Ambitious and talented, Quantity Surveyor Rebecca Freeman has forged a successful career in the housing industry, sparked from her early days working as a lettings negotiator. In 2010, Rebecca joined Watford Community Housing Trust as a repairs administrator. It wasn’t long before her talent and dedication were noticed, and she
Mainstay Group has announced the acquisition of a national property management portfolio, spanning London, Nottingham and Wallasey. The portfolio, formerly managed by Keith Perry Chartered Surveyors, officially transitioned to Mainstay on 1 July 2019 and will continue to be overseen jointly by Mainstay and Keith for the next 12 months.
A building is a place where you do business, work, live, or play. Read more about buildings in this link. This is an asset that will serve you for a lot of years if proper maintenance or preservation is followed. When you are doing business, you will make the impression
Damaged furniture, scratched walls and late removal vans are some of the most common ‘fails’ that sleep-deprived Brits face on moving day. A poll of 2,000 people who have moved home has revealed the most common disasters likely to cause them stress and sleepless nights before and after their big
The UK’s original tenancy deposit alternative provider Reposit, announces its latest partnership with X1 Lettings, a prominent provider of student and residential lets across the North of England. X1 is a privately held, award-winning residential accommodation provider operating in the North of England with properties in Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds.
A landmark acquisition comprising of a 928-home site near Leeds Docks, the largest in its history, has been secured by English housing association The Guinness Partnership in Leeds. The site is just a few minutes’ walk from Leeds Station and the new HS2, with Leeds South Bank set to provide
Higgins has started work on site to design and build a 14 storey residential block at Woolwich Reach, E16 for Notting Hill Genesis. The £21 million contract will deliver 75 affordable homes, one, two and three bedroom apartments, of which 28 will be London Living Rent homes and 47 shared
Woodhead Group has made a great start to the first quarter of 2019 after securing a trio of framework wins to deliver a range of housing and public sector construction projects. The group has been appointed to the Westworks Procurement Development and Construction DPS and re-appointed to the Blue Skies
Construction work is underway on a new £400 million housing scheme in Leeds led by CEG that will see over 1,000 new homes and 400,000 sq ft of offices, retail, leisure and community spaces developed at Kirkstall Forge. Phase one of the scheme will be delivered by Tolent, including the construction
Housing associations and tenants are due to build stronger relationships between each other with the help of a new programme. The National Housing Federation (NHF) is to introduce the project called Together with Tenants, which will set out a plan of action to ensure boards are always properly connected and
Ambitious and talented, Quantity Surveyor Rebecca Freeman has forged a successful career in the housing industry, sparked from her early days working as a lettings negotiator. In 2010, Rebecca joined Watford Community Housing Trust as a repairs administrator. It wasn’t long before her talent and dedication were noticed, and she was offered the role of junior surveyor. In 2014, Rebecca decided that it was time to go back into education to study Building Surveying at the University of Westminster. It was during her second year of studying that she came across the Women in Property Awards and with that her future employer, Linden Homes. Rebecca’s university lecturer nominated her to take part in the Women in Property Student Awards, which not only did she win the South East division, but also landed her a new role with a top-10 housebuilder, Linden Homes. Rebecca explained: “It was during my presentation that I met the managing director for Linden Homes Chiltern. I was absolutely thrilled when he approached me afterwards and offered me a role as an Assistant Quantity Surveyor. I’d known about Linden Homes for some time due to their national reputation and some developments that were taking place near me”. Since joining Linden Homes, Rebecca’s career has gone from strength to strength. She’s recently graduated from university with a first-class honours degree. Rebecca said: “It was fantastic to graduate with a first, especially whilst juggling a family and a full-time job, Linden Homes have been fantastic with supporting me through my degree”. Rebecca has since been promoted to the role of quantity surveyor, “I’m now running two sites on my own and I’m in the process of procuring a further two sites, which I’ll work on from the outset. I’ll now be working with the planning and construction teams, seeing the plans evolve and then eventually overseeing the build”. Speaking about the next steps in her career, Rebecca commented: “I’m really excited to see my first projects through from the initial land buying, to watching our customers move in. But in terms of further training I’m looking to do my Assessment of Professional Competence and become a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, which I’m looking to get started by the end of 2019. It can be a lengthy process, but it took me five years to complete my degree, so patience is something I’m used to!”.
Mainstay Group has announced the acquisition of a national property management portfolio, spanning London, Nottingham and Wallasey. The portfolio, formerly managed by Keith Perry Chartered Surveyors, officially transitioned to Mainstay on 1 July 2019 and will continue to be overseen jointly by Mainstay and Keith for the next 12 months. It comprises substantial apartment blocks in Stoke Newington, Bloomsbury, and Bethnal Green, London, together with three smaller schemes in Nottingham, and the iconic Portland Court block, on the Wirral. Charles Lucas, Technical Director at Mainstay, said: “I’m very pleased to share the news of Mainstay’s latest acquisition, which forms a key part of our accelerated growth plans. “We felt it was important that Keith assists us with the onboarding process; he’ll be able to bring his wealth of experience and invaluable technical expertise, ensuring a smooth transition as we begin to welcome our new clients, and customers to Mainstay. “Mainstay is perfectly placed to handle the management of this national portfolio, as our team has a wide geographical spread and expert knowledge with high levels of customer service throughout our teams. We’re excited to build on the excellent service Keith has already provided, and bring the Mainstay experience to this new customer base. We look forward to continuing and sustaining the company’s growth in line with our 2020 corporate strategy and beyond and ensuring Mainstay properties are embedded into the wider communities they are present in”. The news comes hot on the heels of Mainstay’s recent appointments on the landmark Hallsville Quarter scheme in Canning Town, and Salford’s luxury Downtown development. Established in 2000, Mainstay was founded by Glyn Miles, Graham Donaldson and Andrew Tilly and now employs 726 people. With this latest acquisition, Mainstay will manage in excess of 80,000 homes UK-wide. The business is headquartered in Worcester however operates across the country – with schemes in Manchester, Nottingham, London and more in its portfolio. This year alone, Mainstay is on track to turnover a record-breaking £25.9 million in line with their 2020 corporate strategy.
A building is a place where you do business, work, live, or play. Read more about buildings in this link. This is an asset that will serve you for a lot of years if proper maintenance or preservation is followed. When you are doing business, you will make the impression to your customers, investors, and competitors that you observe proper cleanliness and hygiene when you regularly schedule cleanings. As a building owner you won’t to scrub several floors every minute of the day as you can always get the service of building maintenance companies to do those for you. Building maintenance is important because weather elements such as rain or ultraviolet rays of the sun can make the walls deteriorate easily. If you are a hospital facility, you need to pass the regular inspection of the government and other health organizations. You can prevent dilapidation, broken glasses, and loosened tiles when there’s regular maintenance. Maintenance is a necessary investment especially if you want to excel over your competitors, make your employees feel safe, and make a good first impression. You can also avoid unnecessary costs such as injuries due to damaged roofs or walls, repairs, and loss of profits when you have reliable maintenance staff working for you. Here are other reasons why maintenance is good for your business. Maintenance is important, but so are materials. If you go to the Materials Market, you will be able to get what you need. Why Get Maintenance? Save on Staff Employment Costs Asking your staff to scrub the whole facility on top of their work can be too much especially if you own a big building. They will be unhappy because they might need to do overtime. They will not perform well when they feel that they have to work for something that they did not sign up for. In addition to this, you need to pay them overtime wages, pay for the cost of training, and buy special equipment that is tailor-made for cleaning. This can blow up your expenses in a month. On the other hand, hiring building maintenance services that are in the business of cleaning huge facilities will help you a lot. You maintain cleanliness at all times. You don’t need to train them because they are already trained for the job, and they have their own equipment. When your employees see that you make an effort to have a clean environment, they can work more efficiently and will stay longer in the office. Outsourced Cleaning Companies have the Right Skills and Tools Whether it is for carpets, floors, or windows, outsourced companies have the right microfiber cloth or sanitizing wands that are great for removing allergens and germs. Expect to walk in an office where you can see gleaming floors, soft carpets, clear windows, and polished doorknobs. Some companies can guarantee you an excellent service whether you are in the manufacturing industry or you are maintaining an office space. The right skills of workers will save you lots of stress and hassles in the long run. Walking in a spotless lobby first thing in the morning will be worth the investment. The orderly and neat fashion that you can get from trained staff and a reputable cleaning company will allow your business to flourish. Daily Cleaning Service With building maintenance, you don’t have to worry about trash, dirty comfort rooms, or dusty chairs. The trash is removed every day, so you won’t have to worry about flies inside your establishment. They clean common areas such as lounges, dining rooms, elevators, stairwells, offices, and a lot more. Every corner is cleaned and there are inaccessible areas that they can reach through their tools. You can hire them to do the cleaning daily. This ensures that you will have welcoming lounges, spotless dining rooms, and vacuumed carpets every single day. You can read more about vacuums here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_cleaner. Your employees or the tenants will appreciate it a lot if the building is well-kept. The Bottom Line A clean working environment is what you need for your business to flourish. Maintaining your building will keep it looking new and it will last longer. An injury-free workplace is an advantage because it will invite clients, investors, and other people who are interested in what you have to offer in your business. You only have one space. Make it pleasing to the eye and boost your employee productivity while you are at it. Hire the best cleaning company today!
Damaged furniture, scratched walls and late removal vans are some of the most common ‘fails’ that sleep-deprived Brits face on moving day. A poll of 2,000 people who have moved home has revealed the most common disasters likely to cause them stress and sleepless nights before and after their big move. Half of homeowners have experienced a ‘fail’ on moving day, according to the study. Thirty-one per cent have proudly brought a piece of furniture to their new front door – only to find it wouldn’t fit through it. One in 10 have even lost the keys to their new property before they arrived at their new home. As a result of the worry, one in eight prospective movers suffered a sleepless night ahead of their move. Half of movers grab fewer than five hours of kip in preparation. Joy Richards,spokesperson for Happy Beds, which commissioned the research as part of its Moving Home campaign, said: “Moving home can be an incredibly exciting time – but it’s also extremely stressful. It’s clear that this stress is affecting peoples’ sleep. “There are countless things that can go wrong, and it can feel as if you’re spinning plates trying to make sure everything goes to plan. “It’s really important, before moving, to plan ahead well in advance and get a great night’s sleep before the big day to put yourself in the best frame of mind.” Sleeping woes persist once the chaos of moving day is over. One in 10 believe trying to nod off in their new, unfamiliar home is the most stressful part of the entire moving process. And it will take an average of four nights before new homeowners get a proper restful night’s kip in their new digs. The moving disasters continue, with a third of respondents finding pieces of furniture broken in transit once they reach the other side. Twenty-four per cent also discovered too late that the previous owners of their home hadn’t totally finished moving out. Packing up the old house was revealed as the single-worst part of moving home, followed by the stress leading up to moving day itself. One in three also can’t stand the admin involved with changing addresses on forms and setting up new bills. Unsurprisingly, wardrobes were nominated the single worst item to move from one house to another, followed by sofas and delicate items like vases or mirrors. The average Brit has moved home five times in their life so far, according to the OnePoll.com research. Joy Richards, a spokesperson for Happy Beds, added: “Having professional help when moving can be really good for peace of mind. “As discovered in our research, many Brits will be sleep-deprived and completely stressed out by the time that first box is loaded into the van, so finding ways to take the pressure off and reduce the possibility of catastrophe are vital. “However, occasionally accidents do happen – so even if a beloved heirloom gets smashed, try not to lose too much sleep over it.” Mick Fallon, Director and Conveyancing Solicitor at Howells Solicitors, said that delegating tasks to supportive friends and family is an effective way of helping moves go smoothly. “The secret to minimising stress when moving home is to make the process as simple and straightforward as possible, from beginning to end. “Having the support of people you can rely on can really make the difference – taking the worry out of this exciting period of your life.” “If you can relax in the knowledge that the exchange and completion is in safe hands and will go through without a hitch, that is one less concern off your plate and you can concentrate on packing and unpacking again. TOP 20 MOST COMMON MOVING FAILS Damaged furniture Scratched walls Not being able to fit an item through the door Not being able to manoeuvre furniture up/down the stairs Not being able to manoeuvre furniture around a corner Boxes breaking and the contents spilling out everywhere The previous residents hadn’t totally moved out or left things behind The house wasn’t ready Not having everything packed up in time Delicate possessions breaking Removal van showing up late Lost boxes Feeling ill on the big day Friends who were meant to help cancelled last minute Losing keys Car/van breaking down Problems picking up a rental van Removal van getting completely lost Keys breaking in the door I got lost and couldn’t find the house
The UK’s original tenancy deposit alternative provider Reposit, announces its latest partnership with X1 Lettings, a prominent provider of student and residential lets across the North of England. X1 is a privately held, award-winning residential accommodation provider operating in the North of England with properties in Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds. Family-founded in 2012, it has grown from one 92-unit building in Liverpool to a 19 building, 4000+ tenant-strong operation. X1 focuses on providing The Northern Powerhouse’s students and young professionals with reasonably priced luxury housing continuing to prove a success. Reposit is currently offered to all new X1 Lettings tenants. At the firm’s latest development, Media City Tower Two in Manchester, Reposit has been chosen by 43 percent of its 237 tenants since being given the choice alongside traditional deposits a month ago. X1 has filled approximately 80 per cent its available units at the site in Salford, Manchester. Jude Greer, CEO and Co-Founder, Reposit: “We are really pleased that our latest partnership with X1 Lettings allows us to further grow our reach in the North of England. Reposit has always been designed to improve the affordability of moving home for tenants across the UK. It is important for us to empower young people in major cities in the North of England to be able to choose from a more diverse pool of properties. We are excited to see what the takeup is and how tenants and landlords enjoy our service.” Lorna McCracken, Branch Manager, X1 Lettings said: “Working with Reposit has been a really smooth process, from the initial discussion stage right through to integrating as part of our booking process. Many tenants have decided to opt to use Reposit rather than a traditional deposit since we offered this at the end of May. The team are really enjoying using Reposit, it is very easy to explain how it works to our tenants and is quick and easy to process.” Jaimie Crowther, Marketing Manager, X1 Lettings said: “The residential lettings market is changing and at X1 we are always looking at new offerings for our tenants. Reposit is a solution that we felt would grow our offering to tenants whilst keeping all parties protected. What stood out to us was the clean and safe approach that Reposit offers and the team were really open and knowledgeable about the lettings industry. Having explored the other alternatives, we are 100 percent confident in having made the right choice, not least thanks to the attention to detail in its offering and the fact that they are FCA regulated and provide FSCS cover.” X1’s Head of Operations, Mellissa Green added: “X1 started with relatively humble beginnings in a small office on Duke Street in Liverpool. Previously consisting of only three staff members and one student accommodation block, X1 has transformed into an award winning property management agency with thousands of tenants and landlords spanning across three cities. One of the reasons our expansion has been so successful is due to the family ethos that remains at the core of the company. Our tenants and landlords remain loyal to us, and this is down to us abstaining from a more corporate approach as we endeavour to stay authentic and relatable, no matter how big we get.” Following a successful launch of Reposit to new tenants, X1 plans to introduce the InsurTech offering to existing tenants in the coming months. X1 also plans to use Reposit through its integration with UK Tenant Data’s pre-tenancy software. Fully regulated by the FCA and covered by FSCS, Reposit gives tenants the possibility to switch safely from traditional five-week deposits to a non-refundable insurance product worth one week’s rent, one that provides eight-weeks of cover to tenants and landlords, covering them for all things covered by traditional deposits. Eight weeks of complete cover is the joint highest available from deposit alternative suppliers in the market. Reposit landlords are individually named on an insurance policy with Lloyds of London top – five underwriter Canopius. As the founding deposit alternative option in the UK, Reposit has been on the market for four years and has steadily expanded its services across the UK.
A landmark acquisition comprising of a 928-home site near Leeds Docks, the largest in its history, has been secured by English housing association The Guinness Partnership in Leeds. The site is just a few minutes’ walk from Leeds Station and the new HS2, with Leeds South Bank set to provide 35,000 jobs and deliver 8,000 new homes over the next 15 years. The Hunslet Road site will offer 600,000 sq ft of homes and commercial space to contribute to this vision. “This site, within the Leeds South Bank Regeneration and Innovation District, is a fantastic opportunity for us to create over 900 homes in a vibrant new neighbourhood in Leeds. We intend at least 35% of the homes to be affordable,” said Catriona Simons, Chief Executive of The Guinness Partnership. Guinness has committed to ensuring at least 35% of the available homes will be for the affordable housing market. The site was purchased with the support of part of the funding recently granted by Homes England to Guinness to start building an extra 4,500 affordable homes across England by 2022. “The Guinness Partnership’s proposals are fantastic news for Leeds. That it is committing to its biggest ever scheme here and intending to deliver so many new affordable homes is a real mark of confidence in our vision for the South Bank, where we want to ensure regeneration and growth benefits all the city’s residents,” added Councillor Richard Lewis, Leeds City Council’s executive member for regeneration, transport and planning.
Higgins has started work on site to design and build a 14 storey residential block at Woolwich Reach, E16 for Notting Hill Genesis. The £21 million contract will deliver 75 affordable homes, one, two and three bedroom apartments, of which 28 will be London Living Rent homes and 47 shared ownership, and commercial space overlooking the River Thames and next to Royal Victoria Gardens. Located on the derelict site of a former pub, the project also includes large communal spaces featuring a landscaped residents’ podium deck with car parking beneath and a new offsite public viewing platform with views over the river. Steve Leakey, Managing Director of Higgins comments, “We are delighted to be awarded the Woolwich Reach contract by Notting Hill Genesis and to commence work on site. Woolwich Reach is a key project in the wider regeneration of the area and will turn a site that has been derelict for decades into a prominent riverside location for people to enjoy for years to come. “We are already working on a number of successful projects with Notting Hill Genesis, at City Park West in Central Chelmsford and Wooddene Estate in Peckham and look forward to building on this success and working in partnership with them to deliver Woolwich Reach.” Jo Palmer, Assistant Development Director for Notting Hill Genesis, said: “This is a really exciting project for us, offering 100 per cent affordable housing in an area that desperately needs it, and we are pleased to have Higgins on board and starting on site. We look forward to providing more fantastic homes and public spaces in this part of London.” The development sits next to a busy thoroughfare linking the site to the Woolwich Ferry, while its southern boundary overlooks the Thames and improves public access to the Capital Ring, a popular dedicated walking and cycling route around the capital. The project offers the potential for spectacular views in all directions and will also offer gated access to Royal Victoria Gardens, the TFL Capital Ring Walk and has excellent transport links including the upgraded TFL Woolwich Ferry, DLR King George V Station and London City Airport which are all close by. For further information about Higgins please visit www.higginsconstruction.co.uk
Woodhead Group has made a great start to the first quarter of 2019 after securing a trio of framework wins to deliver a range of housing and public sector construction projects. The group has been appointed to the Westworks Procurement Development and Construction DPS and re-appointed to the Blue Skies Contractor framework, which delivers social and affordable homes for local housing associations. The wins come just weeks after the company’s appointment on two value bands of the Pagabo framework. Tom Woodhead, director of the Woodhead Group said: “Securing a place on three public sector frameworks demonstrates that we are trusted partners, we have delivered excellent social value returns and as a company we are passionate about working collaboratively to hand over successful projects. “This trio of appointments has got 2019 off to a flying start and we are very pleased to have secured places on each framework.” The Westworks Procurement Development and Construction DPS is available for use by all Westworks and Efficiency East Midlands (EEM) members as part of the Collaboration arrangement between several like-minded procurement consortia. Woodhead Group has been part of EEM for seven years – during this time, the company has delivered or is on site with more than £50m of projects, and is set to complete its 500th home secured through the framework in 2019. Blue Skies Contractor framework is run by the Blue Skies Consortium, which is a collection of housing associations. It aims to deliver primarily affordable housing residential developments for the different associations. Woodhead Group has previously delivered a number of challenging projects through the framework, including the multi award winning Cross Street Eco Town Development for Longhurst Group and a programme of complex infill sites for Spire Homes, which received three National Considerate Constructors Awards. The Pagabo framework simplifies public sector procurement, making it quicker, simpler and more effective. Woodhead Group is one of 46 national and regional contractors appointed to the Pagabo framework. Tom added: “These frameworks act as a strong trust signal for councils and housing associations that are looking to work with us, and is a real testament to the high standard of work we deliver and our commitment to deliver real social value to local communities.”
Construction work is underway on a new £400 million housing scheme in Leeds led by CEG that will see over 1,000 new homes and 400,000 sq ft of offices, retail, leisure and community spaces developed at Kirkstall Forge. Phase one of the scheme will be delivered by Tolent, including the construction of two prototype houses. “This is another great win for the team which really shows the depth of experience and expertise we have as a national construction firm. With such a significant and visionary project that is already winning awards, we’re looking forward to being a part of this legacy for Leeds as well as the innovative prototype housing which is something new for us,” commented Regional director for Tolent, John Currie. The two prototype houses will be completed this summer and, once finished, members of CEG’s design team will move into the three and five-bed homes and test out the living experience. Improvement will be then made, according to their feedback, to finesse the final product. Following that, phase one of the scheme will see the construction of 112 contemporary homes, which were designed by Stirling Prize winner Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios. “This innovative way of delivering prototype housing follows the attention to detail we have paid to everything we are delivering at Kirkstall Forge,” added James Shimwell, head of residential development at Kirkstall Forge. “By testing every detail we can ensure we best complement Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios’ inspiring design, which maximises the acres of green space and waterfront opportunity.”
Housing associations and tenants are due to build stronger relationships between each other with the help of a new programme. The National Housing Federation (NHF) is to introduce the project called Together with Tenants, which will set out a plan of action to ensure boards are always properly connected and accountable to the people they house, whilst also giving tenants and residents a strong role in scrutiny. At the heart of the proposal are the housing association residents are firmly at the heart of the proposal, with the NHF asking tenants and residents from across the country to share their thoughts on it. Tenants and residents are being asked to join a new independent Tenant Advisory Panel and complete a questionnaire on the plan. The programme proposes four actions: • A new requirement in the National Housing Federation Code of Governance for boards to be accountable to their tenants and residents. • A new ‘Together with Tenants’ Charter setting out what tenants and residents can expect from their housing association landlord. • Tenant and resident oversight and scrutiny of the Charter with a report on how their landlord is doing against the Charter commitments. •A closer link with regulation. In total, 43 housing associations have already signed up to be early adopters of the proposals. “I am proud to launch Together with Tenants today. It is a demonstration of the fact that as a sector we are addressing one of the most pressing challenges facing the country. How we rebuild trust between people and institutions. This is a challenge that is of course particularly pertinent for our sector, after the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower exposed feelings of powerlessness, distrust and disconnection,” said Kate Henderson, Chief Executive of the NHF. “This plan builds on good practice in the sector, and must also be the first steps towards meaningful change. I am delighted that as of today 43 housing associations have already signed up to test the commitments and I hope that many more will follow suit. We know that for this plan to work we need to design it with tenants and residents. This is why we’ve been working closely with them throughout the process, and are now urging tenants to share their thoughts on these proposals,” she concluded.
