CHANGING TIMES: The Property Management Landscape

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1 CHANGING TIMES: The Property Management Landscape An industry report from Pi-Property Insurance Pi-Property Insurance π

2 Introduction These are uncertain times for every business and while there is rolling commentary from economists and daily analysis across all forms of media, often the most useful information is the views and experiences of peers in your industry. This report provides just that, capturing feedback following detailed interviews with more than 50 property managers at medium sized organisations across the UK. Kicking off with the outlook for various sectors of the market, the report also sheds light on the challenges you are facing and your experiences of providing an insurance service for your clients particularly in a more regulated environment. We hope you find this report useful - if it poses further questions or you have a particularly strong view on any of the findings, get in touch. We d love to hear from you. Don Morrison FCII Managing Director, Pi-Property Insurance don.m@pi-propertyinsurance.co.uk Foreword This report from Pi-Property Insurance is a welcome initiative, providing useful insight for property professionals in what has become a more complex and challenging business environment. With an uncertain economic climate comes a greater sense of risk and this is borne out in the feedback from property professionals about the change in landlord behaviour. More than ever, they are looking to their property managers to ensure their assets are well maintained and protected. While these are set to be testing times, as someone who has been in the property profession both as a practitioner and academic for 25 years, the most successful businesses will be those that value established relationships and are proactive about helping to solve their clients problems. I hope you find this report as interesting and relevant as I did I am sure it will prove an extremely useful point of reference. Nick French Professor in Real Estate & DTZ Fellow in Commercial Property Department of Real Estate & Construction, Oxford Brookes University pi-propertyinsurance.co.uk

3 π Market Confidence Despite a difficult economic climate, a significant proportion of property managers (28%) describe the area of property management as thriving. Closer analysis of this data shows that this confidence is largely present in the residential sector. More than half of the property managers interviewed expect rental demand to increase in this area in the coming year, with just 7% forecasting a drop in demand. However, the commercial property sector presents a very different picture with 51% of the respondents anticipating a fall in demand for space and just 16% predicting growth. As the chart below shows, the majority of property managers (71%) are concerned about the outlook for property demand and the subsequent impact this will have on their business. How concerned are you that the economic downturn will have a negative impact on demand for property? 13% 28% Not concerned Concerned Very concerned 51% 3

4 Challenging Times Against the backdrop of an ailing economy, the industry identified four clear challenges currently facing property managers: Maintaining demand topping the list of concerns, 62% of respondents said attracting viable tenants is one of the main challenges facing property managers. Controlling costs More than 1 in 3 property managers (38%) are concerned about rising costs and how to control them in the current economic climate Reducing risk in uncertain times property managers recognize the need to protect their assets and those of their clients more keenly. 30% of respondents believe that this will be a key priority as property managers seek to identify potential hazards affecting their portfolios. Interestingly, almost the same proportion (29%), say that sourcing insurance has become a bigger priority. Being compliant Although not among the top concerns, red tape was identified as a problematic area for property managers. With a raft of regulations in force, from energy efficiency ratings to the asbestos register and stringent fire regulations, property managers have to keep abreast of ongoing developments. Most significant in terms of regulation is the introduction of FSA regulation in the sale of insurance. This has presented many property managers with an administrative headache that they are still trying to get to grips with. pi-propertyinsurance.co.uk

5 π Looking after the Landlord s Interests The focus on sourcing insurance among property managers is explained by a belief that landlords are becoming more discerning in their purchasing habits. 36% of respondents believe that this is the case and were able to report on some key changes in buying behaviour among landlords. When it comes to sourcing cover, property managers report that they are faced with more cost-conscious and risk conscious landlords. When buying insurance cover, what changes have you noticed in landlords priorities and behaviours? 28% 40% More cost-conscious More risk-conscious 2% 6% 2% 32% Willing to invest to improve physical security Interested in tailor-made insurance solutions Greater focus on the adequacy of sum insured No change However, despite a desire to protect their property, there appears to be little or no appetite to invest in improving physical security just 3% of property managers reported this as a noticeable change in landlord behaviour. The Regulatory Environment - The current downturn may not be the only contributing factor to this increased focus on insurance among property managers and landlords. Insurance has certainly become a more complex area for property managers that source cover for their clients: they are now operating in more tightly regulated environment. In addition, just over one in 10 property managers cited the issue of mandatory Commission Disclosure as one the main challenges facing the industry. Opening the Floodgates - For landlords, the greater focus on insurance is perhaps explained by a reported increase in claims. According to 39% of property managers, claims have increased in the past five years and in one particularly significant area catastrophic claims. This can, perhaps, be attributed to the floods of the last few years. In July 2007, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) estimated that the total cost of flood claims had reached 1.5 billion. For landlords, such an event presents a costly interruption to income and it is important that such an event is dealt with in an efficient and effective manner. If the cover is sourced through the property management company, failure to manage this process could have a negative impact on the relationship between the property manager and landlord. 5

6 Peace of Mind? Not everybody, it appears, is getting the peace of mind they are seeking when they purchase an insurance policy and the findings revealed some deep-rooted concerns about the ability of the insurance industry respond to the needs of modern property managers. A far from insignificant 16% of respondents went as far as stating that the property insurance industry is not fit for purpose and radical change is required to adapt to the needs of the property management marketplace possibly reflecting unfortunate experiences in the past. Concerns among property managers focus particularly around the timeframe in which claims are settled and the difficulty in sourcing reliable contractors to make necessary repairs when their properties are damaged. It is important to note that some property managers gave positive feedback about their current insurance provision. However, in a number of the interviews respondents who had expressed satisfaction often started to voice their concerns about the products available and level of service. Time for change When it comes to insurance, property managers, particularly those who are currently dissatisfied, have a clear idea of what kind of service they need. When asked to identify one change that would improve the current offering, three inter-related areas came to the fore: I Service I Flexibility I Tailored approach Frustrated by issues with speed of claims settlement and the rigidity of policies, property managers want a professional and efficient service from their insurance provider. It s important that the product is tailored to the needs of the industry and is flexible enough to meet the requirements of a wide range of property portfolios. As it evolves, what one change would you like to see in UK property insurance? 6% More Flexibility 8% 21% Better Service More client focus 19% Bespoke N/A 19% All Other 21% 6% pi-propertyinsurance.co.uk

7 π Pi-Property Insurance has provided the perfect solution on all fronts and brings with it the desire to help us drive the insurance part of our business forward." CASE STUDY 21st Century Solutions delivered personally Caxtons Chartered Surveyors is one of the largest independent property practices in the South East, operating from offices across Kent and Sussex. With a large property portfolio, the introduction of FSA regulation in the area of property insurance presented its challenges, but also the opportunity to grow their business and provide an enhanced service for clients. Pi-Property Insurance was able to offer a compliance solution for Caxtons and, as like-minded organisations, were able to forge an effective working partnership. David Gurton, Director One of the key attractions for Caxtons was the level of sophistication in Pi-Property s online service. With a dedicated in-house insurance team, Caxtons needs to be able to access insurance documentation at the click of a button and the client area of enables them to address queries from landlords, banks and solicitors very easily. We were delighted to be able to find a company that shares our values. Like us, Pi-Property Insurance is forward-looking, but retains traditional values in terms of looking after clients and striving to deliver the highest standards of service. In terms of cover, Pi-Property Insurance has developed a best of breed policy, specifically focused on the needs of commercial and residential landlords. With its bulk purchasing power, Pi-Property Insurance comes with a number of really helpful and original additional features, such as cover in the event of fly-tipping or an infestation of vermin. Today, a dedicated team from Pi-Property Insurance works closely with David Gurton, Director Caxtons in-house team to deliver a professional, full-range insurance service to its clients. Pi-Property Insurance has combined state-of-the-art technology with personal assistance and renowned technical competence. This has convinced Caxtons that they have found the ideal partner to expand their insurance business. They now enjoy a more comprehensive insurance solution and streamlined administration - essential to manage their extensive portfolio. 7

8 Conference Dates and Locations 2009 As proud sponsors of Professional Conferences, we are pleased to demonstrate our commitment to property managers at the following events in February 10 March 1 April 30 April 6 May 19 May 11 June 23 June Bracknell Bristol Manchester Leeds Billericay Nottingham Peterborough Southampton 1 October 8 October 13 October 3 November 10 November 19 November 26 November Liverpool Crawley Watford Milton Keynes London Durham Birmingham Your Contacts Don Morrison FCII Managing Director don.m@pi-propertyinsurance.co.uk Ian Millard ACII Director ian.m@pi-propertyinsurance.co.uk Mark Horgan ACII Director mark.h@pi-propertyinsurance.co.uk Jason Oldham ACII Senior Account Executive jason.o@pi-propertyinsurance.co.uk π Lee Gavin CERT CII Account Executive lee.g@pi-propertyinsurance.co.uk Pi-Property Insurance 5 Arrow Court, Adams Way, Springfield Business Park, Alcester, Warwickshire B49 6PU Tel: Fax: Pi-Property Insurance is arranged by Morrison Edwards Insurance Services Ltd. Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Neil Watson Cert CII Account Executive neil.w@pi-propertyinsurance.co.uk