Sarah's Story Three decades ago, from the confines of our family home, Cleaver Property Management was born. Founded by my parents, it all started in our dining room, with a desk was tucked under the stairs, boxed in by filing cabinets, a printer and fax machine. The number of times I'd rush to the phone, hoping to talk with my friends only to hear that dreaded dial-up tone. Back then dial-up internet meant I couldn't use the landline to chat with my friends while my parents were busy working. Thankfully, technology has come a long way since then. As the company grew, it moved from the dini ..read more

A brief history of how we got here. We have been asked to put a few words on a page in recognition of the Company reaching the 30-year milestone. What follows is an honest recollection of the start of the company through to our ‘handing over of the baton’ to Sarah. In 1992 Sue & I had, what we thought, were safe jobs in a Property Management company. We had one daughter, Sarah, and a mortgage. The latest financial crisis was looming and on 16th September 1992 interest rates went from 10 to 15 percent. In the Spring of 1993, we went on a caravan holiday in Cromer, Norfolk. Sue announc ..read more

When purchasing a property, no one wants any financial surprises. So, we’ve explained Service Charge in as much detail as possible below. Including how they are budgeted, paid for, and what to look out for when buying a leasehold property. When buying a flat (or other leasehold property), it’s likely that you will need to pay a Service Charge. Whether you’re in a small block or a large residential development, Service Charge is necessary to ensure the general upkeep of the property and its communal areas/amenities. Service Charge is payable by the leaseholder to the freeholder, to cover cost ..read more

After a 40+ year career (more than half of that spent as Director of Cleaver Property Management), Martin Cleaver has retired. Here are his thoughts on retirement, and how the past year has affected his plans ..read more

Companies House have launched an online learning tool to help flat management company directors understand their responsibilities. It’s free and takes just 25 minutes to complete. A flat management company is formed so that a group of residents can work together to manage their property. For example, they will liaise on making decisions regarding maintenance, cleaning, insurance etc. Any residents who have agreed to be directors will have the final say, but they will also have legal responsibilities to uphold.    The new online learning tool is part of an awareness campaign by Compa ..read more

From virtual bingo to charity challenges, find out what the Cleaver Property Management team have been up to in lockdown... It's been a little while now since we announced that the Cleaver Property Management team would be working from home for the foreseeable, and while our Directors are busy making preparations for us to slowly ease back into office life, there will be no major changes to the set-up just yet. We are the cliché of a 'close-knit' team here, so the initial prospect of not going into the office was difficult for many of us. We truly believe in the positive effects that good emp ..read more

Find out how the Cleaver Property Management team raised £1,800 to support UK charities... This year, on the 26th April, the UK came together to support charities struggling through the Covid-19 pandemic. The Two Point Six Challenge was created by London Marathon organisers, to make sure charities didn’t suffer from the cancellation of the annual event. People of all ages across the nation joined in, with challenges of all shapes and sizes! Including the team at Cleaver Property Management, along with some of our four legged friends.   From dancing to cycling, football tricks and telling ..read more

There’s no doubt that the past few weeks have been challenging for everyone, and it’s fair to say that those living in blocks of flats may face additional struggles. Over the past few weeks, the majority of calls we have received (across all properties that we manage), have been complaints about neighbours. And while we understand that the reality is that not everyone is always going to get along, we are sending this notice to remind you that this is a time for communities to come together, through an equal share of respect and tolerance. We have highlighted some of the key issues below, with ..read more

Like many of us, the Cleaver Property Management team are currently working from home, to stay as safe as possible during the Covid-19 outbreak. For those who are used to an office atmosphere, we understand that it can be challenging to adapt to remote working, so we've been sharing tips among ourselves to keep each other feeling positive and motivated. But, at Cleaver Property Management we're about community, so it didn't seem right to keep it to ourselves. With the help of Bright HR and Flamingo Writing , we've pulled together some tips and trick that anyone in any role can use. Oh, and w ..read more

Update, 24/03/2020: please read a message from our Directors here . As a company, we are listening and reacting to the information provided only by the government at this time, to ensure unnecessary panic is avoided.  The main message from the government is that everyone should remain calm and take reasonable precautions to protect ourselves. Simple hygiene measures like washing your hands with soap and water often, and avoiding people who are unwell, can help stop viruses like Covid-19 spreading. The most important thing we can all do, is avoid creating panic and to keep advising all ..read more