This purpose-built Thames-side residential development comprises of approximately 165 units across five blocks. Approximately 45% of it’s high rise units are owner-occupied (according to 2025’s Resident Profile surveys).
Our management service helped Leaseholders to restore financial clarity and strengthen long-term planning.
Jennings & Barrett have acted as the Managing Agent for this large estate since January 2023. The
estate includes a tennis court, above ground and underground car parking facilities, garages, as well as shared external areas with an adjoining hotel.
During onboarding, it became clear that the budget was insufficient to cover expenses –
As of 2026, this development now has a realistic, sustainable budget, with finances that enable this block to maintain a “steady state” – a budget that can cope with economic changes whilst delivering for resident needs.
SOLVING HISTORIC ISSUES TO HELP DELIVER STABILITY
This Development Required Our Support To …
Our robust onboarding process helps us to identify the priorities and challenges for this blocks management takeover.
Do you have estate management challenges? We’re experts at problem solving.
Talk to our team about your needs and discover how we’ll help you to deliver stability across your development.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you prepare for the management of a large estate with significant service charge arrears and overdue major works?
Jennings & Barrett are a TPI and RICS-accredited Managing Agent, and so we deliver high standards for clients, from the moment we begin their management takeover. A key aspect of being a Jennings & Barrett client is that you’re assigned a named Property Manager – one person assigned to your development who’ll be responsible for reaching your KPIs. Property Managers take an active role in the management preparations for their new clients.
The standard “takeover” period is six months – consisting of three months notice to previous agents, the takeover date itself, and the following three months that it often takes for outgoing agents to reconcile and provide the final financial information we require. This means that we have ample time to learn about your development, challenges, needs and to identify management priorities.
Whilst we have always had a standardised onboarding process for new clients, in 2025 we implemented our extensive “Preparing For Management” plan. This is shared ahead of onboarding to help clients understand what occurs, when, and includes:
- Meeting your Named Property Manager and their assistant on-site.
- Detailed reviews of handover documents by your Property Manager and the back-office supporting teams, such as our Accounts and Compliance teams.
- System onboarding – completing your asset log, creating your Management Tracker (should you opt to use this), uploading Leaseholder information into our Property Portal software, and creating onboarding / welcome packs. For on-site staff, we’ll perform the necessary employment and job description checks to ensure compliance and competency. Should you have preferred contractors you wish to continue using, they will be vetted as per our Pre-Qualification process to ensure they meet our contractor network standards, and set up so we can ensure they are paid once we reach the takeover date.
- Production of a draft opening budget.
- Building a 90-day action plan, tailored to your development. This is where we set out the plan to immediately address the service charge arrears and begin to get your funds back into shape. If you have overdue major works, we’ll aim to get the Section 20 consultation process beginning as quickly as possible.
As a result, we’re usually able to hit the ground running and ensure that the takeover is as seamless as possible – though, just because we work to standards set by the RICS Service Charge Management Code, doesn’t mean that your outgoing agent will. Getting their engagement is half the challenge of ensuring a successful onboarding – that’s why we have one person who takes sole responsibility for following up with the outgoing agent as necessary.
Why does having a local, independent agent help with the management of large, high-rise residential estates?
As an independent Managing Agent, we’re able to innovate, optimise, and improve according to customer needs and changing legislation. This means we can quickly adapt. Examples include:
- Our scalable High Rise Support Service (and the supporting programmes, automations and resources) were up and running well ahead of third-party industry stakeholder’s own resources were.
- We’re very close to our clients, and when we build our team, we build them around any new locations of clients we might acquire. This aids our reactivity.
- Our bespoke in-house applications and technologies are built to the needs of our portfolio and our clients, helping with oversight and transparancy both internally, and externally.
- Our knowledge of the area, relevant authorities, and geography mean we’re best positioned to provide the appropriate advice or expert referrals, where you need more specialist support.
- Our contractor network of pre-qualified specialists ensure that we’re able to use local businesses for your works – and we know they’ll deliver on value for money. This also means that that fees, as clients, go back into your local community and keep both growth and opportunity close to home.
How do I find out more about how you can support our Block’s management?
Set up a call with one of our Executive Directors – we need to get a substantial amount of information about your home in order to identify what support you will need, and how we can help you to overcome challenges you may be experiencing.
You can arrange your call via our Contact Us page, via email to blockmanagement@jenningsandbarrett.co.uk, or by phone to 0203 598 9665 Option 2.
What makes Jennings & Barrett’s service different from other agents?
Alongside standard Block & Estate management services, our clients receive:
- A named Property Manager – as well as the support of their Property Assistant and our back office Accounts, Legal, Compliance, and Operations teams.
- Financial transparency through our Directors’ Property Portal, enabling oversight of budget vs. actual and arrears reports.
- Service quality transparency via our Annual Feedback Surveys.
- Reassurance that we are passionate about professionalism, thanks to our numerous industry accreditations and staff training plans.
- 90 day action plans, helping to make impact from day one of our management.
Plus …
- We never charge administration fees on contractor invoices.
- We continuously strive for greater agility, efficiency, transparency and innovation – which means better services for you.
How much are your Block & Estate Management Services for large developments?
Our fees are built around your needs as a building owner or Management Company, and account for the services your development requires – this means that it’s hard to declare set prices, as there’s huge variations in both client needs and estate management needs.
We can say what won’t affect your standard management fees:
- The age of your development
- The type of communal utilities in your development
- The number of entrances in your development
We can only provide an accurate fee once we have the complete information about your development and the services that you are looking for in a Managing Agent. Please contact us online, by email to blockmanagement@jenningsandbarrett.co.uk, or call our team on 0203 598 9665 to find out more.