14 August 2024
Diaz is a Property Manager at The FirstPort Group. As a member of The Property Institute, with over 15 years of experience in property management, Diaz oversees six residential developments across London, working with a number of RMC clients.
Here, Diaz gives her insight into the key duties in the day-to-day work of a Property Manager and the value that she and her team add to resident-managed developments. She explained:
As a Property Manager across multiple sites, it is important to ensure a personal and bespoke approach to each of the developments in my care. I make regular visits, carrying out inspections to ensure buildings are clean, tidy, and safe. It’s important to make myself available to all residents during these visits, as we appreciate how important it is to them that we are present and visible. It also allows Property Managers to check the progress of any ongoing maintenance works, as well as ensuring that their site teams are well-supported in their day-to-day work on-site.
“There’s always lots to do,” said Diaz, adding: “Whether it’s meetings with Resident Directors, in-person or remotely, carrying out site inspections, or checking in on my site colleagues to ensure that, as a team, together with our Resident Directors, the development runs as smoothly as possible.
Working with Resident Directors
Like Property Managers, Resident Directors work for and with leaseholders, including managing legal and legislative responsibilities. Diaz believes it is important that an effective Property Manager works in partnership with them to share the weight of responsibility.
Diaz said, “The reality of being a Resident Director is that they take on a share of the responsibility for the development. They represent their neighbours and fellow leaseholders to ensure that their development is safe, tidy, and well-maintained.
“As a managing agent, to work in partnership with them, it is important that we understand the development as if it were our own home – as it is for the majority of Directors.
“Clear, consistent communication is everything. My team and I work closely with Directors to ensure day-to-day tasks are carried out as they should be, but also so they are receiving the relevant guidance and support from us, which they can in turn provide to their fellow residents.”
While sharing information and educating Directors with specialist knowledge can help to empower them, Diaz also recognizes how this can continually drive standards. She added: “Sharing information with Directors is crucial to ensure they understand their responsibilities. By empowering them with this knowledge, they can communicate more effectively with us. This mutual understanding clarifies key obligations, responsibilities, and important actions, ensuring everyone remains accountable and fulfils their duties promptly and effectively.”
Expert Care and Support
Like many property professionals, the work of a Property Manager is often heavily influenced by changing building safety legislation following the Grenfell Tower tragedy. While changes brought about by the tragedy are welcomed by those living in dangerous buildings, the work involved in making buildings and occupants safe continues to be complex and constantly evolving.
“As we know, Grenfell changed everything,” Diaz explains. “Building safety is very, very complex. From understanding who is the PAP (Principal Accountable Person) – which can be very difficult when trying to interpret how this is defined in a lease – through to identifying and instructing remedial works, the landscape is constantly and rapidly changing. As a result, a big part of my role is ensuring that buildings remain compliant with evolving legislation and ensuring that any necessary actions are carried out as quickly as possible.
We are lucky to be supported by an extensive pool of specialist professionals at FirstPort, who are there to offer expertise and guidance tailored to the unique complexities of each affected building. RMC Directors really value this level of support as they know that, with us guiding them, their residents are in safe hands.
Acting on Behalf of Residents
Being an effective Property Manager involves a balance of working with, and on behalf of, clients and customers. While obligations and plans for the development are identified and agreed upon in collaboration with Resident Directors, Diaz, supported by FirstPort’s specialist in-house teams, then carries out the actions to ensure the smooth running of the development.
Diaz added: “I’m currently working on cost estimates for the coming financial year at a number of our developments. This includes gathering quotations for contractor costs for the coming year, as well as preparing for any unexpected works that may be required.
“This is then presented to the Resident Directors to inform them of the projected costs of managing and maintaining the development for the year ahead.
“At FirstPort, we have access to a wide range of contractors, all of which are SafeContractor accredited, which gives assurance to our clients that they are in good hands and can be provided with specialist support when needed. We know our RMC Directors value the range and quality of the accredited contractors we have available, because we share a view that insisting on high standards is important to ensure a safe and professional service is always delivered.”
Beyond the Day-to-Day
Diaz concludes: “Working in resident-led developments is extremely rewarding and provides great opportunities for collaborative working that drives the highest standards. Delivering services to a consistently high standard while keeping up to date with regulatory changes and customer expectations requires a team effort, and we are there to support our resident directors every step of the way.”
