News

PMAS Members to Merge with TPI

Following our long-standing close working relationship with The Property Managers Association Scotland (PMAS), we are pleased to announce that PMAS members have voted to join and merge with The Property Institute (TPI), further strengthening our organisation and uniting the voice of property management professionals across the UK.

This merger enhances our ability to advocate for the sector, influence policy, and expand training and qualifications, ensuring that property management professionals and firms across England, Scotland, and Wales remain at the forefront of best practices, training, qualifications, and industry standards.

What This Means For You

For members in England and Wales - your existing benefits, qualifications, CPD opportunities, and member services remain exactly the same. Please be assured that nothing about your TPI membership will change, and PMAS merging with TPI will not affect your membership in any way. The merger will also help enhance our membership offer for existing individual TPI members in Scotland.

Why This Matters

With PMAS joining TPI, we are strengthening advocacy, training, and professional development across the sector. A dedicated TPI Scotland Board will oversee matters specific to Scotland, ensuring that all members—wherever they are based—continue to receive relevant, high-quality support and representation.

As part of the transition and TPI’s commitment to supporting PMAS members, Graeme Hartley has been appointed as Executive Director for Scotland. With decades of experience, including the role of Director for Scotland at RICS, he will implement TPI Scotland Board decisions and ensure tailored support, representation, and advocacy for Scottish members.

Looking Ahead

This merger strengthens TPI by uniting expertise, resources, and representation under a single, unified voice for residential property management across the whole of the UK, bringing several key benefits, including:

  • Over a century of heritage – Strengthening TPI’s position as the leading professional body for residential property management in the UK.
  • Enhanced policy work with the Scottish Government to better represent the sector.
  • Improved website resources for greater access to guidance and support.
  • A new monthly professional journal focused on Scottish residential property management.
  • A dedicated TPI Scotland Board with independent decision-making powers.
  • A new TPI Executive Director for Scotland to support members and drive industry standards.

Graeme Hartley, Executive Director for Scotland, TPI, said:

"Combining forces enables us to build on PMAS’s long-established reputation while providing members with the scale and influence of a UK-wide body. This merger ensures that Scottish property professionals remain at the forefront of policy discussions, training advancements, and industry developments. It is a significant and exciting step forward for the sector in Scotland."

Neale Bisset, President PMAS, commented:

“PMAS has worked closely with TPI in recent years to ensure a popular and much needed diploma for Scottish Factors was launched, and is regularly updated to ensure ongoing relevance to our industry. It was clear that this joint approach had even more to offer, and I am delighted that discussions about the potential future benefits in both education and policy improvement led to the merger decision taken by our members.”

Andrew Bulmer, CEO of The Property Institute, added:

"This merger strengthens our ability to advocate for industry improvements, expand member benefits, and drive professional standards forward. By bringing PMAS into The Property Institute, we are combining history and heritage with scale and influence—ensuring a brighter, stronger future for property management professionals in Scotland. We look forward to supporting our members with even greater resources and representation under The Property Institute."

Together, we look forward to working with both our existing and new PMAS members to continue raising standards and shaping the future of property management, while embracing the opportunities this merger brings to The Property Institute and the expanded benefits it offers our members.

The Property Institute: Government Responds in Full to Grenfell Tower Inquiry

The Government has today, 26th February, published its full response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s final report, accepting 49 of the 58 recommendations in full.

The remaining nine are accepted “in principle,” with some requiring “further consideration” through consultations. The response details significant reforms designed to enhance building safety, strengthening accountability, and protecting residents.

Key measures outlined:

  • New single Construction Regulator: Will oversee compliance and hold those responsible for building safety to account.
  • Tighter oversight of construction products: Stronger regulation and enforcement to prevent the use of unsafe materials.
  • Mandatory competence certification for fire risk assessors: Ensuring only qualified professionals can make critical fire safety decisions.
  • Stronger rights for residents: Landlords will be legally required to act on safety concerns, with new mechanisms empowering social housing tenants.
  • Debarment investigations: Seven organisations named in the report face potential exclusion from government contracts under new procurement laws.

The timeline for broader reforms is outlined in phases, with some measures expected to be implemented no earlier than 2028.

The Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said:  “We are acting on all of the Inquiry’s findings, and today set out our full response, detailing the tough action we are taking to drive change and reform the system to ensure no community will ever have to face a tragedy like Grenfell ever again.

In addition to the outlined action plan, the Government has issued an apology on behalf of the British state for its role in these failings.

The Property Institute will continue to monitor developments, ensuring members are fully informed and prepared for the evolving regulatory environment.

Read the Government’s full response HERE

TPI responds:

Andrew Bulmer, CEO of The Property Institute (TPI), commenting on Angela Rayner’s response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report recommendations, said:

“The Grenfell Tower fire was a preventable tragedy – one that exposed systemic failures and regulatory loopholes with devastating consequences.

We fully support the government’s decision to take forward all the recommendations made by the Phase 2 report and welcome its commitment to publish quarterly progress reports as it implements those recommendations.

Today’s response makes it clear that building safety reforms must go further and faster. While the introduction of one single Construction Regulator is a step in the right direction, the slow pace of remediation and the narrow focus on cladding have left many buildings only partially fixed. Thousands still live in unsafe buildings, burdened by unaffordable insurance premiums, the costs of other safety issues, and uncertainty about their futures.

We urge the government to implement actions swiftly – accelerating and widening the scope of remediation efforts and putting resident safety ahead of bureaucratic and financial disputes.”

Prominent Property Law Firm JB Leitch is Excited to Announce the Appointment of Matt Jarvis as the New Managing Director

Prominent property law firm JB Leitch is excited to announce the appointment of Matt Jarvis as the new Managing Director, who joins this week.

The appointment marks the next step in an exciting journey of growth and innovation for the Liverpool based company, with the appointment adding further senior and strategic expertise to the management team within the 150 strong legal practice.

Matt, a qualified solicitor with over 23 years’ experience in the legal sector, will lead the delivery of ambitious plans for operational development and market growth, bringing a wealth of experience from his former roles as Managing Director for both Slater and Gordon – one of the largest consumer law firms in the UK – and Nuvalaw, a technology-based claims resolution business.

Business owner and Principal Solicitor Jonathan Leitch comments further: “We are delighted to have Matt joining the team. This appointment is an investment in the future. It reflects our ongoing commitment to both our clients and colleagues in further maximising our potential, delivering the best services and proving an innovative culture where talent is recognised, nurtured and rewarded. Matt will be pivotal in further enabling this evolution through his considerable experience, evident capabilities and clear vision.”

This news follows further positive developments. In recent weeks JB Leitch has also welcomed two new senior solicitors to the team; Associate David Lowry has joined JB Leitch Real Estate team and Judith Knowles as a Senior Associate within the Technical & Complex Litigation department, adding further breadth of experience, expertise and capacity to the firm’s already impressive pool of legal talent.

TPP Are Delighted to Announce That Jess Parmar Joined The Property People as Co-Founder and Director on 1st March!

Having practised law as a young woman, Jess then spent a significant part of her career working with the Hilton Group before transitioning into the property sector. She has an incredible reputation for delivering exceptional service, building powerful relationships, and driving business growth.

Her leadership philosophy is simple: trust, directness, and collaboration: “I’m excited to step into this new role, returning to a sector I’m deeply passionate about. While I’m officially joining in March, I’ll be easing back into work while on maternity leave, balancing my transition with the support of my business partners, Sandeep Singh and Julian Davies. Returning to work after having a child is life-changing, and I want to shift the narrative for women who aspire to leadership while embracing motherhood.”

From March to September, Jess will focus on operational support and business development, using her extensive network and expertise to drive the company’s vision and mission. By September, she will be stepping up to drive strategy, deepen relationships with our key clients, and take the lead on projects.

As a Board Member at TPI, Jess brings strategic insight and a passion for supporting the industry’s progress. Her appointment reflects The Property People’s commitment to client experience, diversity, and innovation.

In a LinkedIn post, Jess shared a quote to kick off this new chapter “Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age, and dreams are forever. If you can dream it, you can do it…” – Walt Disney

Commenting on the announcement, Sandeep Singh said: “Property is what we do. But people are what we’re all about… Jess and I have worked together for almost a decade, tackling projects across the country and proving time and again that as a team, there’s rarely a challenge we can’t overcome. There’s no ‘getting to know each other’ period…. we already know exactly how to get things done and make an impact. I have immense respect for Jess not just because she is a friend but for her expertise, sharp acumen, deep industry insight, and her journey. She always puts the customer first!”