High praise for Principle from new client on idyllic river island location in Cambridgeshire

Directors of a premium collection of 146 homes on an unusual river island setting in Cambridgeshire have praised Principle Estate Management for its swift start in looking after its properties.

The development is a private estate of leasehold and freehold properties based within a protection zone at Skipper Way on The Island, sitting on the Great River Ouse that runs through St Neots.

Joe Jobson, joint managing director at Principle, explained that Principle had been initially appointed to start as the new management agent for the client this January, with a handover period from November 2022.

But because of difficulties with the previous management agency, Principle was asked if the handover could take place sooner, which was quickly agreed.

Alison Gledhill, chair of The Island (St Neots) Management Company Ltd, said: “The service we have received from Jason King, the senior property manager at Principle, and his team since 1 November  has been fantastic.

“Despite only just starting with Principle himself, Jason has provided professional advice, clarity and calmness to a really challenging situation.

“He has communicated well with the board, handled challenges to enable an appropriate handover from the previous agency brilliantly, and despite all the issues has managed to quickly deliver urgent pieces of work.

“We feel that with Jason and his colleague James Lucas now working with us we will soon have an evidenced and appropriate plan for the short and medium term, and the work will be delivered to our expected standards of quality and safety.

“The subcontractors used to date appear to be excellent, and the board has no doubt that over time a consistent standard of contractor will be procured by Principle based on our mutual expectations regarding process and health and safety.”

Ms Gledhill added: “We are midway through what was supposed to be the first month of engagement, and I speak for the whole board when I say that Jason and his team have already provided the reassurance and professionalism we hoped for in our decision to move agencies.”

The St Neots development includes common areas and landscaped grounds that are bordered by two riverbanks and ten blocks of leasehold flats, made up with 85 leasehold and 61 freehold properties.

Mr Jobson of Principle said: “We’re always pleased to hear from clients on how Principle is performing, and we are especially delighted with this feedback from a new customer where we had to tackle some challenges early on.

“We are very proud to be the new managing agents of The Island, and this development is already fitting well into perfectly into our expanding portfolio.”

Principle looks after nearly 10,000 property units in more than 300 developments across the UK with offices in Birmingham and London.