Article from the Easter edition of my Communique newsletter providing an update on what Michael Day and Integra Property Services have been up to in 2025
2025 started slowly but has been gaining traction literally month on month with revenues in April more than three times that of either January or February.
This has largely come about from two key business areas – training and work associated with the Renters Right’s Bill which is moving rapidly through Parliament and is set to change the landscape significantly in the rental sector and for all letting and management agents.
There is a definite trend back towards face to face training rather than delivery over zoom or similar. I am happy to do either and it really boils down to the business I am working with and the financial and logistical dynamics involved. Clearly it is more cost and time effective to run online sessions but, if there are sufficient delegates and possibly running two or three sessions then a day face to face can be an attractive option.
I have recently run two AML sessions in a day for a firm of licensed conveyancers in Surrey and three in a day for an estate agent in South London.
Talk to me and we’ll find the best arrangement to suit your needs.
I continue to run a number of training courses for Propertymark – AML, GDPR and Consumer Protection Regulations.
I have also entered a commercial partnership with leading client accounting from Lettspay that enables their customers and clients to obtain a discount on my AML training. Just get the coupon code from them and use it when booking via my website.
I am enjoying working with a number of firms on their approach to the implementation of the Renter’s Rights Bill. Whilst this legislation hasn’t yet been 100% finalised, we are well aware of the key elements and the need for agents to change their approach, terms of business and fee arrangements if they are not to lose income and business under the new order of things.
A bit like the changes brought about when the Tenant Fee Act came in and charging fees to tenants was banned, there is a huge threat to agents but the other side of this “coin” is opportunity and I am confident that my clients will maximise those opportunities.
Several have now run Landlord Events using my Letting Event in a Box product (see on this website) – this does all the “heavy lifting” for an agent who can then run events that help them retain and grow their lettings businesses. Feedback has been excellent. One of my clients has run four events in the last few weeks and, because a large part of their landlord database is located overseas, have done so by webinar, to great effect.
I continue to write regular articles and do interviews and have had several published already this year in Property Industry Eye, Property Soup, The Property Professional Magazine from Propertymark and the monthly insights newsletter from We Are Unchained marketing.
In April I took part in an episode of Pass the Syrup – a podcast run by Ben Madden that will be airing soon.
I have also accepted three speaking engagements for Propertymark and spoke at the sold out South London Regional meeting in February in Battersea. There was around 120 people in attendance and my presentation Compliance: Focus on the positives to create a more productive and profitable business went down extremely well with the audience. Changing one’s mindset and making compliance an enabler for business rather than a restraining force clearly resonated.
I am speaking in North London on 30th April and in West London on 3rd September.
My work as a Director and Trustee at the Propertymark Trust continues to be rewarding as we step up the volumes of people we are able to help with hardship and educational grants.
I have been involved for a little over a year and the team has really raised the bar – revenues have risen significantly due to our core initiatives from sub £10,000 pa to over £250,000! This, of course, provides the funding for us to be able to do much more to assist those in the industry that need our help.
Our core fundraising comes from:
- Dormant client account funds that can be donated to charity
- Easyfunding – a shopping app that rewards the Trust every time you buy something
- Recycling ink cartridges
- Pure donations
There is more information on our website (a new site is currently being developed) at www.propertymark-trust.co.uk
I am also currently working with Chris Watkin, Kerrie Humphreys, Verona Frankish and Kirsty Franks at resurrecting the Agents Together charity which, having gained so much ground and done so much good work, sadly lost direction after the sad and untimely death of the inspirational and brave Sara Edmundson who lives on in the hearts of so many. Watch this space.
Michael S Day MBA FRICS FNAEA FARLA
