Over the past five years, Link has developed a factoring and private property and estate management service - a significant step forward, particularly for owners in the east of Scotland where factoring has been largely unknown.
The provision of a co-ordinated, comprehensive property management service has become increasingly important with the growth in multi-tenure estates, arising from a combination of a socially inclusive approach to community regeneration with sales of public sector stock through Right to Buy and expansion in the number of shared ownership properties. Link has been heavily involved in all of these developments and has now adapted its service provision to respond effectively. Management of privately owned and shared ownership properties in mixed tenure estates has become the responsibility of Link Housing Association.
New legislation, in the form of the Tenement (Scotland) Act, has increased the demand for property management services as tenement management schemes are required for properties in blocks of four or more dwellings.
This is a major piece of legislation which is likely to lead to the introduction of Property Managers Accreditation schemes - and Link will seek accreditation.*
Link Home's management activities will also grow as Link Group continues to develop new housing.
In Oatlands, Glasgow, for example, Link is a partner, with the private sector, in developing a regeneration programme. This will consist of around 1,000 homes for sale and 200 for social renting. Link intends to manage the private homes in this area as they begin to come into management towards the end of 2006.
Link has also succeeded in building relationships with other private property developers. Two private owner-occupied estates will soon have property management services provided by Link. Discussions are under way with a third to provide services to its new housing developments.
To illustrate how the service works, a "model" Factoring Agreement [PDF] is available to download as a Microsoft Word file.
Items marked [PDF] require the free Adobe Reader to view.
* Link's staff team already has extensive experience in property management, encompassing the private sector, local authority, housing association (Registered Social Landlord) and estate agency. Link is a member of the Property Managers Association and senior staff have membership of a range of professional associations.
With support from Linkwide, Link has secured funding from Communities Scotland to develop a factoring service in the Craigmillar regeneration area in Edinburgh. This approach is an innovative development in services to owners in the area and will help sustain the regeneration programme.
The management of mixed tenure housing estates is becoming a major feature in regeneration areas - and this process is set to continue. Increasingly, as local authorities develop Affordable Housing Policies, the demand for Link Homes' management and factoring services are likely to increase.
Link offers substantial savings on buildings insurance through a block policy with annual premiums as low as £0.75p per £1000 of cover.
Page last updated on Wednesday, 23 July 2008
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