Looking to know the difference between block and estate management? The two terms are commonly confused within the property industry, and to make things even more difficult, many management companies refer to these services with different terminology altogether! This week, our property management experts answer this common query, distinguish between the two services and detail what you can expect from POD as your property management company for both block and estate.

 

Block Management Vs. Estate Management

At POD, both block and estate management are two of our most popular services. In our experience, the differences between the two are as follows:

 

Block Management 

This typically refers to the management of individual buildings, usually a single apartment block, that contains multiple individual leasehold or rented premises (these may also have landscaping and amenities). The focus of block management is on ensuring that communal areas are maintained, insured, and run according to the lease agreements in place. Key responsibilities of block management may include but aren’t limited to:

•  Maintenance and repair of facilities.

• Collection of service charges from leaseholders or residents to cover the costs of maintenance, insurance, and other services.

• Dealing with issues related to the communal parts of the building.

• Ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, such as health and safety regulations and fire safety standards.

• Liaising with residents, leaseholders, and external contractors.

 

Estate Management

Estate management includes all that comes with block management services; however, it is usually on a larger scale, encompassing houses, blocks or a mixture of both with additional landscaping and amenities. Typically, there are more shared amenity areas to manage in contrast to block management. This can include landscaped areas, water features, communal outdoor spaces, leisure facilities, play areas, parking facilities, private roads, gated entry systems and more. Estate management responsibilities can include:

• Wider strategic planning and management of the land and the resident community.

• Property maintenance and repair across the estate.

• Upkeep of land and roadways, often with reference to environmental standards to ensure the natural habitat is maintained.

• Financial management, budgeting, and accounting for the estate.

• Health and safety compliance across all properties within the estate.

• Managing relationships and liaising with tenants, leaseholders, landowners and other stakeholders. 

 

In Summary 

To summarise, it could be said that block management can be seen as dealing with the vertical slice of a property, i.e., managing the shared aspects of a single building, whilst estate management is more about the horizontal aspect, i.e., managing the larger environment and community amenities that might service an entire residential area. Both encompass a broad range of responsibilities, often at a community or neighbourhood scale, which is why it’s imperative that a reputable property management company oversees such large-scale projects.

 

Similarities Between Services

Naturally, the actual processes for block and estate management can cross over, and in some instances are extremely similar. It’s largely the size and scale of the establishments that incur differences in management processes. At POD, we know that no two properties are ever the same, which is why we pride ourselves on our ability to tailor our standards to the needs of your block or estate. This allows you to achieve optimum results for your property.

Regardless of the type of property we’re managing, we guarantee that you will always receive the same level of immaculate service. We’re true experts in the property field and are smart, meticulous and proactive in every approach. Rest assured that you can rely on us – we’re here to advise and help you along the journey.

 

What More You Can Expect From POD

So, what do we assist with as your property management company? Whether we’re managing your block or estate, you can expect a hands-on approach from POD. We’ll take the reins, so you don’t have to worry about a thing. We understand that life in the property sector is ever changing and sometimes, unpredictable – one thing you can count on is that we will always deliver property management at the highest standard.

 

Proactive Maintenance 

When it comes to maintenance, prevention and active pre-planning are fundamental to keeping buildings in good working order and mitigating any issues that could occur further down the line. Key facilities must be checked and tested, helping to prevent the need for costly repairs further down the line. This proactive approach minimises unexpected expenditure, ensuring the job is completed correctly and to the best possible standard.

Our network of trusted contractors ensures the block and estates we manage remain safe and habitable for residents. This is not only essential for ongoing customer satisfaction, but also for compliance.

Talking of which, staying up to date with the latest requirements to ensure communal facilities comply with legislation and industry standards without expert guidance can quickly become extremely challenging. A reputable property management company will work alongside you to ensure the correct legal obligations are met, and potential problems are caught ahead of time.

At POD, bespoke systems and live data access mean we have full transparency over compliance and health and safety matters at the touch of a button. All compliance-related tasks are highlighted for completion when appropriate to the relevant staff members. We report internally on all data via live dashboards and review this weekly.

 

Smarter Property Management 

This leads us on to our technology and how it allows us to make property management smart. Firstly, our systems provide for a fast response times, tracked compliance and smart insights into the finances at your development. Our system gives developers, resident management companies (RMCs) and landowners a clear overview of the finances and how their development is being run, allowing informed decisions and better customer satisfaction.

At POD, we aim to stay ahead of the curve, which is echoed in all that we are achieving. From bespoke device applications that allow residents to book out rooms and update residents on building works and safety information, to online portals and even facial recognition access to facilities – we are all about making the customer journey smoother and more meaningful.

In fact, our recent case study and strategy on resident engagement with the use of digital touch points was recently published in the Building Safety Regulator. We’re always striving to make a positive impact within our industry and go above and beyond in the level of service we offer.

 

Customer Satisfaction

As we’ve touched on above, customer satisfaction plays a huge part in how we choose to operate. Our bespoke tech system plays a big part in the overall customer journey, which will only bolster overall brand reputation for developers. The Home Builders Federation, popularly labelled ‘the voice of industry’, suggest a trusted partnership with an innovative property management company is now such an important factor to consider when it comes to protecting public standing.

The data provided by our technology, paired with our passionate and knowledgeable teams allow full transparency and encourage positive relationships, which is essential for overall resident safety and satisfaction. Partnering with block and estate management that can guarantee good customer service is paramount and with POD, you’re in the safest of hands. Don’t just take our word for it, have a look at our many Trustpilot reviews.

 

Get in Touch

If you are looking for a block and estate management company to assist in the smooth running of your new property development, the POD team can help you today:

• Fill out our enquiry form

• Email us at relationships@podmanagement.co.uk

• Call us on 0333 577 6656

We look forward to hearing from you!