Staff Spotlight: Kris Sparrow
Since the beginning of ideal, how many landlords/houses do you manage?
We manage getting towards 50 HMO’s and 20 SA units, with landlords choosing to stay with us for several years now and continuing!
What made you decide to create Ideal?
I created ideal as a mechanism to bring people together. I had come out of a relationship at the time and didn’t have so many friends around. I wanted to create a network of likeminded people with my mechanism of shared housing for young professionals in Didsbury.
What values do we want to instil in your employees?
Loyalty, getting enjoyment in the day to day activities of the job. Staying motivated and hungry.
Where do you see the company in 5 years’ time?
We have recently rebranded as Ideal Property Group. We are positioning ourselves to buy properties now and encouraging a more complete journey for our investors, whereby we actually source the opportunities we go on to manage. I see us as maintaining our position of market leader for young professional HMO and rapidly expanding both our Serviced Accommodation and Investment arms.
Do you have an examples of where you have successfully overcame an issue in the most efficient way?
COVID is the obvious answer. Our mantra was to retain as many clients as possible by really going above and beyond to look after people’s mental health. We adapted as a business to offer comprehensive video viewings and more contactless methods of management. We protected our landlords and got through the crisis as a unit.
What makes your company supersede that of your average property management firm?
To quote Hayley from our post COVID staff feedback session. I don’t think there is another property management company in the city (perhaps even the country) that looked after people like we did during that time. It’s not a gimmick either. This is something fundamental to the brand at its very core. We are serious business people but with an edge of caring, community and fun, and that will never change as long as I am in charge.
