With growing concerns among many agents as outsourced property management supplier ARPM continues not to take calls or return emails, The Guild of Property Professionals says that it is seeking a ‘a solution’ to support business affected by the situation.
Nobody at APRM is currently answering the phone lines, amid mounting speculation, while several members of staff have left the company in recent days.
EYE has been contacted by a number of worried agents who use ARPM to manage the lettings side of their businesses, some of which are members of The Guild.
Paul Offley, compliance officer at The Guild, said: “After being contacted by concerned Guild Members last week we have immediately sought to find a solution for their businesses and their clients.
“Our priority is to provide support and guidance in the actions they should be taking now in terms of their landlords and tenants. We are focusing on two areas, firstly, the ongoing action required from a compliance and regulation perspective and secondly, to find an alternative supplier known to The Guild.”
The Guild says that any of its members who may wish to consider, given the uncertainty, moving lettings portfolios away from ARPM will be given priority with Complete RPI a well-known supplier in this space.
Complete RPI, established in 2001, will be able to assist landlords to consolidate their portfolios, even if they have properties managed by another agent.
Offley continues by saying that this is not an easy time for anyone, and the uncertainty only adds to the worry and concern for agents, landlords and tenants.
“Our communication plan will help our Members offer the reassurance landlords need”, he added. “We will continue to support our Members through whatever lies ahead and help the transition to an alternative solution, whatever they decide to do.”
I am amazed that Simon Duce or his managers haven’t broken cover to help clients of ARPM. If the business has gone under, that is one thing, but to dodge customers and not return files, folders, keys, correspondence, is unforgivable. Not knowing whether money or files are missing must be causing agents and their clients maximum distress.
Credit where credit is due. If the Guild is helping members without taking a kickback from Complete RPI they deserve a pat on the back. Some agents will be understandably wary about jumping straight into bed with another outsourced management firm.
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surely the Guild shoud be helping theor members, that is their job? especially when ARPM was a guild Member itself. Lets assume they paid the Guild to be promoted within the membership. Be surprised if that did not happen in some shape or form.
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– The CEO (Simon Duce) is incommunicado.
– Senior Managment have resigned.
– Staff are jumping ship.
– The first sentence when you call MyDeposits is “If you are calling about ARPM, please press 5“.
Many agents will be more concerned about their clients money than anything else. Thankfully ARPM is a member of a CMP scheme and their deposits are registered, meaning that they would hopefully be listed as secure creditors. However that does not help many landlords / agents when it comes to rental payments, especially should they be reliant on the rental income to pay their liabilities (i.e. mortgage) as these things do take time to resolve.
Simon Duce has a lot to answer for, as AlwaysAnAgent said “If the business has gone under, that is one thing, but to dodge customers and not return files, folders, keys, correspondence, is unforgivable.“
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This should be time for reflection by an industry that has become prone to outsourcing as opposed to bringing on another member of staff and paying the right renumeration.
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It’s not about renumeration, it’s about skillset. Many agencies, while they would love to bring Property Management in-house simply do not know enough about it to effectively manage that side of the business.
Many agents see compliance as “optional” and tend to take the path of least resistance, whereas a proper property manager will follow the compliance to the letter. A bad property manager can be severely detrimental to a business and it can be difficult to know the difference until its too late.
Outsourcing (if done well) can provide a good alternative to creating a property management department (though usually ends up costing more than hiring a memeber of staff, but you’re paying for their companies expertise).
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It was only a matter of time. Way back in 2015 I had a disastrous experience with this company that cost my business thousands. When I went public they threatened legal action. Once I showed I had evidence to prove my allegations they offered me hush money to not say anything. Absolute awful company that has no respect for its clients or their businesses. Sad to say I’m not surprised but feel really sorry for those businesses suckered in like I was. Just hope they can recover whatever money they have sat in the ARPM accounts but I don’t hold much hope based on my experiences.
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(a) that’s a pic of Iain not Paul (b) what due diligence do the membership bodies do when signing up these agents (if you can call ARPM such an agent). (c) I assume they have done due diligence on Complete RPI to be recommending them and what financial benefit do they receive for such a recommendation.
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Not sure how you feel qualified to pass judgement on The Guild when you can’t even recognise who is in the photograph!!
Anyone who has any knowledge of The Guild will know it’s Paul Offley
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Kevin, the picture was amended by PIE due to my comment.
i commented early this morning and the pic was changed later.
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Has some tried a personal call to his home! That’s what needs to be done to find out what is going on if he’s in hospital, prison or gone on holiday with the takings.
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