BBC Rip Off Britain - First Port Property Management

[@vincentlauria7857]

FirstPort run our residential area - absolute con artists. Utterly useless and have overcharged us for years, we can’t escape them. Now considering legal advice as they want to charge us almost £200 a month each in service charges for 11 properties, that’s almost £25k a year. Obscene.

[@markroyds23]

I feel your pain. I bought in a block of apartments. 24 properties in total and they charge us in total 42 grand a year combined. They are scum bags

[@jamesrbrindle]

Do it! I’m about to sue them for mismanagement

[@kathrynphillips84]

Just a word of caution for those buying a freehold property on one of First Port’s estates. You will be charged a fee as well but there isn’t, as yet, legislation to help freeholders ditch their management companies.

[@augustineUK]

We've been considering buying a retirement home which is managed by First Port. Now, we'll think it twice.

[@elizaann1888]

This is quite an old video but First Port remains the same. Rip off merchants totally and utterly add them to another lot called Homeground and you are on the road to hell. If either of these are connected to a property you are thinking of buying, run for the hills and don't look back.

[@Areaunderyourgraph]

I agree, complete neglect from this company. Cannot even respond to emails yet alone sort issues or even carry out simple jobs.

[@T0NYEVANS]

FirstPort will take fees yet will let the grounds deteriorate and fail to conduct repairs. They do not reply to emails. Telephones go to an Indian call centre which will fob you off.

[@ramadamming8498]

The calls are not in an Indian call centre it is based in the UK - but you need to just be direct and clear - communication is very on // off and it is the building managers and area managers that can be emailed, which can be on off . . . it is must be nuts working in that call centre though . . . Though yea, the fees are for hacking up shrubs every now and then, checking alarms and nothing else, especially not following up concerns.

[@claudiarose4120]

Was given estimates on roof works in 2021, they stipulated our share to pay. Then they made a 714% (yes, that is not a typo) increase to reserve funds because of roof works. The total amount of money they have made us pay is double the maximum estimate. The last we heard in April 2023 was: ‘our major works team are currently working with the surveyor overseeing the project to confirm costs'. It's been dragging out for 3 years, but we have to continue couging up large sums of money indefinitely.

[@SNIIP3R786]

When you’re being charged eye brow raising amounts for fixes you just know are never that much, the property manager who maintains that site and the person giving the estimates are basically robbing u, they split the excess amount between them and pocket it. You may ask how I know, I know property managers who work for them that brag about how they making silly money but charging extortion amounts of simple jobs because the residence will have to cough up at the end. It’s company deep even the management are in on this.

[@Nikkigti]

Still waiting for them to fix a lift that should have never broken in the first place due to lack of serving and the internal phone system for call outs not working we had to waste the fire service time breaking in and now we need a new door. It’s a nightmare living on top floor flat and no working lift for months 🤬

[@jhleve2987]

I lost the sale of my property because they were to slow coming back with information for the buyers solicitor,the worst was when they blanked me for 6 weeks coming back about a fire risk assessment I needed,in all they neglected me for almost 3 months on and off,in which the buyer said she didn’t want to buy into a company that would make her life difficult and I don’t blame her but I do blame First Port,this has totally disrupted my family’s life and wasted my money,I live hand to mouth most weeks so that hurt just as hard,if I had money to attack them in a court of law….i would,as they are a company of cowboys

[@SimonKay-y4l]

First Point are one of the worse I've come across. Managed to come up with a charge of some £15K for fixing the lighting in communal areas - basically 2 or 3 stairwells with a ground floor and a first floor - yup we are talking about 6 lighting units which I'm assuming could only cost £100 - but probably a lot less. Pretty much the same with the few other things they've done - always seems to cost at least 10 times what it could possible cost. Plus they are impossible to contact or deal with - total crooks!

[@SNIIP3R786]

The property manager and the person estimating the costs charge a ridiculous excess mount which they between themselves keep. They will charge x amount but they add depending on the job size another 10k to 20k and that excess will be split between the two. This is company deep. U may ask how I know this? I know property managers who work for that company that brag about this.

[@heyzus]

Double double toil and trouble, enough said!

[@EL-gu8fv]

Wow. I'm looking at a beautiful but expensive apartment with them. Wondering if I should back out.

[@captaininspector8898]

It depends on the building or area managers but ultimately, it is the entire company of course - but are there any similar companies that are not like putting profit before service ? Probably not many.

[@markroyds23]

Turn back. Back out NOW take it from a previous homeowner of a property managed by first port..

[@patholt3224]

Run away in the opposite direction, don’t get involved with this company

[@beverleyphillips3655]

I bought mine November last year and my maintenance bill was £4.040.00 per annum in April this year got the bill £4557.00 an increase of £517 13% no warning, we pay for a manager that is never there he apparently goes off to other homes training other staff at the expense of us lease holders who pay his wages, you cannot phone head office when you do it is always the wrong department so you are pushed from pillar to post, we have no idea who the area managers are , the company is as crooked as it gets, beware

[@jaysonsowter5343]

Pondsyde Court. Seaford is still currently being managed by Firstport Retirement

[@palmerplusonlineenglishtui7533]

Please sign the petition to have this revolting company brought to account - and encourage others to sign it too... JUST GOOGLE: FIRST PORT PETITION STRENGTH IN NUMBERS! DON'T GIVE UP, DON'T GIVE IN AND DON'T LET THEM TO CONTINUE TO FLEECE ELDERLY PEOPLE. I THANK YOU!

[@robc2708]

Contract completion of final staircasing to fully purchase property including freehold October 2022 but still waiting for their Certificate of Compliance. It is now 10th January 2023 and the property cannot be registered with the Land Registry Office. Spent hours waiting for the phone to be answered and gave up. They do not seem to respond to emails. Extremely poor service. Their CEO should be embarrassed and needs to sort out the company.

[@hagdog8582]

@Rob C we are currently trying to Staircase to %100 on our shared ownership property, Firstport have yet to respond to our solicitors initial and subsequent enquires regarding deed of covenant and us becoming a member of their management company etc.. I have been passed from pillar to post when I have phoned them and they don’t inspire confidence. How long did it take them to provide your solicitors with the information required when they made initial contact regarding requirements for you to fully purchase your property?

[@jamesrbrindle]

Get on companies house and get the directors home address and serve the paperwork on them personally - recorded signed for. They will say they don’t accept “service” that way but my god do they get brown trousers and jump to action. Make absolutely sure that you do not owe a single penny because they will pass you to their solicitors who file in court and go for forfeiture to try and get you to back down. Watch out for them cancelling your direct debit or failing to invoice you for management fees then claiming you are in arrears to go legal - if they go that way demand the solicitors (usually JB Leitch) take you to court - magistrate threw my case out laughing at them and ordered them to resolve it outside of court. Firstport are shady!

[@jamesoneill1718]

Firstport have charged us 70k to paint a few corridors at our development. Extremely dodgy . Painters could barely use a paintbrush.

[@juliejames8531]

My mums place similar at strathedene Court Torquay

[@SNIIP3R786]

The reason why first port charge extortion amounts is due to the greed within the company, the property managers who maintain their assigned buildings and sites whenever there needs to be work done, they will be given a quote but between the property manager and the person who provides the quote to them, they will add another £20,000 or £30,000 depending on the size of the job, them 2 split that excess money they charged on top of the actual quote and this is company deep it happens pretty much on all their sites which is why they’re rated so badly, everyone there does it, I’ve been told first hand by said individuals that work for this company.

[@robc2708]

At the end of October, Firstport took over from our previous property management company just after we had completed the contract exchange for 100% shares and Freehold. Their only action is to provide their Certificate of Compliance so that the Land Registration can take place. There has been no progress since and my solicitor is still waiting. 2 months of no action and no acknowledgements of received emails. Absolutely unbelieveably poor company service. I doubt whether their senior executives and CEO realise the mess and stress they are putting their clients/customers under and I would not be surprised if they do not care.

[@hagdog8582]

@Rob C did you manage to obtain the certificate of compliance? I am having the exact same issue.

[@robertcrews]

@@hagdog8582 Hi, no still waiting! Numerous phone calls from myself and emails from my solicitor and myself. Managed to talk to a couple of good customer service individuals. Obtained case number. All documentation and payment sent to FirstPort. Progress has been made. Apparently case now escalated and 'somebody' has been allocated the case. Also raised formal complaint.

[@hagdog8582]

@@robertcrews absolute nightmare, sounds like you’re making progress though 🤞🏻 The level of contempt Firstport seem to have for their customers is something I’ve never experienced before now, they’re horrendous. Hopefully by the time we come to sell our houses they are defunct/heavily regulated, I don’t want this stress again!

[@muriellebuckley9065]

You wont receive a reply from First Port. I have been living in a First Port Development for over 20 years and they are not interested in you they are only interested in the money they receive which goes to the leaseholder who lives in the British Virgin Islands

[@T4TipsGuides]

Many contractors are refusing to work for FirstPort. Never ending problems with getting paid.

[@latashasmith1778]

I live in a first floor maisonette managed by FirstPort. The loft space above the flat is not in lease. Since March 2022 I reported squirrels were in the loft space. The noise disturbance has resulted in chronic stress, anxiety and has worsened existing long term conditions. Despite following their complaints procedure and escalating it to the Property Ombudsman who upheld my complaint on 14th December 2022. The squirrels remain causing damage to the loft insulation causing cracks in my ceilings due to increased humidity and now my electrics. FirstPort initially tried to shirk responsibility and have sent cowboy builders to repair the roof and refuse to do pro-active repairs despite three notices of disrepair. My quality of life has been impacted and I will be using the compensation money to pay for treatment myself, next stop is the First Teir Tribunal. We will going for Right to Management yet.

[@they1373]

Amazing that even taking it to an Ombudsmen does exactly nothing. Says a lot when a commercial company, overrules local government, then you have to wonder, who is really running the local government, is it the local government, or is it the property mafia that that seem to run property in the UK, or they are one and the same maybe. Anyone know ?

[@jamiedotcom9033]

Brightside car insurance needs investigating

[@Dessan01]

First Port are still at it in 2024 - on my development they will change their standard (and extortionate) service charges, and then at Christmas basically make up anything they want in the name of “over spend” for the most ludicrous of things, for example; £400 pounds for removal of items left in common areas (turned out to be a shoe rack!) they tag blocks together to share the service charges - when I protested the item in the common area was nothing to do with me and not even in my block, they said you need to “talk to your neighbours and encourage them to follow the rules” how am I supposed to do this when I do not even have access to the block they are talking about? I could see the offending shoe rack was there. On top of this I have been waiting 3 months to have a roof leak in my flat fixed - absolute vampires and completely incompetent.

[@amyclarke41]

no good

[@martinhaynes]

Trustpilot also shows how useless Firstport are as well.

[@Julia-zz3gl]

Firstport are criminals and it is as simple as that. I am a Company Director and I cannot manage because Firstport are illegally holding onto my company funds and wholly fail to manage, repair, file accounts with Companies House, have left me with a fine for late filing with Companies House, failed to pay the fine, failed to send out service charge demands resulting in little money in the account, failed to hand over the files to another block management company, or me, refuse to do so at the end of a three month notice period that they insisted upon but I have never agreed to, failed to maintain resulting in leaks and lift not working which all amounts to me being forced to repair from my own pocket and then make the corruption a police matter for theft and corruption. At no time have I have contracted Firsport but contracted Beals Block Management who went on to sell to Firstport without informing anybody. Firsport have never contacted me as a Company Director or leaseholder and have never offered me a contract to which I would have refused. How on earth are these criminals not in prison?

[@jasmineb6875]

Everyone wants to self manage until they realise how much work and responsibility is involved. Sadly they wait until they've run the building into the ground through poor management before handing back to an agent, who is expected to immediately resolve years of neglect and low service charge, yet comes under fire for increasing the service charge. We see it all the time. You can't have it both ways, you either pay a high service charge or you don't get any work done/pay high levies when repairs are needed. Also the agent would get a small fee out of the figure the lady quotes, she is quoting her total service charge (which is what it costs to run a building), not the management fee. There is also much stricter legislation in place for fire safety etc which costs the residents a lot of money, but if the agent doesn't put it in place they are liable themselves. Granted I'm sure First Port are not without fault, but there is so much more to successfully managing a building than this clueless presenter gives credit for. If you're buying a flat you should check there is a reserve of absolute minimum 10k+ and a schedule of maintenance. I would also highly recommend getting a full condition report of the main building, not just a home buyer survey of the flat. It could save you thousands in the long run. This is especially important if the building is listed. And read the lease before you buy, front to back!

[@markroyds23]

Please....I pay extortionate service charge fees and they do literally zero for it. They cut a tiny bit of grass and poorly mhoover the communal and these dirt bags charge us in total 42 grand a year

[@latashasmith1778]

You sound like you work for FirstPort or are a property manager yourself. Either way, the whole sector is in a mess and they just need to make all properties freehold.

[@alanahonestreviews9950]

What happens when the estate/property is brand new? Whats the excuse then? The estate appears run down since taken over from the developer as no upkeep is done but they're charging for the privilege

[@johanncarty1743]

Two year windows never cleared, gardens not done in a year .. fire alarm broken by the person they sent out check it. Nightmare.

[@iearguy4837]

These guys are terrible