Flat Living met and spoke with Lee Middleburgh, the man at the top of Peverel, one of the UK’s largest managing agents.

What is it about the leasehold sector that interests you?

Residential Property Management has that wonderful mixture of customers that you can get to know, teams committed to providing great service, a complex
regulatory environment and the need for practical and sensible solutions to unusual problems. Frankly at any level you either thrive in this cocktail or you hate it! It is clear that the industry is at the beginning of a period of change. The old standards and ways of working simply will not do, we must recognise what needs to change and ensure that we deliver ‘worthwhile and
valuable change’ for our customers.

How long have you been working at Peverel Property Management?

I have worked for Peverel Property Management for a little over four years, I
have to say that it has been one of those periods in your working life that stands out as one where you learn more about people and doing the job. Without doubt no two days have been the same.

You are one of the largest, if not the largest, managing agent in the UK; how did the company achieve this position?

We don’t set out to be big. We do set out to deliver good service, to be helpful to clients and customers, to forge relationships and seek to find common ground when dealing with disputes or difficult issues. I firmly believe that building positive and constructive relationships drives new business and that by sticking to these principles for a long time the end result is a business to be proud of.

What has been the company strategy during the recession? How have you fared these past 12 months?

For us the last two years have been immensely busy as we have integrated a
number of Property Management businesses within the division. This has been an immense challenge and one the team has been committed to achieving. At the same time some of our customers have been affected by redundancies through job loss as well as having less disposable income. This means we have had to rise to the challenge of becoming more transparent in our explanations of what we do and at the same time where we are able to work harder to provide payment plans and sympathetic credit control. This has not been an easy task but we are committed to becoming ‘easier to do business with’. Another part
of our strategy during this last period has been to deliver increased customer service training across our business and to remain committed to the development of our teams. Saving cost in these areas was not an
acceptable option to us. This has culminated in us receiving the prestigious Investors in People (IIP) accreditation in November 2009 that reflects both the commitment and professionalism of our team.

What are your future plans?

We will start with our customer’s requirements and do whatever they need
us to do, whether that is to improve our communications standards, the clarity of our communication, transparency of our business processes or making sure that they always have someone knowledgeable and approachable to deal with.

What is the key to success to successful property management?

It is increasingly clear through all of our discussions with customers, through our
market research, customer focus groups and through our own experience we need to provide just three things:

1 Skilled and knowledgeable Property Managers who can see what is happening on the developments and who can get things done.

2 High quality and timely accounts and expenditure information that is easy to
read and is informative.

3 An Office based Customer Services team that can be contacted the way our
customers want to contact them, that is seen to work as a team with the Property Manager and is able to reassure that problems can be resolved.

What upcoming regulation will either adversely or positively affect your business in the future?

We know that we will see the last parts of The Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act passed. We will see more Health and Safety compliance, especially as a result of the recent tragic loss of life in the Camberwell fire, but critically for the long term health of the Property Management profession we will
hopefully see the introduction of regulation and practice accreditation.

What is the best thing about property management? And the worst?

Seeing younger property managers develop, accept increased responsibility
and gain the appreciation of their customers is the best thing. The cynics are the worst.

How do you fill up what little spare time you have?

If I can combine a long drive with music and a camera then I am at my happiest.

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