Today marks 500 days since property management company FirstPort, one of the UK's largest property management firms, began what should have been a routine handover of accounts after losing their contract to manage 21 residential areas for Birmingham's historic Calthorpe Estate. The process should have taken just 90 days under industry standards, but has instead become an enduring nightmare for over 1,000 Birmingham residents, with hundreds of thousands of pounds tied up and basic services compromised.

Birmingham Edgbaston MP Preet Kaur Gill is demanding immediate action, describing the situation as "a textbook case of corporate irresponsibility" that demonstrates why it’s time to introduce statutory regulation of property management companies.

The Numbers

• 500 days since the handover process began

• 90 days is the industry standard for account transfers

• Hundreds of thousands of pounds in residents' funds tied up

• 1,000+ Birmingham residents affected across 21 developments

• Only 5 of 21 accounts properly handed over as of July 2025

• 3 months FirstPort was suspended by its own trade body, but then quietly reinstated

A Pattern of Broken Promises

The timeline reveals a company repeatedly making commitments it fails to keep:

• April 2024: FirstPort contract ended and handover process begins

• June 2024: 90 day deadline missed

• January 2025: New deadlines set and missed

• May 2025: FirstPort promises completion "in the coming fortnight"

• August 2025: Still only 5 of 21 accounts properly transferred

Preet Kaur Gill MP said: "500 days ago, FirstPort began what should have been a simple 90-day process. Instead, my constituents have endured over a year of uncertainty, delayed payments, and broken promises. While FirstPort was quietly readmitted to their trade body after a brief suspension, residents are still waiting for basic accountability."

"Every day that passes represents another day that residents' money is tied up and their services compromised. These are real families paying significant service charges but unable to receive the standard of service they deserve because FirstPort refuses to do its job properly."

A Case Study for Reform

The MP is highlighting how the FirstPort case demonstrates the urgent need for the property management reforms currently being consulted on by government, including mandatory professional qualifications for managing agents and stronger accountability measures.

"This case perfectly illustrates why the government's current consultation on regulating property managing agents is so vital," said Preet Kaur Gill. "We have a major company that has been suspended by its own trade body, before being quietly readmitted, and now residents are still waiting over 500 days for basic accountability. The voluntary self-regulation system simply isn't working.

"The government's plans for mandatory professional qualifications and stronger oversight cannot come soon enough. Cases like this show why we need enforceable standards with real teeth."

The prolonged handover has had real consequences for residents across Edgbaston's historic Calthorpe Estate, with the new managing agent Principle Estate Management hampered without balanced accounts. The new agent has had to collect missing invoices themselves in many cases.

The consultation on strengthening managing agent regulation closes on 26 September 2025. Anyone who would like to make a submission can do so here.

FirstPort's Track Record

This latest controversy adds to FirstPort's troubled history, which has drawn sustained criticism from residents, MPs, and regulatory bodies. The company manages over 6,000 developments for more than one million people across England, Wales and Scotland, making the implications of poor practice far-reaching:

• A bid-rigging scandal under its former name Peverel that systematically overcharged elderly residents

• Multiple allegations of excessive fees and poor service across developments nationwide

• Being suspended by The Property Institute for three months in 2024 - an extremely rare disciplinary action for such a major company

• Widespread complaints from MPs across party lines about the company's treatment of leaseholders and managing practices

The company has faced mounting pressure from parliamentary committees, with cross-party groups of MPs raising concerns about its practices and calling for stronger oversight of the property management sector.

Next Steps

Preet Kaur Gill has:

• Raised the case directly with The Property Institute's leadership

• Called for FirstPort's readmission to be reviewed

• Prepared evidence from the case to feed into the government's consultation on managing agent regulation

"My constituents have waited 500 days for what should have been resolved in three months. This is simply unacceptable. This case shows exactly why the government's consultation on regulating managing agents is so important. We need these reforms implemented swiftly to ensure no other community has to endure what my constituents have faced.

"I would encourage any residents affected by this case, or facing similar issues with any property management company, to contact my office and consider contributing to the open consultation. I am very willing to help and would be interested to hear from anyone experiencing these kinds of problems."