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Concierge Services - Camilla Dell, Black Brick Property Solutions

Concierge services

Camilla Dell looks at why new developments with concierge services are the perfect choice for London living.

Concierge services are fairly common in residential developments in other parts of the world, particularly in the Middle East, United States, and Far East. Many major cities have residential accommodation linked to luxury hotels, where residents can make use of the hotel’s full concierge offering. We’re not quite there in London yet but developers are certainly recognising and reacting to the growing demand for this service, especially from well-travelled and foreign buyers who have come to expect it everywhere else in the world. In Central London nowadays, it would be very rare indeed to find a new development being built without a concierge service.

Over the past few years, developers have realized that real premiums can be charged for creating modern, purpose built, luxury apartment buildings offering a 24-hour concierge. You only have to look at developments such as Academy Gardens and The Knightsbridge to see how popular these types of developments are with foreign buyers, and how much of a premium they sell for as a result.

However, concierge services are not exclusively available at the very top end of the market. Mid-market new build developments often now incorporate some kind of concierge or porterage system, even if it is a 12-hour or 16-hour offering rather than 24-hour service that the very best developments provide. So what exactly does a concierge do? And why the demand?

Owners of second homes or pieds-a-terre in Central London, be they from overseas or based elsewhere in the UK, find particular comfort in the level of security that a concierge service provides for their home. The concierge effectively keeps an eye on your property while you are away, and in general keeps a check on who is entering the building throughout the day. On a practical level, the very best concierges can stock your fridge, turn on your heating before you return, water your plants and generally ‘keep house’ in your absence. For regular travellers this is understandably very appealing.

On a day-to-day basis, time poor professionals working in the capital can benefit hugely from the services on offer to residents - from organising laundry and dry cleaning, receiving and organising delivery of parcels, booking travel and theatre tickets, reserving restaurants and assisting with luggage, the concierge plays a major part in easing the stress and strain of the often hectic lifestyles of a building’s residents. They will often be incredibly knowledgeable about the local area and provide a ‘meet and greet’ service for visiting guests, which in itself provides a certain status to the building and the people who live there as it evokes the feel of a 5* hotel service.

In price terms, the cost of the concierge is reflected in the service charge, which is likely to be substantially higher than developments without one. If you’re buying a city centre new build property for investment, then buying in a concierge development is a must, as these will always sell better than those without. The very best concierge developments tend to be in prime areas such as Knightsbridge, Chelsea, Kensington, and Mayfair, where one can expect to pay anything upwards of £1million for a one-bedroom apartment, depending on the size. In The Knightsbridge, for example, a one-bedroom flat is currently being marketed at over £2million. More modest and affordable options can be found in up and coming areas within the capital such as Islington and Camden.

Camilla Dell

Camilla Dell is Managing Partner of Black Brick Property Solutions LLP. Black Brick is London’s leading independent buying consultancy, acting exclusively on behalf of buyers to source and secure the best property at the right price.

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