Why ARMA Membership is important

Recently I have seen on line comments that imply ARMA is not performing/not suitable/fit for purpose. Some of these comments are written by non member practitioners, some by consumers and others by those seeking to compete as trade bodies. So let me put the record straight. Why would you choose to receive services from a business that has not joined the specialist trade body in their sector and ticked the following boxes?

• You must have been trading for at least 2 years before you can become a corporate member and display the ARMA logo. This is important - ARMA need demonstrable evidence of track record and of trading successfully;
• You must undertake to properly hold and protect your clients money;
• You must provide audited company accounts annually (unless you are separately RICS audited)
• You have to become a member of an approved Ombudsman scheme and have a published complaints procedure;
• You must have a published health and safety statement;
• You must have full professional indemnity insurance and evidence it annually;
• You must agree to abide by the RICS residential management code approved by the Secretary of State;
• You will be given access to training, guidance, free helplines, conferences etc. not available elsewhere.

If your agent is not a member then you need to ask why. The fact that they do not like other ARMA members or cannot meet the membership criteria is insufficient. The fact that they feel that ARMA has not responded to consumer complaints with sufficient rigour is immaterial in this context (and actually untrue - but that story is for another day); since their inception the standard of management has risen immeasurably in the UK - but so too has the number of flats, the complexity and cost of management and the number of agents. In an industry with few barriers to entry this really does provide a degree of assurance.

Most importantly - there are no genuine alternatives to the expertise that ARMA brings and there are certainly none that are in the process of creating a genuinely independent regulatory regime. 

Successful management is about partnerships. The better supported by an expert trade body those partnerships are, the better for all. We all need ARMA more than ever - agents and consumers alike.

What to Believe?

I find it difficult to follow the wide variety of views expressed across the web by those with an interest in leasehold unless I understand the size and type of their block or the precise nature of their interest. It is, after all, possible to make a great deal of noise on the internet about anything you like, if you have the time. To discover then that the protagonist of a particular view lives in a two flat converted house can come as something of a disappointment given that they have claimed the ability to change the industry with their  unique knowledge and experience.

I am, on the other hand, uniquely qualified to comment - having worked in the industry for 27 years, owned several leasehold flats, both in large and small, new and old, blocks, and having chaired ARMA for three years. I was also  instrumental in the formation of IRPM and I have built two successful businesses over the years specialising in property management. I have spoken and written on the subject for years.

Shall I suggest the obvious? Yes, of course I will - its in my nature: If you want good advice ask people who know what they are talking about. There seems to be too much reliance on spurious and unqualified comment by all sorts of vested interests on the web. Some of them, increasingly, have a financial interest.  I do know that most of us see through this, but I am concerned that views espoused by those who invest most in their web presence will prevail if we do not insist on a degree of balance.

Which brings me neatly to bullies. They are same whether expressing their views on the web, in newspapers or elsewhere. They will rarely confront issues directly nor do they canvas opinion before publishing, in case the responses don't suit their views. Often they remain hidden behind a veil of authority and the added threat of publishing parts of any comment you may wish to make in response. I hate bullies.

At Mainstay we have had our fair share of cyber comment, some of it we have deserved, some of it not. Some of it was directed at members of staff and we worked hard to have it removed. We are genuinely working hard to change perceptions and to deliver great service. We have changed and it is clear that the whole industry is changing and fast. But we also deliver full statutory compliance and exceptional credit control and thus, sometimes, it is not possible to delight all parties - but most of our customers agree that these elements are important to ensure smooth and effective management.

At Mainstay we are not landlords, we do not own a broker, we have no negative LVT comment, we have no negative Ombudsman cases. We endeavour to resolve complaints directly. We do not apologise for having rigorous credit control procedures - this is what our clients demand - and most of our clients are RMCs. We are FSA registered, RICS members, ARMA members, ARHM members. We are CHAS registered, members of Safe Contractor. This year we became Investors in People and have recently acheived ISO 9001 and well on the way to achieving ISO 18001. We monitor and track all customer calls and we are currently undertaking customer surveys.

Most of all, we are qualified to manage property assets at the highest level. Remember: You would not trust servicing of your new car to the local mechanic - it goes to the dealer - who may well cost more, but when things go wrong is far more likely to protect your interests and your warranty. Your property is worth even more - do not entrust it to amateurs - however impressive their website is.

There are bad managing agents, developers and landlords out there, but for the most part the industry is populated by decent, honest folk. Make sure you are talking to them.