Tom Lefek

An independent Building Surveyor & RICS Registered Valuer with an interest in building surveying, conservation and sustainability catering for clients across Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire and the Cotswolds.

I specialise in residential and commercial properties, both historic and modern, traditional and some non-traditional constructions and I like helping people.

I have been working on and completed several projects with end client including establishments such us Wychavon District Council, Worcester City Council, Birmingham City Council or Defence Infrastructure Organisation (Ministry of Defence). Type of works included:

• Condition Surveys
• Building Surveys
• Planned Preventative Maintenance
• Schedule of Conditions and Dilapidations

Type of buildings I have been working on over the years is vast and offers wide range, which allowed me to have not only greater understanding of building structures, they construction details and defects their face but also what purpose they serve and how to preserve them. Some properties I have been trusted with included:

• Schools and nurseries
• Worcester City Council buildings
• Alexander Stadium in Birmingham
• Buildings and assets of Ministry of Defence
• Night Shelters, Hostels buildings and Residential Caretaker's dwellings
• Multistorey carparks, office buildings
• and many more.

In my residential line of work I have been primarily concentrating on pre-purchase surveys for many different type of properties, clients and purposes. I also offer defect investigation surveys, drone surveys, private valuations and I have very good understanding of damp and moisture problems in a property. Some of my Clients are disabled, some are investors and some are landlords. I have been surveying rental properties, Houses in Multiple Occupation or properties that intended purpose is Holiday Let.

Working for a busy independent Chartered Surveying practice and offering professional building surveys, homebuyer reports and private Red Book valuations service.

My area of expertise and experience covers modern and historic, listed and non-listed buildings, traditional and non-traditional constructions across Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire.

Working for one of the most respected independent practice of Chartered Surveyors founded in 1992. Offering professional building surveys and valuation services making sure you purchase an asset, not a liability and pay the right money for it.

My area of expertise and experience covers the following areas:
- Level 2 (HomeBuyer Surveys) & Level 3 (Building Surveys)
- Secured Lending Valuations of all residential properties types including HMO valuations
- Red Book Valuations (i.e.: valuations for Housing Associations or Help To Buy)
I have experience surveying the following types of residential property:
- traditional and non-traditional buildings
- framed structures and modern methods of constructions (MMCs)
- new builds and historic listed buildings

My area of local knowledge and experience stretches from idyllic isolated rural locations of the Cotswolds to sophisticated and complex urban streets of Birmingham.

PROPEGO has been established as a Personal Agent service. My ambition was to reinvent Estate Agency and to bring back a good name to it by combining local knowledge and values of high street agents with the use of modern technology being driven by customers’ satisfaction, performance and results. The same values I have been upholding my whole life.

Part of my line of work was property management and property investing, working closely with investors and offering on hand property management for both residential and commercial properties. My exceptional knowledge of Landlord and Tenant matters helped me to be able to navigate across the complex sets of legal framework a be able to problem solve much efficiently protecting interest of my Clients, while offering safe and compliant homes to Tenants.

I also worked on a consultancy basis with other Estate Agents and businesses in areas such as performance, training/coaching, processes and compliance or by offering white-label service solutions.

Main responsibilities included:
- Business Development
- People and Performance Management
- Writing and Implementing Company's Procedures
- Providing Training
- Compliance Management
- Financial Control
- Marketing

I was heading the lettings department for the local independent market leader with full accountability for results and people whilst advancing the service standards and abiding by the industry code of practice and statutory legislation.

I have built the whole lettings department from scratch and grew property management portfolio tripling the turnover. I was responsible for training and getting the best out of my team for which we have been rewarded the Best Lettings Agency in the Midlands and two of my Negotiators have been recognised and shortlisted out of 500 in the whole country. One of them won the Best Lettings Negotiator award. As a proud Fellow member of ARLA myself, we have joined the association and I was also responsible for accounts and audits.

My biggest success story, apart of running successfully busy Lettings Department and achieving the awards for the business and my team winning, was protecting my Landlord Client who was based abroad. There was a frivolous legal claim brought against them that included expert witness work, defects investigation and analysis and wealthy Tenant. My Client was quoted from defence solicitor £150 per hour and could not afford it. I am not claiming here I am as good as solicitor, but my good understanding of Landlord & Tenant matters, legal requirements, property construction with its infrastructure and services enable me to provide report that lead to frustrating their claim, and defending expert witness report.

- Managed a portfolio of over 150 residential properties (Housing / Non-Housing Act tenancies and HMOs)
- Dealt with maintenance & repairs
- Provided exceptional customer service to Landlords and Tenants
- Credit checked & referenced prospective Tenants
- Involved with:
- Client Interface

- Credit Control
- Tenancy Variations
- Processed renewals and served legal notices
- Managed compliance (with relevant land law legislation and processes involving: EPCs, gas safety certificates, deposits, tenancy agreements and other contractually binding documents)
- Provided training to employees
- Assisted with writing company's procedures

I have started as a Customer Consultant where I had to use my sales skills to be able to bring brand new business to the Company. I had always achieved and often exceeded my targets. As a Team Leader I had to prove exceptional organisational and interpersonal skills managing and training a team of 5 and delivering outstanding KPI's.
I have learned how Lettings Agency operates and I built up my knowledge in areas like telephone techniques, sales and negotiation, property law, problem solving, leadership, office management, performance management and DPA, FCA, HASAWA compliance.
I completed final Level 4 Award in Residential Lettings and Property Management in May 2014. As part of this course I have passed Level 4 Advanced Office Management unit proving my knowledge in areas like analysing and improving finance performance, budgeting, management of conflicts and complaints, recruitment and employment, HR, Equality Act compliance and performance management.

- Provided advice and guidance to investors
- Prepared markets analysis for key customers
- Diversified and managed risk on the domestic market
- Prepared and delivered training about investing and stock markets to external customers
- Developed relationship building and communication skills.
- Identified customer requirements.
- Developed presentation skills.
- Successfully handled customer concerns and objections
- Acted as an ambassador for Beskidzki Dom Maklerski S.A.

I was responsible for organising promotional events and training for the Company’s prospective clients nationwide. My work involved understanding customer requirements, presenting the entire BDM’s range of services, acquiring new clients and preparing the market analysis.
I am also an active financial markets trader since 2006.

- Designed and implemented office policies
- Established standards and procedures
- Organized office operations and procedures, including ISO 9001 standards
- Worked unsupervised
- Prepared timesheets
- Controlled correspondences
- Liaised with other departments, organizations and groups including President of the City Council and County Court
- Maintained office equipment
- Ensured protection and security of files and records
- Ensured effective transfer of files and records
- Transferred and disposed of records according to retention schedules and policies
- Ensured personnel information correctness on files and managed their security
- Checked stock to determine inventory levels
- Anticipated needed supplies
- Submitted claims & took care of all law cases
- General office administration including copying, typing & audio-typing.
- Human Resources Management including maintaining attendance lists, holidays, sick-leaves
- Prepared legal opinions and contracts under solicitors supervision

I have started as an apprentice in the Education Department but as a Law Student, I have been offered to complete my apprenticeship in the Law Department. Upon its completion, I have been offered a full-time position in a capacity of an Office Manager.