Property Developers: hiring concierge and other staff for estate management

(This article is part of a series written by our Business Development Manager Fiona DuCasse, exploring how service charge implications can be addressed at the design stage of a development)

It is very common at the design stage of a development, to see a number of 'nice to have’ line items being moved to the 'must have’ column, This results in considerable costs and an unreasonable service charge level.

A managing agent’s ability to see way down the line and anticipate issues around service charges for your residents is the reason you will benefit from bringing on board a property manager as soon as possible.

For instance, when it comes to adding concierge staff to a development, developers not only need to consider the type of staff (concierge vs caretaker vs security staff) but also their hours of work, pay scale, on-costs, equipment, uniform, area for refreshment and WC.  

Will the concierge handle complaints or operate the CCTV system? Are they Security Industry Authority recognised (SIR) or DBS-checked? (in fact, you need to be DBS-checked in order to achieve the SIA). Who oversees making sure these certifications are up to date?

Will the staff be employed by the managing agent or Resident Management Company?  Do you have TUPE guidelines in place?

A managing agent can assist with these decisions and create an appropriate managing function for your development.    

Property developers: If you are considering employing a concierge for your new development, please do ask me about our experience on a long-term basis with installing staff on-site.

To receive a quote on our management fees for your next development, complete our online form.