Q1 2021

77 | Q1 2021 Oct20995 Delivering Excellence Family values run deep with Cleaver Property Management. We speak to Leanne Gresswell about the firm and its personalised approach to customer care. Cleaver Property Management is an independent, family-owned Property Managing Agent, based in Wokingham. They specialise in Residential Block Management, providing a responsive management service to multi-tenanted properties throughout Berkshire and surrounding areas. Founded in 1993 by Martin and Susan Cleaver, the business aims to provide a premium service to Leaseholders, Freeholders and Developers; an ethos that has remained unchanged for more than 25 years. Built on a foundation of family values, the business was cemented by delivering a high- quality Property Management service. The team takes pride in the fact that the company has grown mostly via recommendation. Despite the firm’s portfolio having grown significantly over the years, it has never got beyond the capabilities of the small, close-knit team. Each Property Manager is partnered with an Accounts Manager to look after their portfolio of properties. Portfolios are then capped, so as not to dilute service. “As our entire portfolio grows, so does our team,” explains Business Development Manager, Leanne Gresswell, who joined the company in 2018. “We have an In-House Maintenance team (in addition to our directory of trusted third-party contractors), which means we can offer a more responsive service at a competitive price.” The firm also operates an out-of-hours service via a third-party, Adiuvo, so that clients can always get help in emergency situations. “Everything about the way we operate comes down to providing the best and most efficient service possible to our clients.” As a family-run company, Cleaver Property Management has very much retained its ‘small- business’ culture, meaning all members of staff are truly appreciated. “As a team, we’re as close-knit as they come, so this year has been particularly challenging for us, as many of our staff members thrive off of our unique office culture. However, we’ve still done our best to stay connected and have fun together (albeit apart)!” The company has a Blog and Facebook page, which give both potential and existing clients more insight into the light-hearted side of the firm, as well as providing them with useful information and industry updates. Cleaver Property Management also places a large emphasis on ensuring all of its team members are offered training and development opportunities, such as working toward a qualification in their field. Whether it’s the Property Management team, Maintenance team, Accounts or Marketing, the business aims to support its staff in bettering themselves, which ultimately means a better service for clients. “When we recruit, the key thing we look for (outside of experience in the field), is someone who is looking to be a part of a company culture like ours. We truly believe that having a team that communicate well and are happy in their workplace reflects in the service that we put out.” The Property Management sector is an ever- changing industry, but it’s an essential one. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic affecting many thousands of businesses, Cleaver Property Management feels lucky to have only felt a minimal impact. Leanne tells us that, as always, the key was to prioritise the needs of clients during this turbulent time and ensure they felt reassured by the service they were receiving. There are often changes to regulations that are important for the company to keep up with, especially since the Grenfell tragedy; but at Cleaver Property Management the team is constantly keeping an eye on any changes so it can be as reactive, and proactive as possible. “Covid-19 has delayed some of the changes we expected to see this year,” says Leanne. “But it’s important to stay ahead of the curve, so we’re already starting to plan how we’re going to deal with some of the new regulations on behalf of our clients. And of course, we will make sure our customers are kept up-to-speed as best as possible, too.” Regarding the future, Cleaver Property Management is still, like many businesses, navigating the obstacles that Covid-19 has thrown in its path to make sure that it can continue to provide a premium service to its clients. “We hope that going forward we can make the most of development opportunities in our immediate area, so that we can work together with people in our local community. Our plan is to stay ahead of new changes so that we can provide informative content to our clients and peers via our website and social media channels.” Company: Cleaver Property Management Ltd Contact: Leanne Gresswell Website: www.cleaverproperty.co.uk