JCF Property Management Reviews 209

We lived years of self management with non stop bickering and NO resolution of any sort. Then JCF arrived to clear the chaos.
3 examples of professionalism:
They started with Educating the owners about property management listening with patience and explaining with clarity.
Organising Discipline within the staff and owners : establishing rules of behaviour: civility and respect.
Managing with Efficiency: present state, priority, legal aspects, budget, and goals



JCF has orchestrated it brilliantly.

We have been working with Anna and Helen over the last 4 years, who were both very helpful and efficient. As a tenants we went through such events as a change of the landlord, renovations of the property while we were still living in it, and many small renovations and emergencies that happened along the way. JCF was always helpful and resolved all the issues.

Very unresponsive team, taking months to even raise issues or attend to them. Extremely disappointed. Worse than Savills, Quadmans and multiple others we have dealt with.

Langham Court was very run down when JCF first took over, largely because of completely hopeless and over-priced companies like kinleigh folkard hayward. It was a relief to have the building managed by JCF, who are competent, helpful and efficient. A huge improvement!

JCF Property Management Ltd were required by The Property Ombudsman to pay £300 because they refused to supply the specification for the cladding erected without planning permission in 2017.

The London Fire Brigade visited recently and made a report. Part of it reads:
Article 17
The corridors, lobbies and stairs used for access to and from flats in the premises (the access routes) are intended for use by relevant persons as a PROTECTED ROUTE. This route should provide a safe means of escape in event of fire and must be maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and good repair. During audit it was found that the responsible person for management of the access route has not prevented or addressed deficiencies in the FIRE RESISTANCE of the PROTECTED ROUTE and/or required rectification of defects that have arisen in, and/or alterations made to, the protection to the access route. Upper level of maisonette front doors are not FD30 fire doors. The PROTECTED ROUTE has been compromised by the fitting of doors that do not provide 30 minutes fire protection to the access route.

ANY Estate using JCF Property Management is strongly advised to obtain the London Fire Brigade's report on their estate.
To do this you must raise a Freedom of Information Request - best done by email. Just google these words "london fire brigade foi"
You need to give your name and contact details as well as the property you want the report about.

Anna at JCF property management has been fantastic. We have rented our property for the last twenty years and had to get decorators and carpets fitted this year .
The company that had been acting as the rental agent had a problem with keys and my husband had a huge problem with getting all the contractors into the flat to complete work .Anna saved the day ordering and supplying new and working key fobs so that we could get the workman into the car park and flat .Nothing has been to much trouble for her she is efficient and super to deal with.

The Board of our Company would like to express its appreciation and thanks to Sarah Farmer at JCF Property Management.

We have found her to be helpful and well-disposed towards us and it’s been very valuable to us to have someone with a sympathetic ear and a can-do attitude we can deal with in the Accounts Team at JCF.

It’s a great relief to know that after three years with mixed results, we have found someone who’s been patient enough to explain all the processes step by step as well as put some of these processes on a much better footing. This has resulted in a much more satisfactory modus operandi between JCF and our Company. Added to that, we’ve been very fortunate to have the benefit of the extra work she has put into reconciling JCF’s accounts with ours to ensure a much smoother working relationship between both parties.

We very much look forward to continue working with Sarah at JCF.

16/12/2021

This is my personal opinion, which JCF or others don't have to like or agree with.

JCF are the most useless managing agents I have ever come across and, as a buy to let landlord I have been dealing with multiple managing agent for years. Technically my other half is the 100% owner of the property and leaseholder, but I do more of admin side of the household.

They and their client (my freeholder) have been demanding wrong % contribution that went against what was specified in the lease. I have been disputing this since Feb 2019 and paying the proportion that is specified by my lease. In Summer 2021 the freeholder has instructed their legal representative to write me about "arrears". I had spoken to the legal representative (who was professional, knowledgeable and pragmatic) and this resulted in JCF dropping their demands and agreeing to charge me the correct % amount going forwards. Even their own legal told them I was right!

Record keeping - one would still have more data if one threw documents into a black hole. We had a van on fire on the estate (no incident log, no information collected by the freeholder, no claim made against the insurer of the van that went on fire and instead a claim was made against our property insurance). There were multiple instances when one of 2 oil boilers failed leaving 108 families without hot water for a long weekend - Thursday to Tuesday (in Winter) - again none of these failures get documented and next time it happens they just treat it as an "independent" incident.

Transparency is zero. They charge £36k (not 100% sure on the number. though. around that amount £32-36k) I think per year to manage, which is fair and square, but then all of other fees are coming out of woodwork! Insurance - we pay approx £15-20k for buildings insurance + terrorism cover. JCF have never disclosed to myself (despite many requests in writing) what the commissions/inducements/kickbacks they (and their providers) receive, which is an indirect cost to the leaseholders. The response from JCF has been that "this does not affect insurance price". Are you kidding me!? of course it is a cost to me. I gather that such commissions (that JCF and their insurance broker receive from the insurance company) may be up to 35-40% of total premium paid.

Responsiveness is non-existent. I get a bill on 29th of Nov (that was never sent in Sept). Bill gets paid immediately on 29th of Nov, and on 30th of Nov I get a 2nd reminder letter to pay the bill and I get charged £36 for the privilege. When I complain and start digging, it turns out that their own procedures indicate there should be 14 days gap between the 1st and 2nd reminder.

IT technology is non existent, client portal awful. My other half is a leaseholder, I am not, but we asked them on multiple occasions to deliver the bill to two email addresses. They are not capable of that.

They were looking for 5 weeks for the owner of the motor scooter which was left in the development and looked semi abandoned. It took us 5 mins in residents Watsapp group to find the person in question.

They employ park time caretaker (mostly to replace lightbulbs externally and push the rubbish bins onto the main road for collection), for what seems is a disproportionately high cost.

One thing JCF are really great at is blowing smoke up directors arses and telling them how amazing they are and how they should keep JCF employed.

Cannot wait to the next general meeting of the shareholders in the Freehold Co to instruct directors to:
- hopefully kick JCF out as soon as possible and as far as possible;
- give utmost transparency on costs;
- regularly shop around to make sure we get the best deal;
- demonstrate best execution and how they achieve the best outcomes for shareholders. (i.e. justifying why they want to keep JCF as managing agents).
- make sure that in the future property management contracts (whoever these may be awarded to) contain customer/leaseholder satisfaction KPI metrics, so that the property manager knows that if they will drop the ball, they are out.

JCF have been very good Managing Agents. I do not hesitate in recommending them. Debbie Ranger has always been very pleasant to deal with, always prompt & efficient. As was Elena Pletes before her.

Debbie has been incredibly helpful over the last few years. Always quick to respond and very knowledgeable.

Elena Pletea at JCF has been great at managing the process of getting the cladding remedial works sorted out with contracts but more importantly the process of getting the government grants processed and approved. Thanks Elena and the rest of the team at JCF for all the hard work so far.

Remotely dealing with two simultaneous insurance claims for water and sewage damage in my flat where JCF manage the building was extremely challenging, but Emily Gedye @ JCF almost made it a pleasure! She was wonderful to deal with and extremely responsive and efficient. Nothing was too much trouble and my requests were always handled with sympathetic positivity. Very sad to see her go before I have finished the work on a third insurance claim…:-(. Thank you Emily.

I have had to work with many different managing agents over the years but JCF surpass all - not only in properly managing accounts but also in their immediate responsiveness to any issues. Emily and others are definitely the best experience to work with.

Ezster is super switched on and responsive. A joy in the world of the largely underwhelming. I would definitely recommended them and her in particular.

JCF manage the building I live in. Like a lot of flats in the UK our building requires our cladding to be replaced. JCF and in particular Elena Pletea has been working hard in submitting the applications for grants and keeping us updated.

GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE

I had to contact JCF for a management pack because enquiries were raised by the buyers solicitor. Debbie Ranger dealt with all the enquiries in a professional way in which I am most grateful. She provided an effective & efficient service to a very high standard. She also operate an open door policy.

Professional and friendly. JCF Property Management have managed the property in Brixton, London, that I've rented for seven years and they have always been proactive and professional. They have looked after me as a tenant, ensuring that all my problems with the flat have been dealt with promptly and are resolved fully - easily the best managed property I've rented in London. I enjoy living in my current place very much and a big part of that is because of JCF. Many thanks to the JCF team.

Having gone through a period of being ambivalent towards this company, mainly because of mediocre works, I have to admit being very satisfied at the remedial work recently carried out on the garages. This was first rate and professional. Equally the renewal of the handrail at front entrance - hopefully
all future works will be of this standard.

My experience with JCF Property Management was very positive and prompt today. Debbie Ranger of JCF, was very prompt to reply and solve the problem.

My experience with JCF Property Management has been continually positive. Debbie Ranger of JCF, is always available to contact and very prompt to reply and find solutions. JCF has been continually reliable and supported our team a number of times with successful outcomes each time.