September 2012

What a summer it has been for sport - The Tour De France, Olympics, Paralympics, a Murray Major and now perhaps the biggest story of all - the truth about Hillsborough.

It has taken 23 years but finally the details have been revealed. After all the great successes of the summer we are now faced with a national disgrace. But, the truth will out and justice will prevail.

The Hillsborough families have acted with honesty, integrity and dignity and are as much an example to us all as our athletes.

Focus on.....Commercial Property Repossessions

We do many repossessions during the course of our work but some of you may not know that we do commercial repossessions as well as residential. Our work in this sector is varied with us repossessing many types of property from farms, shops and warehouses to hotels, pubs, guest houses and even a whole industrial estate.
 

As with a residential property repossession we attend with a bailiff and when he has executed his warrant we take over. We take meter readings and liaise with the utility companies, drain down systems, change locks and make the property secure according to our clients instructions. A full schedule of anything left in the property is taken along with photographs. If required we also arrange for clearance of the site and then undertake weekly security visits. 

Water, water everywhere

One of our clients asked us to repossess a cold store unit on an industrial estate. The property had been empty for a little while and we had attended the site in order to obtain quotes for locksmiths, shuttering and alarm security. When we reattended to begin the work it had been raining for two whole days and we arrived to find the site under 3ft of water.

The electric had been turned off some time previously, and therefore caused the problem insofar as the pump that cleared surplus water away from a sump was unable to function. Whilst we ourselves did not have the equipment to deal with the problem we were immediately in contact with a suitable contractor who subsequently pumped 160,000 gallons of water away and then cleared away the tons of mud and sludge that remained.

It's all in a days work.

London House News

It has been a busy month at London House. Firstly, I am pleased to advise of two new Franchise Owners.

Andrew Beard  joins us from a background as a Senior Insurance and Re-insurance underwriter with considerable international experience. Andrew has taken over the Norwich postcode area from Ted and Linda Witton who have retired. Welcome Andrew. London House Services Norfolk

Also joining us is Graham Stowell who will be covering the Oxford postcode area. Graham is a QA and QC professional with UK and international experience with the Dept. of Health, Glaxo Smith Kline and Siemens. He is also a Director of a currency exchange and trading business. Again, welcome aboard.

London House Services Oxford

As mentioned last month we will be exhibiting at the NEC twice in October. The first event is the National Franchise Exhibition on 5th & 6th (stand number H65) and then we are back at the venue on the 9th and 10th for the Solicitors Group exhibition, LawAutumn NEC (stand number 10). Do please come along and chat to us, we would be delighted to see you.

We have recently attended the annual Credit Services Association conference. The conference had its highest ever attendance and it was great to catch up again with industry peers. A very informative conference from which it became clear that compliance and regulation is becoming ever more prominant in our industry. No bad thing.

Finally, the latest edition of The Score will shortly be arriving at your offices, but is now available on line. I hope you enjoy it.

You Asked Us.......

"What is the strangest job you have ever been asked to do?" 

It has to be the chickens! 

As can probably be imagined we come across all manner of things to be dealt with on a commercial repossession. Normally potential complications are identified on a pre-repossession visit and solutions put in place ready for the day of the repossession. On occasion however, we are not asked to visit the property before the day and we don't know what we will find until we get there. For instance, we were instructed to take possession of a farm that was used for breeding chickens. On arrival the occupier had vacated the property but kindly left behind his stock of several thousand chickens. You have a limited number of options in such an instance but our local Franchise Owner saved the day (and the chickens) by getting them rehomed with another farmer in the region.