CASE STUDY: HOTEL CHAIN THROUGHOUT THE UK

Introduction and Client Background

Our client owns a chain of hotels in City Centres throughout the UK. The buildings are primarily traditional, with many featuring historical and unique characteristics and ‘listed status’. To support their future property management strategy, our client sought to understand the properties’ current condition, anticipated costs, and any health and safety concerns or instances of non-compliance with statutory regulations. INform Surveying was appointed to conduct PPMs on 37 properties.

Objectives of the PPM Strategy

Our client aimed to obtain a thorough understanding of their properties’ conditions to improve building safety and compliance while allocating funds for repairs more effectively.

INform Surveying were commissioned to prepare PPMs over a reporting period of five years and to highlight immediate work, such as health and safety issues, or non-compliance matters. All facets of the fabric were inspected, including structural components and internal finishes. Budget costs were provided for each item, ensuring that expenses for maintenance and rectification of non-compliance issues were accounted for at each hotel. Inform Surveying created a master schedule listing all the properties, allowing for reviewing the total anticipated expenditure over the next five years. This enabled our client to seek appropriate funding, budget effectively, and implement risk mitigation and compliance management strategies.

PPM Strategy and Methodology

In close collaboration with our client, Inform Surveying proposed a format for the PPMs. A sample of four properties was completed for the client, enabling them to confirm their satisfaction with the format and presentation of the costs. Once the format was finalised, the remaining thirty-three properties were surveyed. A team of eight surveyors from Inform Surveying conducted the surveys. Over a two-month period, our team travelled from Aberdeen to Exeter and from Belfast to Brighton! Roofs were surveyed using drones, while tablets were utilised to record the findings.

Findings and Maintenance Actions

The surveys identified a lack of routine and preventative maintenance across the buildings. Several health and safety issues were flagged, enabling our client to take immediate corrective action. Critical roofing and structural defects, which were impacting guest experience, were highlighted, allowing for timely repairs to prevent potential revenue loss. The budget cost schedules provided a clear financial strategy, supporting the client in securing funding and implementing a structured preventative maintenance programme.

Outcome and Client Feedback

Inform Surveying presented our findings to our client’s board of directors, which provided an opportunity to discuss specific matters, such as repetitive issues, in more detail and understand where improvements could be made across portfolio management. The client was pleased with the results and expressed satisfaction with the exercise. The PPM reports enabled our client to secure funding and prioritise the work necessary to ensure long-term asset protection. 

Our client has appointed Inform Surveying as Project Managers for several maintenance projects resulting from the PPM surveys.

Conclusion: The Value of Planned Preventative Maintenance

A PPM can:

• Mitigate the risk of non-compliance
• Highlight health and safety concerns
• Assess service charge requirements and fulfil leaseholder obligations
• Maintain and enhance asset value
• Manage the lifespan of assets
• Extend the lifespan of materials
• Manage cash flow and budgets
• Reduce whole-life costs
• Minimise costs at the end of leases
• Prevent disruption to occupiers and loss of income
• Reduce expenditure by pursuing economies of scale
• Facilitate business planning

Contact INform Surveying for more information on how we can help you protect yourself with a bespoke PPM strategy.