Blocks and portfolios, run hands-on
If you manage blocks or portfolios with units that are empty or under-let, I can take some of that on. Either my company takes agreed units on a company let and pays a fixed rent, or I manage them for a fee. Terms are agreed per instruction, after a viewing, in a solicitor-drafted agreement.
When the local operation lets the asset down
Good assets underperform when the day-to-day is weak. That shows up in your reports long after it starts.
Underperforming units
A handful of units in a block sit empty or under-let, and they drag down the numbers for the whole asset.
Operations at arm's length
You manage the asset, not the occupiers. When the local operation is weak, you only see it in the reports.
More rules, more reporting
Licensing, safety and the Renters' Rights Act all add work. Your investors and lenders want to see that it is under control.
What I offer
Two ways to work together. Which fits depends on the owner's mandate, the finance and how much of the upside the owner wants to keep.
Company let
A fixed rent from my company for agreed units and an agreed term
My company takes agreed units on a company let and pays the agreed rent whether or not they are occupied. I find, house and look after the occupiers and report to you in writing.
- Rent agreed per unit or per block after a viewing
- Rent paid in advance where we agree it in the agreement
- Term, breaks and rent review agreed up front
- A phased start: a few units first, more as we both see it working
- I handle the occupiers and the compliance that comes with them
Management agreement
The owner keeps the rent; I run the units for a fee
If your mandate is to keep the income and the upside, I manage agreed units for a fee, with reporting built around what you need to show your investors.
- Finding and checking occupiers
- Rent collection and monthly reporting in the format you need
- Maintenance coordinated alongside your block manager
- Safety certificates and licence conditions tracked per unit
- Fee agreed per instruction after a viewing
How it works
- 01
Share the asset
Use the form below. Location, number and type of units, current occupancy and what the owner wants from them.
- 02
I view it
I look at the units, the common parts and the paperwork, and tell you plainly what I could take on and what I could not.
- 03
Written proposal
If it fits, I send terms: the option, the units, the term and breaks, the rent or fee, reporting, and who is responsible for what.
- 04
Consents and authority
You confirm your authority to instruct, the lender's written consent, any freehold consent and the block insurance position.
- 05
Solicitor-drafted agreement
The agreement is drafted by a solicitor. Your own legal team should review it before signing.
- 06
Phased handover
I start with the agreed first units, report in writing, and we review together before adding more.
What you need in place
These protect the owner as much as me. If one isn't in place yet, tell me and we'll see whether it can be.
- Authority from the owner to enter the arrangement, in writing
- Written consent from the lender, if finance is secured on the asset
- Freeholder or head-lease consent where it is needed
- Block and landlord insurance that covers the agreed use, with the insurer told about the arrangement
- Current fire risk assessment for the common parts, plus the safety certificates and EPC for each unit
- The right planning use for how the units will be occupied
I can't advise on finance documents, leases or insurance. The owner's own solicitor, lender and broker should confirm each of these.
Why talk to me
Corporate housing background
I held director roles at Roomspace and The Apartment Service over 20 years in corporate housing, where reporting to clients and keeping rented homes full was the job.
An owner and operator today
I own property in Brighton and hold the HMO licence for a house I manage myself, so I see compliance from both the owner's and the operator's side.
Founder-led, and honest about scale
You deal with me, not a call centre. I would rather take on a few units and earn the rest than overpromise on a whole block.
Questions owners ask
What rent or fee would you offer?
I don't quote figures until I have seen the asset. Rent or fee depends on the units, the location, the term and what is included. You get it in writing in the proposal before anything is signed.
Can you take a whole block?
I would usually start with some of the units and grow from there once we have both seen how it works. Tell me about the asset and I'll be straight about what I can take on.
Does the owner carry any risk?
Yes, some. The owner still holds the asset, so the lender, freeholder and insurer need to know. Repair and common-part responsibilities are split in the agreement. Since the Renters' Rights Act, an owner can in some cases face a claim if the person running the property breaks the rules, which is why compliance is the first thing I sort out.
Who deals with licensing and safety?
I handle the licensing and compliance for the occupiers I place, and the agreement records who holds any licence. Building safety and the common parts stay with the owner or block manager, set out clearly in writing.
What about unusual buildings?
Character conversions and one-off buildings may suit the Art Apart partnership, which offers art-led serviced accommodation. See the link beside the form.
Is this legal or tax advice?
No. I can explain how I work, but the owner should take their own legal and tax advice before entering any agreement.
This page is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Every arrangement depends on the property and on a written agreement. Please take your own legal advice before signing anything.
Tell me about the asset
A short note is enough. I'll reply personally and, if it looks like a fit, arrange a viewing.
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