Estate Property Manager in Stevenage

• Working arrangement: On-site at the Knebworth Estate Office
• About the Knebworth Estate

The Knebworth Estate is a historic, family-owned estate incorporating Knebworth House, its gardens and deer park, residential and commercial properties, holiday accommodation, farmland, woodland and a well-established visitor and events business.

This is a rare client-side opportunity to manage a varied property portfolio within one of Hertfordshire’s best-known historic estates.

The role combines residential and commercial property management, historic buildings, planned maintenance and selected landlord and tenant work.

The Role

The Estate Property Manager will take proactive day-to-day responsibility for the Estate’s residential, commercial and holiday-let portfolio, together with its buildings, maintenance programme, contractors and associated compliance.

The role will report to a designated Director and work in conjunction with the Estate Office team, maintenance staff, tenants, contractors, departmental managers and external advisers.

Main Responsibilities

• Property and tenancy management
• Manage the Estate’s residential, commercial and holiday-let properties.
• Oversee the property aspects of agricultural holdings and rural tenancies, supported by the Estate’s retained land agents.
• Act as the principal management contact for tenants and occupiers on matters requiring management judgment.
• Oversee lettings, tenancy renewals, rent reviews, deposits, inventories and inspections.
• Monitor rents, arrears, void periods and key tenancy dates.
• Deal professionally and fairly with escalated tenant and guest matters.
• Review the condition, use and performance of Estate properties.
• Identify opportunities to improve rental income, occupancy and the use of Estate assets.
• Liaise with solicitors and professional advisers on tenancy and property matters.
• Prepare heads of terms and progress routine leases, licences and property negotiations.
• Monitor lease obligations, notices, break clauses, review dates and other contractual deadlines.
• Assist with schedules of condition, dilapidations, alterations and access matters.
• Buildings, maintenance and projects
• Inspect reported defects and determine the appropriate response.
• Instruct and supervise contractors, ensuring that work is completed safely and to an appropriate standard.
• Obtain and compare quotations and monitor costs, quality and progress.
• Set priorities and coordinate property work undertaken by the Estate’s maintenance team.
• Develop and maintain a planned and preventative maintenance programme.
• Manage refurbishment, repair and property improvement projects.
• Prepare recommendations and business cases for larger repairs and capital expenditure.
• Maintain suitable standards of presentation across the property portfolio.
• Ensure that work affecting historic and listed buildings is approached appropriately.
• Coordinate insurance claims, utilities, council tax and business rates matters.
• Estate and professional matters
• Support the Directors on planning, infrastructure, renewable energy and diversification projects where property input is required.
• Coordinate routine wayleaves, easements, utilities and access arrangements, obtaining specialist advice where required.
• Maintain an overview of boundaries, titles, access and occupation issues.
• Support negotiations relating to filming, events, temporary uses and infrastructure where they affect Estate property.
• Liaise with external land agents on agricultural tenancies, valuations and strategic rural property matters.
• Liaise with retained forestry and environmental advisers where their work affects buildings, access, tenants or infrastructure.
• Coordinate solicitors, surveyors, insurers, utility companies and other professional advisers.
• Ensure that professional advice and agreed recommendations are implemented and followed through, as per the Director's instruction.
• Compliance, budgets and reporting
• Advise the Director and Estate of upcoming changes to relevant legislation, and be proactive in updating compliance schedules.
• Ensure that statutory inspections, safety certificates and property records remain current.
• Maintain oversight of service compliance, including oil, gas, electrical, fire, water, asbestos and other relevant property obligations.
• Monitor changes in property legislation and recommend any necessary action.
• Ensure that contractors hold appropriate insurance, qualifications and documentation.
• Maintain accurate and accessible records.
• Assist in preparing annual property maintenance and improvement budgets.
• Monitor expenditure and commitments against approved budgets.
• Check contractor invoices against quotations and completed work.
• Approve routine expenditure within agreed authority levels.
• Seek value for money while maintaining appropriate standards.
• Provide weekly updates to the Director covering current work, expenditure, compliance, risks and decisions required.

Essential experience and skills

• Relevant experience in estate, residential, commercial or mixed-property management.
• A working knowledge of landlord and tenant matters.
• Experience of leases, licences, rent reviews and property negotiations.
• Practical experience of building maintenance and contractor management.
• Knowledge of residential property compliance and health and safety obligations.
• Experience in compiling and managing property budgets and projects.
• Strong commercial judgment and the ability to make clear recommendations.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities.
• A professional, firm and courteous approach to tenants, occupiers, staff and contractors.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel.
• A high level of diplomacy, reliability and attention to detail.
• A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle.

Desirable experience and qualifications

• MRICS and/or FAAV qualification.
• Experience of working on a rural or family-owned estate.
• Experience of historic or listed buildings.
• Knowledge of agricultural tenancy and rural property matters.
• Experience of holiday accommodation or visitor attractions.
• Experience coordinating retained professional advisers.

Substantial and directly relevant experience will be considered in place of professional qualifications.

Working pattern

The position may be worked over four or five days per week.

The salary range of £45,000–£50,000 is the full-time equivalent and will be adjusted pro rata for a four-day appointment.

The precise working pattern will be agreed with the successful candidate.

Some flexibility may occasionally be required when urgent property matters arise, although the role is intended to operate within a sustainable and clearly defined working arrangement.

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