10 Years of MIH… and Counting

1. ‘The firsts’: taking on the first building, the first larger building, the first cladding project and first Building Safety Certificate.
2. My first client who took a chance on me, and the number of clients who have left and subsequently returned!
3. My Senior Team who all care about MIH as much as I do.
4. The loyal and long-standing staff, particularly those who have risen up the ranks under the senior teams tutelage – and those who have returned to MIH after leaving.
5. The Christmas Parties, the Socials and particularly the lovely 10 Year Celebration have been fantastic. The sense of being a team and sharing these social moments is really important.
6. The changes in Legislation, and in particular, the EWS 1 forms, the PAS9980 that replaced these and the Building Safety Act.
7. The great contractors and the not-so-great contractors and the small victories when something goes right – which happen more often than not.
8. Being able to do a job I love while being a mother, and the changes to the company that have ensued, i.e. having to rely on the team.
9. And, for balance – the low point of losing a building when you know you have done everything really well. It matters to us and we’re always thinking about what we can do to prevent this happening again.

Q: Are you where you thought you would be when you started up 10 years ago?

No, I didn’t have any game plan, I just wanted to do a job I loved… and thought I would probably go back into employment within 6 months. It’s gratifying to be here.

Q: What gets you out of bed in the morning?

Doing a job I love and always being challenged just enough to stretch me but not stress me – and the “thank yous” from clients who understand what good property management is.

There is Google review from a lady called Nazreen who MIH interviewed for originally but who went with another agency, stating that they knew they would regret the decision but we were not established enough at the time. 4 years later they came back to MIH and and have not looked back since.

I love the autonomy of running my own business and being able to make decisions based on the client’s needs rather than via a corporate framework

Q: How has the marketplace changed?

Yes, it has got tougher, there is no value attributed to Property Management as an industry and it is the one thing that I hope MIH in general, dispels. The legislation is tougher and AI means that there are a lot more “educated” clients out there who think that a computer can compete with experience.

What hasn’t changed is the reward for doing a good job and the clients who want to work with you collaboratively and make every conversation and meeting a pleasure rather than a chore. I am very much the person who does something she loves so never works a day in her life.

Q: How do you feel about the future given the ongoing challenges?

Optimistic. We have a good team, great clients and the fog around the BSA (Building Safety Act) is beginning to clear. We are also excited about implementing new software and how we can complement our service with AI, it will always be secondary to knowledge and experience in our office.

Q: What’s your top tip for the coming year?

Keep calm and carry on. If we can get through the last 10 years as they have been, then we’re ready for another 10 and more. We still have the same passion and drive to help those in the residential, commercial and rental market to get the most from their properties whether as an owner, landlord, freeholder, leaseholder or tenant.

Thank you Sarah and the MIH Team.
Wishing you all a very Happy 10th Birthday!