Leading residential property management company, Rendall & Rittner enjoyed an exceptional night at the exclusive ARMA Ace Awards dinner on Friday 17^th June, winning the coveted Managing Agent of the Year award. Designed to recognise the achievements of UK managing agents and suppliers, the black-tie event was attended by a selection of industry-leading developers, managing agents, and suppliers.

Having been a member of ARMA for over 20 years, Rendall & Rittner recognises the importance of working alongside other talented and committed property professionals to set the standard for residential block management. In acknowledgment of the hard work and dedication of its employees, Rendall & Rittner is delighted to have been presented with the award for Managing Agent of the Year (15,001+ units) amidst tough competition.

The judges were impressed by Rendall & Rittner’s commitment to delivering an excellent service, stating “Health and safety has been very much on the agenda over the last few years, and we felt Rendall & Rittner’s approach has been excellent but above this they demonstrated they show strength in all areas of the business and are both considered and professional.”

Richard Daver, Managing Director of Rendall & Rittner comments: “We are thrilled to have been named Managing Agent of the Year at this year’s ARMA Ace Awards. This award reflects our strategic vision, excellence in communicating with leaseholders, and commitment to staff development. We would like to thank the entire Rendall & Rittner team whose enthusiasm and commitment have made this possible, and we will continue to strive to deliver the best possible service in the future.”

Rendall & Rittner currently manages more than 80,000 residential units across the UK, ranging from small high-end developments through to some of London’s largest regeneration schemes. To find out more about Rendall & Rittner, visit: www.rendallandrittner.co.uk

Leading residential property management company Rendall & Rittner is targeting expansion in South West England as part of the ongoing growth of the business. From its regional offices near Bournemouth, the business has a strong reputation in the Bournemouth and Poole areas but is now looking to expand its portfolio of sites across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Bristol.

Rendall & Rittner recently won the mandate to manage the new development at West Cliff Mansions in Bournemouth built by The Bournemouth Development Company LLP, a joint venture between BCP Council and Muse Developments.  The scheme, which encompasses 44 high quality apartments in an elegant new villa style building, was launched to the market in June 2021 and has been well received by purchasers, with contracts exchanged on 85% of apartments already, ahead of practical completion in September 2022. The company is continuing to expand its presence in the region with new sites in the pipeline from the New Forest to Plymouth and Bristol to add to its growing portfolio. 

As one of the UK’s largest property management companies with a portfolio of over 80,000 residential units, Rendall & Rittner can offer leaseholders and residents in the South West the standards of service and assurances that come from being part of a national company. Over the past thirty years, Rendall & Rittner has built a brand that stands for excellent customer service and delivers great value for money through its market-leading procurement initiatives. It manages the full range of development types from small high-end buildings to large regeneration schemes, retirement living and build to rent; and provides a complete range of services including on-site staff recruitment and development, financial control, legal services and building repairs.

Leading this regional growth strategy, Rendall & Rittner appointed Lee Johnson as Divisional Director for the South West last year. His focus has also been to consolidate the existing business regarding building safety, compliance and training to ensure that the Rendall & Rittner team continues to deliver the high levels of service across all of its operations.

Lee Johnson comments: “The South West of England represents an exciting area of potential growth for Rendall & Rittner, whether that is retirement developments in the New Forest or contemporary apartment complexes in central Bristol. Our track record in the management of high-quality developments is exceptional and we continue to stay at the forefront of the industry through our innovative approach and the wide range of services that we offer. The company has grown significantly over recent years but across everything we do there remains the same commitment to the best standards of service. We are a people-centred business and looking after residents is our top priority but having the backing of our wider network gives our customers extra confidence and peace of mind.”

For further information about Rendall & Rittner, please visit www.rendallandrittner.co.uk

Rotpunkt, award winning designer and leading manufacturer of climate friendly German Kitchen furniture is pleased to confirm its attendance at Europe’s leading kitchens, bedrooms and bathroom show KBB Birmingham, where it will showcase its exciting new kitchen living solutions.

Taking place from 6th to 9th March 2022 at the NEC Birmingham, Kbb 2022 will provide the perfect platform for Rotpunkt, to present its sustainably manufactured furniture and creative innovations for the contemporary kitchen from Stand Q90 – with highlights including its new utility room solutions and new wood-effect finishes, as pictured.

Matt Phillips, Head of UK Operations at Rotpunkt says “We believe that the modern homeowner wants the very best in style and sustainability, so we look forward to revealing our luxurious new furniture ranges which are designed to emphasise longevity, adaptability and high-design for the contemporary kitchen.”

“The company is delighted to showcase the latest evolution of industrial design as we bring a fresh approach to user-friendly working spaces, which are designed to balance the complex needs of a modern household. As a forward-thinking manufacturer with a proud heritage, we are eager to tell the story of our climate-friendly manufacturing process and our commitment to planet-friendly policies including our ‘Together to Zero’ journey being rolled-out this year,” adds Matt.

Rotpunkt will be presenting its latest collections of contemporary furniture for the kitchen living space with an emphasis on the latest wood effects and ergonomic solutions. The brand’s kitchen displays will be geared to meeting key requirements for the hygienic, wellness kitchen as well as practical daily tasks combining beauty and utility in the ultimate 2022 package for the ethical consumer.

New innovations will be shown across 4 x kitchen displays and 2 x utility room displays and include a range of Memory RI doors, new Fenix colours, laminate furniture solutions, a series of new finishes along with fresh new concepts like its laundry/utility room units, hidden door mechanisms, integrated dishwasher drawer, new wall-panel system accessories and so much more.

The Rotpunkt pathway to continuous growth is set to define the company’s future with considered investments in machinery, advanced technologies, and the expansion of national and international dealer relationships in the pipeline.

“We believe in ‘sustainable kitchen design with a conscience’ and the Kbb Show offers us a captive retail audience that we can showcase our new cycle of product innovations while underpinning our unwavering commitment to green living” adds Matt. Introduced over two years ago, BioBoard Gen2 by Rotpunkt, is made from up to 90% recycled wood and has grown to become one of the most environmentally friendly chipboards ever used in the global kitchen industry. Becoming a key pillar of the company’s integrated social-environmental policy up to 2030 and ‘Together to Zero’ climate strategy, BioBoard Gen2 will again define the latest innovations by Rotpunkt and create new retail opportunities for customers who do not wish to trade-off style or sustainability in the home.

Press visits are being arranged on the stand – if you would like to have a guided tour of the new products on display, and receive all corresponding press information and images, please email emily@publicityengineers.com or Book Press Appointment HEREFor further information on Rotpunkt UK, please email matt.phillips@rotpunktuk.com or visit www.rotpunktkuechen.de/en/

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UK manufacturer BA is delighted to announce Joiner TV Presenter Mark Millar as its new brand ambassador for Kitchen Kit.   Kitchen Kit, the new choice for trade kitchens is a new trade kitchen proposition by BA which is easy to choose, easy to buy and easy to sell. 

Mark served his apprenticeship as a carpenter in Ireland in the late 1970s.  Based in Bristol he’s worked as a carpenter ever since all over the UK, Europe and the US.  Mark said, ‘I am over the moon to front a quality product by a UK Manufacturer that has been trading for over 30 years.  I have toured the Kitchen Kit factories in Doncaster and Rotherham and the product is second to none.  It’s the UK’s best kept trade secret! The clic technology means you can build a kitchen cabinet in half the time. What a result for any fitter!’

Kitchen Kit is available to order on-line, rigid or flat-packed in standard sizes or made to measure on fast lead times.  The cabinet, the door and the hinge are all on one sku so ordering and pricing a kitchen couldn’t be simpler.  

BA’s CEO, Peter Rush said, ‘Mark is a great Ambassador for the Kitchen Kit brand.  He is a seasoned joiner who understands kitchen products and the challenges fitters face on a day to day basis.  Together we feel this product will change how fitters work, it will free up time which will give them the opportunity to fit more kitchens and earn more.  The added bonus of being able to design, price and order on-line 24 hours a day direct from the manufacturer means prices are transparent and keen, quality control is a given and delivery is fast and direct to site.’

To learn more about Kitchen Kit visit www.kitchenkit.co.uk

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Award winning housebuilder Shanly Homes has started 2022 with the appointment of Chris Sly as Finance Director. Chris will be instrumental in driving key business decisions from land acquisitions to cost and risk management for developments.

Having qualified as a Chartered Account in 2000, Chris began working in the property industry in 2006 where he spent 6 years as an independent director of Bromsgrove housing association. Following his relocation from the Midlands to the South East in 2013 Chris joined Berkeley Homes as Head of Finance where he helped grow the Western region from start up to £124m turnover.  Chris then joined Legal and General Homes as Finance Director growing it from start up to £111m before integrating the business into CALA.  Prior to joining Shanly Homes as Group Finance Director, Chris was FD of Vistry Thames Valley integrating the Bovis and Linden businesses.

Residential Managing Director for Shanly Homes, Tim Nutt, comments: “Chris is an excellent addition to the Shanly Homes team, bringing with him extensive, relevant experience from financial roles within the housing sector. I am certain that Chris will contribute hugely to the success of Shanly Homes as we work on exciting new projects across the South East.”

Chris has commented that: “I was drawn to Shanly Homes as its entrepreneurial nature and focus on design sets it apart from other housebuilders. I am looking forward to collaborating with both the finance and operational teams to help grow the business and become even more efficient.  The business is in great shape and I am looking forward to an even more exciting future.”

Having delivered high-quality homes across the South East for over 50 years, Shanly Homes continues to create sustainable, architecturally innovative properties in 2022. Currently, the developer’s portfolio includes 182 stunning homes at Waterside Quarter in Maidenhead, 31 contemporary homes at Millside Place in Epsom and 10 beautiful houses at Weyside Grove in Send. With several new developments due for launch throughout 2022, Chris is joining Shanly Homes at an exciting time.

More news HERE

Leading managing agent Rendall & Rittner has appointed Jason Wakefield as Head of Procurement, a role in which he will have strategic overview of procurement across the company’s portfolio to continue to improve service and value for clients.

Jason is a highly experienced professional with over twenty years in procurement, including fourteen years working specifically in facilities management. He joins Rendall & Rittner from student accommodation provider, UPP, where he led the procurement function for ten years. Prior to that he was Procurement Manager at Telereal Trilluim (formerly Land Securities Trilluim).

His new role at Rendall & Rittner will focus on how the group buys common services and goods across its nationwide property portfolio, which includes over 80,000 residential units under management. The company already has some industry-leading bulk purchasing initiatives including its largest contract with Ecotricity, Britain’s greenest energy provider. Other than utilities, bulk procurement covers items such as lifts and insurance.  

Jason commented: “I’m excited about my new role at Rendall & Rittner as I believe there is a real opportunity to differentiate Rendall & Rittner in the marketplace by the way we procure. I have the advantage of coming from a slightly different sector, so I can take a fresh look at how we buy things strategically. We have a responsibility to manage clients’ money carefully; delivering services that offer value for money whilst mitigating supply chain risk. We are also keen to bring more sustainability into the supply chain.”

Rendall & Rittner manages one of the largest and fastest growing portfolios of residential properties in the UK, spanning a wide range of development types of all sizes and ages including large urban landmark schemes, mixed-use developments and retirement living. It is leading the market in making procurement choices that not only benefit clients and lessees, but also prioritise the environment. Its £14 million contract with Ecotricity over the last year has meant that 93% of properties are supplied with completely renewable electricity and the communal areas of the developments have a carbon neutral gas supply. 

Rendall & Rittner also has a long-standing partnership with Delphis Eco, the UK’s leading manufacturer of environmentally friendly cleaning products. Its cleaning staff and contractors have been using these products for several years, resulting in an estimated saving of 477 tons of CO2 emissions each year.

Richard Daver, Managing Director of Rendall & Rittner said: “We are delighted to welcome Jason to the team as he will play a pivotal role in making strategic choices for the business on how and what we purchase. Driving excellent service is fundamental to all areas of our business. When it comes to procurement, ensuring high levels of service for our clients goes hand in hand with finding best value, reducing risk and leading by example by making choices that benefit the environment.”

For further information please visit: www.rendallandrittner.co.uk 

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Next-Bid is a young and exciting marketing firm that exclusively works with real estate agencies/developers, targeting wealthy investors with clear buying interests for overseas properties.

London, UK / 4^th August 2021 – At Next-Bid, we specialise in generating high quality leads for real estate agencies, letting agents and property developers: with our wealth of experience in the mobile advertising industry agencies/developers can reach wealthy investors like never before. We deliver your proposition to the most relevant audiences and provide you with granular insights on performance.

With Next-Bid, real estate agencies, letting agents and property developers now have the ability to target highly interested buyers in order to get the listing off the market quicker than with traditional methods. With our technical background and algorithm, we optimise and maximise the outcome within any given advertising budget. Our conversion optimisation is the key to your success in generating as many leads as possible with maximum efficiency.

By working with Next-Bid real estate agencies, letting agents and property developers now have access to key insights into user engagement data. Next-Bid will then produce weekly/monthly reports for clients in the name of full transparency to gain a better understanding customer acquisition costs.

“Our goal is to reduce advertising waste by reaching relevant audiences, maximize distribution, and collect valuable engagement data. We achieve quicker responses from property investors because we’ve enabled audiences with data optimization,” said Ramona Ramdaras, Co-founder.  

In the last 15 years, housing in the UK has almost tripled, with a further 21.1% growth by the end of 2025 according to Savills. With exponential growth like this, it presents investors with an amazing opportunity of investing in an extremely fruitful market with continued growth. Although these figures look extremely promising, real estate agencies, letting agents and property developers still resort to primitive techniques to engage customers. Next-Bid is in the perfect position to help facilitate the rise of the UK and global housing market.

“Next-Bid has originated from clear opportunities we saw in the real estate marketing industry. The utilisation of our comprehensive targeting tools and algorithm enables a far more efficient approach, with higher ROI than traditional methods. We continue to improve and expand, to deliver the highest quality service to any real estate agencies on local or global markets” said Remon Pepers Co-founder.

Next-Bid is a marketing agency, on a mission to transform how real estate agencies, letting agents and property developers market their available properties. Reaching wealthy investors overseas made easier for you with our advanced approach and methodology. Although our focus lies on targeting wealthy investors abroad, our technique can also be utilised to target the middle-class economy in a local market. With our expertise in the mobile advertising industry, we deliver your proposition to the most relevant audiences and provide you with granular insights on performance and ROI.

www.next-bid.com

Property & Development Magazine

Burrington Estates has appointed David Jervis, the former head of Spitfire Bespoke Homes, to lead its expansion into the Midlands as it embarks on an ambitious growth plan. The Exeter-based residential and commercial developer has grown into a thriving business in the South West with a turnover of £70m in 2020. It is now seeking to replicate the success of its housebuilding business in the Midlands and Central England with David spearheading the new division.

David has a strong track record in initiating homebuilding ventures in the Midlands.  A former chartered surveyor, he set up Spitfire in 2010 as the residential development arm of IM Properties and within seven years, he had built it up into a business with a turnover of £100 million. He also successfully launched another homebuilding business prior to that when he set up Chase Homes in 1995 on behalf of a Midlands entrepreneur.

The growth of Burrington Estates is supported by a new £15.5m investment from BGF, the UK and Ireland’s most active investor, through which it aims to treble turnover in the next five years. Of this new funding, £13.5m will support the expansion of the new homes business, with the remaining £2m focusing on commercial property projects. Within the new Midlands and Central region, land has already been secured in locations in Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and Berkshire for sites that will generate £100m in turnover.

Burrington Estates was founded in 2013 by Mark Edworthy and Paul Scantlebury. It has completed more than 400 homes in the South West during the past five years and its current portfolio of sites has a GDV of £300m. Its target is to reach 600 homes per annum by 2025.

Mark Edworthy, Co-Founder of Burrington Estates said: “We are proud of what we have achieved over the past eight years in establishing Burrington Estates as a successful brand across Devon and Cornwall, known for delivering excellent homes and high quality places to live. David will be pivotal in our ambition to repeat this success in the Midlands. His experience perfectly aligns with what we aim to achieve and we are pleased to welcome him to the team.”

David Jervis, MD of Burrington Estates Midlands said of his new appointment: “This is an exciting time for Burrington Estates and I am delighted to be part of it – we are in a strong position to drive forward our growth plans thanks to the backing of the BGF investment. This also dovetails with the opportunity in the market to deliver sites that are characterised by good design and attention to specification and detail, as well as excellent standards of customer service.  We are now actively looking for land opportunities across the Midlands and surroundings, down as far as the northern Home Counties, and we are already building up a strong pipeline of sites across the new region.”

Property & Development Magazine

• The first homes to be launched at The Printworks will benefit from a home office or a roof terrace above the garage
• Reading has seen the greatest annual increase in buyers searches in 2020 according to Rightmove

Bellway Homes recently launched The Printworks, a collection of 96 new homes, in central Reading.  This development, which comprises both houses and apartments is centrally located on Cardiff Road, conveniently close to Reading mainline station.  The scheme is set on a historic site that was home to printers Cox and Wyman since 1777, once the largest paperback producer in the UK. 

As a nod to its roots, the development has been appropriately named The Printworks and subtle details have been included in the design to reflect its history such as framed books adorning the shared community walls.  The scheme includes 48 three-bedroom houses and 40 apartments with a range of one, two and three bedrooms to suite all tastes and available in a variety of tenures. The Printworks has been designed with a total of 121 parking spaces, and many of the three-bedroom homes will benefit from two spaces. Twelve electric car charging points and a car club scheme will aid sustainability for the development and ensure that residents who don’t own a vehicle are still mobile. Buyers at The Printworks will also benefit from an accessible play area and the scheme will be enhanced with attractive landscaping including trees and hedging.

According to recent statistics from leading property portal Rightmove, Reading has seen the third greatest annual increase in the number of buyer-searches through 2020, beaten only by Plymouth and Swansea.  This popular town has enjoyed a 69 per cent increase in people looking to move to the area, seeking homes in a well-connected town that boasts an excellent range of amenities.

Emma Jones, Sales Director for Bellway Thames Valley comments: “We are thrilled to be breathing new life into a brownfield site that has remained dormant since 2015.  Building on the success we have had at Renaissance, which is just over half a mile from The Printworks, we are expecting demand to be high.  The three-bedroom houses at Renaissance were exceptionally popular and sold in just a few weeks, and I expect this recognition will be mirrored here.   The first homes to be launched at The Printworks are just ten three-bedroom terraced houses and I believe they will get snapped up extremely quickly so buyers should contact us soon to avoid disappointment.”

These first homes offer buyers great flexibility dependent on their requirements, with three house styles available.  Some have been designed with a bonus room over the garage, ideal for home working and a few have a sunny roof terrace, giving residents wonderful outside space that will benefit from ample sunlight, whilst the remaining have been cleverly designed over two and a half storeys with flexible living spaces. 

Residents looking for convenient access to a range of amenities will be able to enjoy Reading town centre where they will find a great many dining, shopping and leisure opportunities. Foodies are spoilt for choice, with options from well-known restaurants, artisan bakeries and a Michelin-starred restaurant L’Ortolan. 

The Printworks is in an excellent location for convenient connections.  The A33, which connects to the M4 for London, is close and Reading railway station is a short walk from home providing regular services to Oxford, London and Manchester.

Prices at The Printworks are starting from £532,5000 for a three bedroom house. For further information about this fabulous development please call 01182 176 844 or visit www.bellway.co.uk.   

Property & Development Magazine

When you’re in the process of moving home, there are always a million tasks requiring your attention. And one thing that’s increasingly important in our lives today is ensuring that we have internet access in the new home.

It isn’t complicated, but it may not be something you’ve done before, and there are a few common pitfalls to avoid. We’ve teamed up with Broadband Genie to create this guide, where we’ll explain how you go about moving or switching broadband when settling into a new place, and hopefully, take a little bit of the stress out of your moving day.

Before you move – checking contracts and coverage

The first step is to contact your existing broadband provider to find out several key bits of information: 

1. How much time – if any – is left on your broadband contract. 
2. How much it might cost you to cancel your contract. 
3. How much it might cost you to move your broadband to a new address.
4. How much notice your broadband provider requires to either move or cancel your service

All of these are important, though number 4 is the most crucial; if you leave it too late to notify your ISP (Internet Service Provider) about a move or cancellation, you’ll face delays and additional costs.

Once you’ve got the above info, the next stage is to check broadband coverage at your new address. 

To do this, use an online postcode check to see the available services. This is also something your existing ISP can do when you contact them, but they will only tell you about their services. You might be able to get a faster or cheaper deal (perhaps both) with another provider, so it’s well worth looking at the bigger picture.

As well as finding out about potential cost savings or upgrades, checking coverage will also show whether you might end up with a slower speed. Coverage varies around the country, and there is no guarantee that you can get the same provider or the same type of broadband when you move. Having this information will help you decide whether it is best to switch or stick with your current provider.

When you’re ready to move – cancelling or keeping your broadband

Once you’ve got a moving date, you’ll need to contact your existing ISP within their minimum notice period. 

If you’ve decided to cancel the broadband, you need to ask them to end the service as close to the day you leave as possible. Ideally, it will be the same day, but if that’s not possible, you should end the contract at some point before your moving date. If you leave it too late, you’ll end up paying for the service even after you’ve left, and could block the line for the next occupant. 

When cancelling and switching providers you will also need to sign up for the new service with enough notice that it can be activated as close as possible to the moving in date. It usually takes around 14 working days to set up broadband, but you should contact your new ISP and confirm their timescales. It may also be possible to pick a specific date for installation.

If moving the broadband, you’ll need to get in touch with your provider within the minimum time frame specified (usually something in the region of two weeks, but it can be longer). Give them the details of your new address, and they will end your service at the old address on or near the day you leave, and arrange to activate broadband at the new home on or near your moving-in date.

In either case, you should be prepared for delays. In an ideal scenario, your connection will be up and running on or just after the moving day, but if something goes wrong or you do not meet the ISP’s time frames you could be waiting days or even weeks to get broadband. It’s sensible to have a backup option just in case.

A mobile broadband service can be a suitable replacement in the short term, but unless you already own a dongle and SIM card there will be some expense involved, and that may not be cost effective if it’s just to plug a gap of a few days. Instead, you can use a smartphone with Wi-Fi tethering (also known as a Wi-Fi Hotspot or Wi-Fi Sharing) to connect computers and other devices to a mobile network. But before you do this, check with the mobile network operator to find out if there is any fee involved, and confirm any data usage restrictions to avoid a surprise charge in your next bill.