Sennen Property Management Ltd

Sennen Property Management Ltd: block and estate management built around site presence

Sennen Property Management Ltd, trading as SennenPM, is a managing agent for blocks and estates. The company presents itself as a newer alternative to established agents, built by taking what it considers the strongest elements of traditional managing agents and combining them with a more mobile, technology-led operating model. Its stated starting point is financial management, on which it says every other service depends.

The business works with three main audiences: residents, directors of Residents Management Companies (RMCs) and property developers. It also offers support to those wishing to set up a Right-To-Manage company.

How the agency organises its work

SennenPM describes a model in which staff access systems through the cloud rather than working from a fixed office, which it says frees time for proactive management at the property itself. Visits are pre-advertised so that residents can arrange to meet the property manager or ask for specific matters to be checked. After each inspection, an inspection report is published to the portal by the next working day.

The company states that its property managers carry smaller portfolios, which it links to more time available for each development. For smaller sites that do not wish to pay for on-site visits, a team of office-based property managers handles queries reactively instead.

Financial administration and transparency

Client money is held in accounts specific to each development and managed through dedicated software. SennenPM says it follows ARMA codes of practice as the basis for sound management. On instruction, it sets out which services are included within its fees, and it offers directors full visibility of expenditure at any time, with access for all homeowners by appointment.

Contractors and cost control

For everyday services the agency says it draws on quality local contractors, and where appropriate it aggregates its portfolio to obtain group discounts from national suppliers. The company states an aim of reducing client budgets by at least 10% and describes its visit frequency as higher than that of other managing agents.

Homeowner portal and communication

A secure homeowner portal lets residents check their account, report issues and follow the progress of anything raised. Maintenance issues and other services can also be reported through the tenant portal at myblockonline.co.uk. The company describes communication as central to its work and lists a brochure among its published materials.

Recognition and client feedback

The site reports that SennenPM won Managing Agents of the Year at the 2017 Thames Valley Property Awards. It also reproduces comments attributed to clients: an RMC in Berkshire credits the agency with saving it over 37% in insurance costs; a Surrey developer describes being helped when its previous agent raised fees without warning; a Surrey RMC highlights knowing when visits will happen and the value of the following-day report; and a Berkshire developer describes the service as professional and thorough.

Case studies and coverage

Three case studies are presented: a one-stop shop for all management needs, improving financial management, and restoring confidence in customer service. Beyond its head office and accounts base in Camberley, the company lists offices in London, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Kent, Wiltshire and the West Midlands, giving it a presence across southern and central England.