FirstPort has achieved a five-star grading in the British Safety Council’s Occupational Health and Safety Audit for the fifth year running. The organisation received a score of 95.88%, demonstrating its commitment towards the continual improvement of health and safety management systems and processes and recognising it as a best practice organisation.
FirstPort, the UK’s largest residential property manager, has today announced a transaction which will see it combining with leading property and asset manager, Mainstay Group. For FirstPort and Mainstay customers, clients, employees, management, and supply partners day-to-day operations will remain unchanged. Completion of the transaction only remains subject to approval
FirstPort, the residential property management company, will manage the new homes being built at Wichelstowe, one of the most significant new home developments in Swindon’s recent history. The latest phase of Wichelstowe (see picture), named Canalside@Wichelstowe, will feature a mix of 208 apartments and houses from five-star builders David Wilson
FirstPort has made senior appointments in two customer-focused areas of its business to continue to drive forward the highest standards of service for customers and clients. Heidi Stephenson (LLB MSc) has joined FirstPort as Director of the Luxury portfolio. She brings with her 20 years’ experience in residential Property Management,
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
FirstPort has achieved a five-star grading in the British Safety Council’s Occupational Health and Safety Audit for the fifth year running. The organisation received a score of 95.88%, demonstrating its commitment towards the continual improvement of health and safety management systems and processes and recognising it as a best practice organisation. The audit recognised FirstPort’s continued efforts to implement the highest standards of health and safety management, a clear commitment from senior management, and an enthusiastic health and safety team. It also highlighted that FirstPort has an extensive occupational health and safety management system, with good processes for stakeholder engagement, compliance monitoring and building management. Mark Varley, Director of Health and Safety at FirstPort, said: “To have achieved five stars in all five years that we have been audited is a tremendous achievement. We have developed a robust health and safety culture at FirstPort amongst our colleagues and contractors – one that we are very proud of. We work hard to make sure our customers see the benefits too, so that they feel safe in their homes.” Roni Kotecha, Managing Director of Audits, British Safety Council, said: “The award of a five-star grading following our occupational best practice Health and Safety Audit is an outstanding achievement and is reflective of a proactive organisation which is committed to continual improvement in its health and safety arrangements and managing risks to workers’ health, safety and welfare. FirstPort should be very proud of this achievement.” To achieve the grading, FirstPort underwent a comprehensive, quantified and robust evaluation of its occupational health and safety policies, processes and practices. The audit process included documentation review, interviews with senior management, employees and other key stakeholders, together with sampling of operational activities. The audit measured performance against key health and safety management best practice indicators and a detailed review of over sixty component elements. About the Five Star Occupational Health and Safety Audit The Five Star Audit is a comprehensive, contemporary and quantified process which benchmarks health and safety management performance against the latest best practice techniques. The audit process is carried out through documentation review, management and other stakeholder interviews, as well as operational sampling. Those organisations who achieve a five-star grading following the audit become eligible to enter the British Safety Council Sword of Honour Awards which recognise excellence in the management of health and safety. The award scheme is an independently adjudicated process which requires five star achievers to build upon the audit findings and provide a written submission on their continual improvement planning. About the British Safety Council The British Safety Council believes that no-one should be injured or made ill at work. Since its foundation in 1957, the British Safety Council has campaigned tirelessly to protect workers from accidents, hazards and unsafe conditions, and played a decisive role in the political process that has led to the adoption of landmark safety legislation in the UK. Its members in more than 60 countries are committed to protecting and improving the wellbeing of workers, believing that a healthy and safe work environment is also good for business.
FirstPort, the UK’s largest residential property manager, has today announced a transaction which will see it combining with leading property and asset manager, Mainstay Group. For FirstPort and Mainstay customers, clients, employees, management, and supply partners day-to-day operations will remain unchanged. Completion of the transaction only remains subject to approval by the Financial Conduct Authority. Last year FirstPort welcomed Equistone Partners Europe as its new majority investors to support its continued growth, investment in a comprehensive digital transformation programme and make further enhancements to its customer service offering. To date, FirstPort has completed two previous transactions, strengthening its team and service offerings with the acquisitions of Barratt London’s property management company, BRAM, in 2019 and Linden Homes’ property management provider, Pentland Estate Management, in 2017. For Mainstay Group, 2019 was a significant year with the business achieving record growth, winning appointments on a number of high-profile developments and securing a national, multi-million-pound portfolio. Nigel Howell, CEO of FirstPort, commented: “We are delighted to be joining forces with Mainstay to deliver the very best property and asset management services for our customers and clients. Mainstay’s achievements and track record are impressive, and we are proud to be welcoming them into the FirstPort group. This is a great milestone for both businesses, which will see us learning from each other and working together to continue to drive the highest industry standards and realise new market opportunities.” Luke Sanders, Group Managing Director of Mainstay, commented: “This is an exciting opportunity for the Mainstay Group to continue to deliver a market-leading service, while benefitting from the skills, expertise and efficiencies available by being part of a larger group. I am very much looking forward to working with FirstPort, as the right partner for our next phase of growth and to help build on Mainstay’s achievements and successes to date.” About FirstPort FirstPort is the UK’s leading full-service residential property manager, caring for more than 196,000 homes in England, Wales and Scotland across 3,900 developments. With over four decades of experience and 3,200 employees, FirstPort works with developers, investors, freeholders and over 300 Resident Management Companies. FirstPort is a member of the Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA), the Association of Retirement Housing Managers (ARHM), and Property Managers Association Scotland (PMAS). It holds a Five Star Rating from the British Safety Council, has been awarded the British Safety Council’s prestigious Sword of Honour, is an accredited Safe Agent and belongs to The Property Ombudsman. FirstPort holds a Silver Investors in People accreditation and has been named as one of the UK’s Top Employers by the Top Employers’ Institute for the last two consecutive years. www.firstport.co.uk About Mainstay Mainstay Group is an independent residential property and asset management company providing leading services to over 80,000 homes and award-winning commercial facilities management across the UK. Established in 2000, Mainstay works with many of the top 20 homebuilders, institutional investment funds, landed estates, resident management companies and private investors to maximise value and drive better returns by pioneering a community and people centric, empowered approach to service and innovation. Mainstay is accredited to ISO9001 and OHSAS18001, is a member of the Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA) and is a proud Investor in People. www.mainstaygroup.co.uk
FirstPort, the residential property management company, will manage the new homes being built at Wichelstowe, one of the most significant new home developments in Swindon’s recent history. The latest phase of Wichelstowe (see picture), named Canalside@Wichelstowe, will feature a mix of 208 apartments and houses from five-star builders David Wilson Homes and Barratt. It is anticipated the first residents will be able to move into their new homes in the summer. Wichelstowe is being delivered by a joint venture company which is a 50:50 partnership between Swindon Borough Council and Barratt Developments plc. Over the next 20 years, the Wichelstowe Joint Venture will deliver around 3,000 new homes on a 250-hectare area of land. Wichelstowe, which will have an extensive area of open space featuring playing pitches, allotments and nature conservation, will include three primary schools and a secondary school. Daniel Pavely, Project Director for Wichelstowe, said: “It is important to us that our chosen management company has a strong customer focus and drive to help us to promote and develop a thriving community at Wichelstowe. We have found FirstPort to be professional and knowledgeable – they have taken the time to understand our requirements and are playing an active role in delivering the management services. We are looking forward to working with the FirstPort team.” FirstPort has also been appointed by St George City to manage 320 apartments, commercial units and landscaped courtyard gardens at Royal Exchange, Kingston. This luxury development that epitomises modem living. The site, planned for 2021, is a former Grade II listed telephone exchange which, alongside a Post Office building, will be refurbished for residential use. Ann-Charlotte Binnberg, Head of Business Development, FirstPort said: “It’s great that we can add value right at the start of new build projects, before they are even occupied. Clients are seeking out our strategic and design support early on things like service delivery, service-charge modelling and community initiatives to make sure their developments are good value for customers and great places to live.”
FirstPort has made senior appointments in two customer-focused areas of its business to continue to drive forward the highest standards of service for customers and clients. Heidi Stephenson (LLB MSc) has joined FirstPort as Director of the Luxury portfolio. She brings with her 20 years’ experience in residential Property Management, 15 years of which were spent at one of the UK’s most luxury brands, Harrods. As Associate Director, she was part of the Senior Management Team for Harrods Estates Asset Management/PL Management, looking after some of the most prime, central and luxurious developments. Heidi’s experience spans all aspects of property management, new scheme consultancy and scheme mobilisation covering both customer and client engagement. This experience will be invaluable in assisting FirstPort to enhance its luxury offer. Speaking about her appointment, Heidi said: “Customers living in a luxury development quite rightly demand a truly luxury service, and I am looking forward to using my experience of dealing with the most prestigious customers to define and deliver an exceptional level of service. FirstPort is an extremely customer-focused business and I am keen to work with the team to provide our customers with an exemplary and market leading offer.” Lucinda Walker has been appointed as Director of Build to Rent, with the aim of providing expert focus to FirstPort’s proposition for both clients and customers in this emerging market. Lucinda has over 20 years’ senior operations and project management experience encompassing complex staff management, financial negotiations and strategic oversight, with a strong focus on exceptional customer service. She has delivered facilities and management services at some of the UK’s major sporting events, including the London Olympics 2012, Commonwealth Games 2014, and Wimbledon Championships. She has also held senior positions operationally, financially and strategically for international hotels whilst working for the highly regarded travel company, Mark Warner. Speaking about her appointment, Lucinda said: “My aim is to create a service embedded with the highest and most innovative of standards that will appeal to a wide range of customers, whilst underpinning a financial mode that maximizes the return on investment for our clients. I look forward to using my experience of mobilising and delivering major events to ensure that our Build to Rent operation is slick, efficient and completely focused on the needs of customers as we strive for business excellence. “This exciting new market suits FirstPort’s size and capability and gives us the opportunity to work directly with clients from the early stage of planning to provide viable Build to Rent operational delivery.
