BEST ESTATE AGENT in Brighton And Hove
2015 for
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
block management
Multi-Award Winning Knowledgeable Transparent and Caring
Brighton & Hove property experts Sawyer & Co.’s strong reputation for both integrity and local knowledge has made us market leaders in the city. We stand out from the crowd with a clear aim - to be better than our competitors in every way. We pride ourselves on doing things differently and this is reflected in our constant focus on providing the highest level of customer service to all of our customers and clients. A clear indication that we deliver on our promises comes from the fact that we receive more customer satisfaction reviews than any other agency in the area. 99% of our clients say they would recommend us and more than 400 have done so on allAgents.co.uk: “I can’t recommend Sawyer & Co enough. I have dealt with a number of agents in Brighton & Hove, Sawyer & Co are by far and away the best. Chris and his team are trustworthy” “We have worked with Sawyer & Co for many years. Sarah & Lynette who manage the Block Management department always work closely with us to ensure that we can carry out the best possible service to their clients. We are often given positive feedback about them from residents when we are cleaning their blocks. Highly recommended.”
“Sarah manages our house and does an excellent job. She is always helpful, always quick to respond, knows the right people for each job, understands that costs and process need to be managed and alongside all this, is always a pleasure to deal with. I’d recommend Sarah to anyone looking for a managing agent.” “We have always been more than impressed with the high quality service and prompt communication we consistently receive from the Block Management team at Sawyer and Co. Polite, efficient and professional whilst also being very friendly and approachable, the team there are always really happy to help and return every phone call or email quickly and reliably. Sarah’s in-depth knowledge and expertise on all aspects of block management is consistently impressive so we feel very reassured knowing that everything is being handled by someone who is properly qualified and highly trained. I would wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone.”
Award winners Our standards are endorsed at both local and national levels by winning high profile industry awards. Recently the 2016 Guild of Professional Estate Agent Awards commended us for providing “consistently high levels of customer service”. Another reason that we continue to win awards is that we pride ourselves on ‘going the extra mile’. This means we give each block our full commitment and that comes with an added assurance of full accountability and transparency. We also value knowledgeable staff, so it’s no surprise that Sarah Ledwidge and Lynette Webb, our block management department, have more than 17 years combined industry experience between them.
Holding Ourselves to the Highest Standards BEST ESTATE AGENT in Brighton And Hove
2015 for
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
We follow the RICS and ARMA codes of practise.
A new standard in block management Our Block Management department opened in 2012 due to demand from vendors and landlords who were looking for a higher standard of service than they could find elsewhere. We listened to their concerns and realised that many resulted from their previous experiences of poor communication and lack of transparency. So from day one we set out to provide a service to our clients and leaseholders that offered a new standard in block management. We understand that we are managing homes and investments that really matter to people. We also know that a ‘one size fits all’ approach doesn’t work because each block requires an individual approach, so we tailor a bespoke strategy for each and every client. Block Management is a specialist field and although a successful background in sales and lettings is a good start, specialisation is the real key to success. As an example of our belief in this, directors Chris Sawyer and Adam Farrell undertook thorough training to ensure they had the key skills and knowledge to set the department up and make it a success.
As well as a bespoke service for each block, our clients also benefit from: A team of block dedicated management specialists An In-house bookkeeper specialising in service charge accounts Annual sourcing of the best insurance premiums and cover Preparation and review of annual service charge budgets Circulation of annual accounts to the lessees after review Regular inspections of blocks Dealing with lessees enquiries Responding to solicitor enquiries Overseeing major works
We go the extra mile to source the highest quality contractors
Reviewing contractor performance and value Full debt management and recovery service Health, Safety and Fire Risk assessments 24 hour access to view your account online
It’s easy to switch If you like the sound of what we can do for you but you already have a block management agent, changing over to us is actually very easy and straightforward. In fact, once you have made the decision we do all the work for you. Once you have served notice to your current managing agent we can arrange for all the relevant documents to be sent over to us, along with a closing statement and outstanding funds. We offer a streamlined contract for your own block requirements. We pride ourselves on having agreements written in easy to understand language and we’re happy to talk you through and explain any aspect of them. It’s all part of our honest and transparent approach. We will then arrange for a separate bank account to be opened for your block’s funds and all statements will be made available to your directors. Because we use the latest block management software you can access bank statements, view your own service charges and make payments online. Maintenance issues and works can also be viewed online. Our office is open Monday to Friday 8.45am to 6pm and we also offer 24 hour contact to a team of experienced property coordinators who can assist you with any out of hours emergencies.
New builds & conversions We can make the transition from new build to completion as easy for you as possible. We will liaise with you throughout the building process to ensure a smooth transition takes place when our management phase commences. By making sure that future property owners fully understand the services that are available to them on your development, as well as being clear about any service charges they will be contributing to and what they cover, we take the pressure away from you.
Right to Manage (RTM) The Commonhold and Leasehold reform act 2002 gave leaseholders the right to form and operate resident management companies. This means that leaseholders can appoint their own managing agents to act and report to them. To be eligible to take advantage of this Right to Manage (RTM) you must meet the following criteria: * At least 50% of the flat owners within the physical block of flats must want to go through the process * At least two thirds of the flat owners within the physical block must have long leases (more than 21 years at the time of issue) * No more than 25% of the block may be used for non-residential use We can assist you by recommending specialist solicitors who will be able to confirm if you are eligible and who will then guide you through the process. Once the RTM process has been completed we can offer you the full range of our block management services.
Lynette Webb
Chris Sawyer
Lynette has worked in service charge accounting for more than 6 years. Her experience in block management also means that she has a great deal of knowledge when it comes to various maintenance issues. Lynette knows that every problem has a solution and block management is all about finding the right one.
Chris has over 25 years’ experience in the property industry. As the 2016 President of the Brighton and Hove Estate Agents Association he showcased his desire to improve and maintain the highest standards within the profession. He is also a member of the National Advisory Council and Guild of Professional Estate Agents.
Block Accounts Manager
Director
Lynette can be contacted on lynette@sawyerandco.co.uk 01273 77 88 44
Adam Farrell
Sarah Ledwidge
Having built up a wealth of independent and corporate estate agency knowledge, Adam has passed the highest level exams, holding a Fellow grade of membership at the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) and a Diploma in Surveying Practice at the College of Estate Management. As a member of the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) Adam has passed their Technical Award exams and was the 2016 Secretary of the Brighton and Hove Estate Agents Association.
Sarah has 11 years’ experience in block management. Having worked on high-end developments featuring gyms, pools and restaurants through to smaller period properties and everything in between, Sarah understands that each project has its own unique needs and requirements and demands the personal touch.
Director
Block Manager
Sarah can be contacted on sarah@sawyerandco.co.uk 01273 77 88 44
Meet the team
“I would like to personally thank all of our staff for always striving to go above and beyond what is expected to provide our clients with a personable service� Chris Sawyer
Hove 52 Church Road, Hove BN3 2FN Phone: 01273 778844
Portslade 10 Station Road, Portslade BN41 1GA Phone: 01273 383830
Brighton 113 St Georges Road, Kemptown, Brighton BN2 1EA Phone: 01273 685111
London 121 Park Lane, Mayfair W1K 7AG Phone: 0207 0791519
sawyerandco.co.uk