 79 luxury apartments at Priory House, a former forensic science laboratory in the city’s popular Southside.

The 77,000sq ft building was previously home to the Forensic Science Service, where experts analysed evidence from crime scenes for police forces in England and Wales.

Scanlans manages over 300 residential sites nationwide, from listed apartment blocks to new-build housing developments.

Other recent instructions include ones to manage 850 units across various locations for Ground Rents UK, and a number of apartment blocks in Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

Partner Ian Magenis, who heads Scanlans’ property management division, said the firm has grown its portfolio by 10 per cent in the past 12 months, largely due to recommendations from existing clients.

He added: “Reaching the 20,000 milestone is testament to the high standards of service that our dedicated and professional team provides to clients across the country, and reflects our growth as one of the largest property management firms outside the London area.

“Leeds and Birmingham have been strong areas of expansion for us, but we have also expanded our portfolio in a number of regions beyond our office locations.

“We have recruited in key positions and have developed the skillsets of existing staff to cater for an expanding client base, while at the same time investing in our systems and processes.

“Our staff are key to our development and, as a firm, we place great emphasis on internal progression to nurture them and offer a clear career path from entry level to experienced property manager.

“Alongside them, our senior management team have been with us for many years, and this ensures continuity internally and for our clients.”

Ian added: “As a firm of chartered surveyors and as members of the Association of Residential Managing Agents, we are well-placed to understand and lead our clients through an ever-changing landscape in the property management industry, especially in view of the new Building Safety Act which will mean increasing requirements in relation to compliance and accountability.

“We believe our professionalism and the depth of knowledge of our team will prove significant differentiators as clients seek out firms which are regulated by industry bodies and possess these attributes to help them meet the demands of the new landscape.

“With over 30 years of providing property management services, Scanlans is well-versed in all issues and we have developed systems to ensure the greatest level of efficiency. We’ve invested heavily in bespoke technology so residents and clients alike can interact via our online portal to progress, repairs, make payments and view documents.

“However, we do still recognise the need to provide a more intimate service, and each development has an experienced property manager as its first line of approach.

“We are confident that our robust business model, vast experience and wealth of knowledge stand us in good stead for the future in a highly competitive market.”

Alongside property management, Scanlans provides commercial and residential property valuations and surveys, expert witness, building surveying and LPA Receivership services from its offices in Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham.

News, Proptech News

Advanced property management tool Property Store revealed

Advanced property management and CRM tool Property Store has been revealed today, with an official launch confirmed for the 7th June. Aiming to make property management simple, the innovative solution offers users a holistic view of their property portfolios, by bringing all the data around sourcing and managing multiple locations into one, singular system.

As well as keeping track of a landlord’s existing and potential portfolio through lettings management and deal sourcing capabilities, Property Store also includes a range of additional unique tools. An advanced scheduling system for viewings, in-built automated communication methods for dealing with tenants and even dedicated networking forums to help build up contacts within the industry, are all part of the solution.

The integrated investment calculator also helps investors to assess the potential of a particular property, whilst automatic PDF download capabilities make it easier than ever to share information and updates with all stakeholders involved in a project. These added extras position the software as a necessity for anyone managing buy-to-let properties, be it one or one hundred, and it is designed to grow alongside a portfolio over time.

Jake Barlow, Founder of Property Store said: “As a buy-to-let investor, I was frequently overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information that has to be managed just for a single property. My reality was a huge number of spreadsheets, tabs and documents that were all in use simultaneously, and not only does that get confusing, it makes it really easy to lose or misplace important information just when it’s needed the most.”

“Our sector has been crying out for a tool that works as a one-stop-shop for landlords and portfolio managers, but with so many areas to navigate, there hasn’t been a universal solution. This is why we’ve created Property Store, in order to help give back time to busy property professionals, whilst helping them to be as efficient and cost-effective as possible. Ultimately, Property Store has been created for landlords, by landlords.”

Typically, the property management systems already available either deal with just the front or back end of management. Property Store aims to be a universal solution, and one that works with professionals from deal sourcing right through to tenancy management. Looking after lettings has never been easier, and Property Store is available for professionals with properties anywhere in the UK.

Property Store is currently available to a limited number of users. To join the waitlist and receive 10% discount for 6 Months, visit: https://www.property-store.co.uk/join-the-waitlist

News, North of England, Property

Promotions and new arrival for Scanlans as expansion continues

Property management and surveying firm Scanlans has promoted two staff at its Leeds office and made a senior appointment as its expansion continues.

Senior property manager Michael Willans has been promoted to associate and Bethan Fletcher has become a property manager.

Alex Homer has joined as a senior property manager and will be responsible for managing larger residential block developments in Scanlans’ expanding portfolio across Yorkshire and beyond.

Scanlans has gained property management contracts at residential developments in Leeds, Bradford, Halifax, Harrogate, York, Sheffield, Whitby, Rotherham and Doncaster, as well as further afield in Nottingham and Chesterfield.

Michael, who heads Scanlans’ Leeds operation, joined the practice in 2018 and has overseen a period of rapid growth.

Bethan Fletcher was previously a property management assistant. Bethan joined Scanlans after gaining a master’s degree in real estate at Northumbria University.

Alex has more than 10 years’ experience of providing block and estate management services and has earned a raft of professional qualifications, including membership of the Institute of Residential Property Management and associate membership of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

Scanlans partner Ian Magenis said: “We have secured a large number of new property management contracts across Yorkshire and this growth has created a need to strengthen our operation.

“Alex has a wealth of experience, and is a great addition to our team. We feel sure she will be a great asset to the practice, and we are very excited to have her on board.

“In line with our growth, we are still recruiting for our Leeds office and expect to announce further appointments in the near future.

“Michael and Bethan have played key roles in our expansion, and their promotions are well deserved.

“It’s very satisfying to see the Leeds-based team developing and we look forward to further growth in the coming months and years.

“In recent weeks we have won some significant instructions, including a number of apartment blocks in Harrogate, and Michael in his business development role has been instrumental in securing these.

“Our expansion strategy does not stop there, and we are exploring other interesting opportunities across the town and throughout the region as a whole.”

Michael said: “I’m delighted to become an associate in recognition of the steady growth we have achieved in our Yorkshire office. We are excited about the new opportunities opening up and think 2022 will be our best year yet.”

Alongside property management, Scanlans provides commercial and residential property valuations and surveys, building surveying and LPA Receivership services from its Leeds operation, which is based at the Thorpe Park business and retail park.