How did you get into Property Management?
When I left school I knew I didn’t want to go into further education but I had no idea what career path I wanted to follow. My first job was working within a property management call centre as an administration clerk. I have worked within the property industry covering pretty much every role ever since, including lettings, property consultancy, Investor negotiator, maintenance and procurement coordination and valuations.
What do you enjoy about your job?
I enjoy building relationships with clients as well as helping people with their issues. There is no better feeling than knowing you have been able to ease what is typically a stressful situation for someone else whether it be to deploy a large-scale project to completely renovate an entire block or to assist with a simple query surrounding how a service charge budget is put together.
What skills do you think a typical PM needs?
Good communication/customer service skills and a whole bucket load of patience! Much of what Property Managers do is reliant on building a good team of independent contractors to assist with maintenance issues and to provide ‘soft’ services to my clients (cleaning, gardening etc.). Fortunately, we do have a number of first-class contractors to work with, who have been providing services to the PMS portfolio for many years.
What would you say to someone thinking of working in Property Management?
You will never get bored, there is something new to deal with every day and although challenging at times overall it is very rewarding. You have a chance to build a very fulfilling career in an industry which is very specialised. Your skill-set will develop rapidly with familiarity with building pathology, service charge accounting, Landlord & Tenant Law and contract deployment/project management being key areas.
Why do you like working for PMS?
Working for PMS is like being part of a family; we all work together as a team with a fantastic balance between keeping everything ultra-professional and some fabulous social aspects to working here!
What aspirations do you have for professional qualifications in our sector?
I would love to become a member of the Institute of Residential Property Managers. This is the industry specific (and nationally recognised) professional qualification for residential block management. I have plans to sit my Associate Exam soon, which will lead to full Membership in a couple of years.
Do you face any particular challenges in the industry?
As a property manager you face challenges every day. However a specific challenge is understanding the content of residential leases (for flats and apartments) and Transfers (for freehold houses) on my portfolio, and how the services confirmed in these important documents map onto what can (and can’t!) be paid for from service charge funding. These documents can sometimes be poorly worded and as such may not match expectations of dwelling owners, but as long as we always stick to the terms in a lease or Transfer, everyone should be on the same page!
What are your plans for the future?
To continue to work towards IRPM qualification and become a senior property manager, a role which has a lot of responsibility to it.