Helen Gwilliam
Partner
I’ m a Partner in our Corporate Property Management team based in Milton Keynes. I have more than 25 years’ experience in the retail and leisure sectors and now focus on providing my clients with the services they require to manage their property portfolios including data management, landlord liaison, maximising sublet income, minimising costs via service charge challenging and ensuring that correct lease payments are made as well as identifying opportunities to enhance value.
Prior to specialising in the representation of corporate occupiers in all property management matters, I valued different types of leisure property ranging from racecourses to visitor attractions and from health clubs to marinas for different purposes including secured lending and rent reviews.
As an in-house estates manager I managed a portfolio of pubs with the role including negotiation of new leases, rent reviews and being responsible for the disposal programme. The key to each of those instructions was understanding the underlying business and its place within the leisure market.
My current role requires attention to detail, communication with in-house teams and other advisors as well as understanding each clients’ business and the business drivers.
Leading a team of surveyors, I’m responsible for the property management element of the wider WH Smith instruction to provide property services relating to the 615 High Street properties and I advise the owner of 37 Marriott Hotels on all property management matters including landlord and tenant issues raised across the estate.
MY RECENT PROJECTS
- WH Smith – I’m responsible for the ongoing review of rent and service charge funding requests and proposing amendments to ensure the database is up to date and reflecting all upcoming and recent new lease completions. Therefore, ensuring that correct sums are paid to the landlord. The number of errors which needed correction after year end for 2018/19 was 0.05% from over 8,200 payments.
- UCL – I was responsible for reviewing and challenging proposed service charge budget prior to acquisition of a new freehold site which will have services provided by adjoining owner. This resulted in significant restructuring of the service charge liability and reduction in future liability on service charge liability prior to acquisition of freehold with services being provided by a neighbouring site.
- Marriott Hotels – I advised on the subletting of the food and beverage operation to a branded restaurant operator to enhance the food offering for guests and reduce hotel overheads.
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