March 29, 2024

ARMA-Q members to be revealed next month

Has Peverel / FirstPort made the cut to join ARMA’s ethically enhanced membership scheme?

Or Countrywide?

We won’t know until next month, unless the companies themselves indicate that they are accredited – as is the case with the LKP member HML Holdings plc.

It appears that there was a deluge of applications and the few staff at ARMA have been processing the applications.

But the key point is that ARMA-Q membership is to be a condition of membership of ARMA, and applications should have been in by January 1.

There is a bit of wriggle room for those finding it difficult to comply immediately – why is that? – but if you won’t or can’t join ARMA-Q, you are out of the trade body.

There is a big question mark over Countrywide, which we contacted in December to ask whether it had applied to join ARMA-Q.

The reply at that stage was carefully worded comment that the large property management group was still a member of ARMA.

We have a short wait.

Comments

  1. Michael Epstein says

    I can’t wait! I wonder if Sue Petri who sits on the governance board of ARMA and is Head of Business Development, Peverel/Firstport knows the answer?

  2. Michael Epstein says

    Of course whether Peverel/FirstPort meets the requirements may depend on the decision of the ARMA Technical Support Officer, Geraldine Shortall, who in 2010 refused to investigate serious issues that were raised with ARMA, concerning one of their largest members, Peverel.
    Prior to joining ARMA, Geraldine Shortall held a senior position within Pembertons (part of the Peverel Group)

  3. Michael,

    What are the implications of the Governance Board and Sue Petri at Peverel Services Ltd is there a Conflict of Interest?

  4. Michael Hollands says

    I have read the ARMA Q Charter and it seems comprehensive, let’s hope (unlike the ARHM) they enforcei it.
    If a monster company like Peverel is accepted then they will need many more staff to deal with the thousands of extra leaseholders communications .Let’s hope that all the Peverel leaseholders will be made aware of this new development, if they are accepted.
    If the Charter is going to be enforced can we all now breathe a little easier.
    With the addition of The Leaseholders Association have we now got a belts and braces situation?

    • Michael Epstein says

      Michael Hollands,
      Those that do not meet ARMA-Q requirements will be given a year to comply.
      If they substantially fail to comply they will be allowed to become affiliated members of ARMA.
      If ARMA believes they have adequate plans in place to comply they will be full members but issued with an “order of compliance”. However, the fact a property management company has such a restriction will remain confidential. When demonstrating to ARMA that a company is compliant, it would appear that the applicant only has to demonstrate compliance in just one of their developments.
      ARMA do not appear to fussed as to who they take on as members. Remember Freemont are affiliated members whose directors are Nigel Bannister, Kevin Barr, Philip Cummings and Keith Edgar (formally with Peverel)
      You refer to Peverel as a “monster” company. This accords with the comment of Ed Davey MP who described Peverel as a”monstrous company”.
      That such comments are in the public domain is because settlements concerning Peverel were not kept confidential (and since you have mentioned the Leaseholder Association) it does give me the opportunity to remind people that the Leaseholder Association wants to keep dispute settlements confidential.

      • Michael Hollands says

        Michael
        I have reread the ARMA Q website and it states that all members must qualify for ARMA Q.
        There is a grace period to allow them to achieve this.
        I have written to ARMA to get their confirmation on this.
        As regards to their Regulatory Board having members with vested interests this seems unfair.
        Perhaps Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation could propose an additional member to even things up.
        I would like to see Peverel/ First Port join ARMA Q it would give their residents another outlet for complaints.
        ARMA would need many more staff to deal with it and the Regulatory Board would be burning midnight oil.
        As regards The Leasholders Assoc I think we should give them a chance. No one is forced to join.
        If we keep rejecting all these new initiatives then we shall still be in the same position in many years time when we are all gone

        • Michael Hollands says

          I have now received confirmation from ARMA that after the grace period there will be only one class of ARMA member.
          After 31 Jan 2015 all members will have to meet the Q standard or they will be out.
          Good news?

          • Michael Epstein says

            Almost good news, but not quite!
            A new company has a 2 year grace period as an affiliate of ARMA before becoming a full member. So if we take the case of Peverel, there is good reason to doubt that they qualify for ARMA-Q (remember the collusive tendering scandal has yet to be settled).
            However, if the re-branding from Peverel to FirstPort/ Appello is more than just a change of name, and new companies were created, they could be admitted as affiliate members of ARMA.

  5. Can Sebastian/Martin explain why there are so many organisations who take money and then fail to act professionally which includes Peverel Services Ltd?

  6. ARMA schmarma – this body only represents a fraction of the industry anyway, and those on the inside seem to be the worst examples. It is a club to protect its own members interests and a forum to exchange the latest scam ideas.

    ARMA will not be credible until it limits the greed of its members who feed on unreasonable commissions and other business development opportunities.

    ARMA has never had the guts to stand up to its worst offending members, so why should it start now.

    Like relaunching customer service standards with a whole raft of hollow promises ARMA-Q will soon be a thing of the past because ARMA don’t have the gumption (or intention?) to enforce professional standards – it is just an exercise to stave off government-imposed reforms, until the next big scandal breaks cover.

  7. Michael Hollands says

    Michael
    With regard to ARMA membership, after 31 December 2015 there will only be one class of membership who can publicise that they are ARMA members.
    And that is those who have received the ARMA Q qualification .

  8. A Reviewer says

    Hi

    There is ONLY one solution. ARMA-Q is basically a scam

    Accreditation to ISO9001 is the ONLY possible way. The assessors are themselves assessed, and subject to scrutiny by the ISO – that’s the International Standards Organisation.

    ISO9001 WORKS – it has bought wonders to manufacturing, and to service industries that bother with it. In the end accreditation to ISO9001 SAVES MONEY.

    The quality wheel stated with the military who wanted to be sure that a six inch shell from Canada would fit a six inch gun from UK . Then BS5750. Now ISO9001.

    Organizations who FAIL to implement the standard are deluding themselves and their customers.

    Happy Days