PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Before After


DIRTY


It’s a job...


...butsomeone’s gottodoit. That oftenmeans themanaging


agent, asMAXINE FOTHERGILL explains to Flat Living


GRAVESEND-BASEDAMEXESTATESwas a runner-upinlastyear’sARMA-QAwardswhich recognisemanaging agentswho havemade a real difference to flatowners in the buildings theymanage.Havingworkedtirelessly to tackle anti-social behaviour on the Chandlers WharfEstateinErith,establishingongoing partnerships with localagenciesand thepolice to deal with theproblemon behalf of residents, it’s nothardtoseewhythe judgesconsidered Amax’s contributionworthcelebrating. Maxine Fothergill ismanaging director of


Amax Estates, apropertyservices company which she founded more than 10 years ago andwhich has becomea thriving business specialising in residentiallettingsand block management.The business beganinthe lettings sector and onlymoved into property management as theresultofproblemsbeing experienced with the existingmanagement on an estatewhereMaxine owned a buy-to- letflat.Residents on theestatepersuaded Amax to take on themanagementoftheir block,whichMaxinefreelyadmitswas like “jumping in at thedeepend withoutknowing howtoswim”.The blockwas suffering from poormaintenancemade worsebyanti-social behaviourand vandalism.Determinedto make a difference on the estate, not only for thebenefitofher ownproperty-which she couldsee decreasing in valueasproblems reachedapeak-but also forthe sake of her fellow residents,Amax’s first experience of propertymanagement wasa baptismoffire.Refusingtobe intimidated by someof the less savoury residents,Maxine and herteamtookresponsibility


Flat Living Issue 14, Spring


forestablishingrelationships with other flatowners, thepoliceand localauthority. It waspossible to clampdownon thepeople causingtrouble fortheir neighbours andmake improvements to the area that would give the residentsbacktheir prideinthe blocks they live in. Oneofthemost difficult problems


experience of property managementwas a baptismof fire


thatAmax have hadtodealwithwas the case of oneresidentwithmentalhealth and drug problemswho wasmaking his neighbours’livesamisery. By developing aclose relationship with thelocalSafer Neighbourhoodspolicingteam,Amax successfully obtained an ASBO,ensuring


ChattingwithKeith Hill,the newheadof ARMA’s regulatory board


Amax’sfirst


that hisbehaviour wascurbed andthe undesirablepeoplehis drug habitattracted to theblock were prevented fromvisiting the area.Ayeardownthe line,the estatehas been transformed outofall recognition.Now the residents are happy, the communal areas have been refurbished andAmax is responsible for a further five blocks on the sameestate. The fact that propertymanagement is


nowa key aspect of the business, is clearly illustrated by the fact that the company now manages1,000 flats in Kentand SouthEast London.Amaxhas won12industryawards including London PropertyManager of the Year in 2009. As a landlord herself and with astronginsight into theissues they face, since2004Maxinehas beenatrainer forthe UKLandlordsAccreditation Scheme(UKLAS) andispersonallyresponsible forsuccessfully training more than 2000 landlords. She takes prideinthe fact thatAmax isamemberof ARMA,her staff arewelltrained andshe is currentlytakingpartinthe Chartered SurveyorsTrainingTrust apprenticeship schemewith threeyoung people working for her and learning different aspects of the business.For herownpart,she has been on a steep learning curve. “I’ve had to pick up thebusinessonthe job”she explains,having gained herIRPMmanagementqualification in only sixmonths.Maxine is an enthusiastic and hands-onmanager, believing that you should onlymanage buildingsthatyou can serviceeffectively, in an area youknowwell. “Thatway themanagementyou provideis both personal andeffective,”she says.Amax’s experience andsuccessinthe localmarket prove the point.●


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