Q&A with Paul Shakeshaft, Head of Property Management at CERT
We chat to Paul Shakeshaft, Head of Property Management at CERT
Managing a widespread property portfolio traditionally meant juggling multiple agents, scattered communication and disjointed reporting. How does CERT’s unified management structure completely redefine this experience for landlords?
Absolutely — and this is exactly the problem we set out to solve. When a landlord is dealing with different agents for residential units, commercial spaces, industrial sites or leasehold blocks, the experience becomes fragmented very quickly. You’re chasing updates from three or four different people, reconciling multiple sets of accounts, and trying to make sense of inconsistent reporting. It’s inefficient, and for many portfolio owners, it becomes a full‐time job in itself.
CERT provides one point of contact for the entire portfolio, consolidating asset classes into a single, coordinated structure. Instead of navigating separate teams for compliance, maintenance, certifications, rent collection and service‐charge management, landlords work directly with one partner who handles the entire picture. It’s a model we’ve proven across the UK - from multi‐asset portfolios, to industrial estates, heritage commercial sites and large leasehold buildings.
The efficiencies are immediate. Landlords no longer spend time managing multiple relationships or chasing information. Communication becomes clearer and faster because everything flows through one channel. Reporting is unified, with one set of accounts and one monthly business review. And because we understand the leases, obligations and operational nuances across all sectors, we often uncover cost savings straight away - such as the £37k annual reduction we delivered at one of our client’s properties through forensic utility analysis. The result is a calmer, more controlled management experience where landlords have complete visibility and confidence that every detail is being handled properly.
While CERT operates on a nationwide scale, your roots are in Manchester city centre. How is your team structured to deliver proactive portfolio management across the North?
Our heritage began in the North, and we have leveraged that foundation to deliver high-performance management nationwide. Our team has built relationships with local agents, contractors and specialists across the country. That network gives us the on‐the‐ground insight needed to maximise returns, while our centralised management structure ensures consistency and accountability.
Our asset managers regularly travel to our nationwide locations - whether that’s a commercial estate in Liverpool, an industrial unit in Newcastle, or a residential development in Wales - to ensure every property is fully understood and optimised. We don’t rely on remote assumptions; we physically walk the buildings, meet the tenants, review the leases and assess the operational needs. That’s how we deliver the same high standard of service you’d expect from a London‐centric agency, but with the responsiveness, pragmatism and cost‐efficiency that we are known for.
And importantly, our clients don’t feel the distance - they benefit from a centralised management lead who brings clarity and consistency across all their assets, supported by a multidisciplinary team who understand the regulatory and operational nuances of each sector.
Your portfolio spans commercial estates, residential developments and industrial units. What type of expertise is required from your team to adapt to the demands of the three sectors?
The key is having genuine specialists in each discipline, but ensuring they operate within a culture of shared learning. Our commercial team understands complex service‐charge structures, lease events and major works programmes. Our residential team is fluent in compliance, tenancy management and new‐build mobilisation. Our industrial specialists know how to navigate higher‐risk uses, negotiate rent reviews and secure tailored insurance - as we did at a property, where we achieved an 87% cumulative rental uplift and sourced specialist cover for a waste‐recycling tenant.
But what sets CERT apart is that these teams don’t operate in silos. We train together, we review case studies together, and we celebrate wins together. Everyone understands the full property journey, which means our clients benefit from a joined‐up approach rather than a patchwork of disconnected expertise. It’s a culture that ensures exceptional customer service, and it allows us to adapt quickly to the evolving regulatory landscape across all sectors.
CERT emphasises making a lasting impact on the people who ‘live, work and play’ in your spaces. How does your community app enhance the lives of residents?
The CERT Life App is one of the most exciting parts of our service because it genuinely changes how residents experience their homes and workplaces. We designed it to attract and retain tenants, improve communication, and reduce operating costs — and it’s now used across residential, commercial and build‐to‐rent environments.
Residents can message their property manager directly, report maintenance issues, access tenancy documents, browse a real‐time newsfeed and even shop through our curated e‐commerce platform. We also partner with local businesses to offer exclusive CERT Picks — discounts and experiences that help build a sense of community.
For landlords, the benefits are just as significant. Push notifications allow us to communicate urgent updates instantly, reducing risk and improving responsiveness. In residential and commercial settings, the app acts as a digital concierge - enabling residents to book amenities, register for events, integrate with access control and even manage utilities through SMART meter upgrades. It reduces the need for costly on‐site personnel while elevating the resident experience.
Every CERT landlord receives access to this platform as part of our management service, and it’s become a key differentiator in how we deliver value, improve retention and enhance the lifestyle of the communities we manage.
You place a strong focus on creating sustainable optimisation across your portfolio. How does CERT integrate sustainable practices into the day-to-day operations without sacrificing commercial efficiency?
At CERT, sustainability isn’t treated as a separate initiative, it’s built directly into the way we operate our buildings every single day. Our focus is always on practical, data‐driven improvements that reduce environmental impact while strengthening the commercial performance of the asset. In our experience, those two goals are entirely complementary.
Across our portfolio, we continually assess building performance, energy usage and maintenance patterns to identify opportunities for improvement. Sometimes that means forensic reviews of utility provision, as we carried out at a property, where we delivered a £12k annual saving simply by correcting inefficiencies. Other times it involves implementing energy‐efficient upgrades, such as the LED programme that secured a further £25k reduction in operating costs.
SMART meter installations, which we’ve rolled out across several commercial sites, give tenants transparency over their consumption while enabling more accurate billing and better long‐term planning.
Because we manage all asset classes under one coordinated structure, we can integrate these sustainable practices seamlessly into day‐to‐day operations. Compliance, maintenance, lifecycle planning and energy optimisation all sit within the same management framework, which means landlords benefit from improvements that enhance sustainability while also reducing voids, lowering OPEX and increasing NOI. For us, sustainability is simply good asset management, and when done properly, it strengthens both environmental outcomes and commercial returns.
The UK regulatory landscape is ever changing and evolving, how does CERT alleviate the compliance burden for landlords?
Regulation is one of the areas where landlords feel the most pressure, especially when they’re managing multiple asset classes with different obligations. CERT removes that burden entirely by acting as the central compliance steward for the entire portfolio, absorbing the complexity of shifting regulations and ensuring every inspection, certification and obligation is managed seamlessly within our operational processes.
Our team monitors legislative changes daily - whether that’s updates to building safety, leasehold reform, commercial regulations or residential standards - and we integrate those requirements directly into our operational processes. Rather than landlords having to track multiple deadlines, inspections, certifications and service providers, we manage the entire compliance cycle on their behalf; from building safety management, to insurance oversight and emergency planning.
Because compliance is embedded into our everyday operations, we prevent issues before they arise. Our proactive management gives landlords complete confidence that their assets remain compliant, protected and professionally overseen - allowing them to focus on broader investment strategy rather than regulatory detail.
How does CERT build strong relationships with both landlords and occupants to ensure better tenant retention and smoother property performance?
Our relationships also come from being present with our teams regularly visiting sites, meeting tenants, understanding how spaces are used and responding quickly when issues arise. Whether it’s mobilising a building during a crisis, supporting a new commercial tenant through a fit‐out, or helping a resident navigate a tenancy change, we prioritise human connection. That combination of operational excellence and personal engagement is what keeps tenants happy, landlords reassured and properties performing at their best.
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