Premier Estates has announced that its founder and Chairman, Ben Jordan, is stepping away from the company after 27 years at the helm. Ben, who established Premier Estates in 1998, has played a pivotal role in the property management sector in the UK. The company will now be led by Managing Director, Lisa Fantom, who has worked alongside Ben since 2007.

Ben founded Premier Estates after leading a management buyout of the private property management department of the housing association where he was employed. Starting with just three employees managing 300 properties in Macclesfield, Ben grew Premier Estates into one of the UK's leading residential property management companies. Today, the business manages around 35,000 properties across England and Wales, supported by a team of over 220 people.

In 2021, Premier Estates became part of Odevo, the rapidly growing international property management group. The move provided the business with enhanced backing and access to leading-edge technology, compliance expertise and professional development opportunities, supporting its strategy of sustained growth.

Reflecting on his decision to step down, Ben Jordan said: “Starting Premier Estates was a career defining moment for me and watching it grow into a company that now looks after tens of thousands of homes has been incredibly rewarding. The time now feels right to move on and take some space to explore new opportunities. Customer service has always been at the heart of our business, and our reputation was built on doing the right thing and putting residents first. One of my greatest achievements has been building such a talented and dedicated team. I leave, confident that Premier Estates is in very capable hands, and I know Lisa and the management team will continue to uphold the values that have always been important.”

Ben has also been an influential voice in the wider property management industry. As Chairman of the Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA) in 2012, he was instrumental in the introduction of ARMA-Q, a pioneering self-regulatory accreditation scheme that raised standards across the sector. Today, ARMA has evolved into The Property Institute, continuing to advance professionalism in property management.

A qualified accountant, Lisa joined the business as Finance Director before stepping into the Managing Director role in 2018. During her tenure, she has overseen substantial growth and a widening geographical spread across the UK. The company manages a broad range of developments and property types including several large-scale, multi-phased schemes in London.

Lisa Fantom commented: “Ben was a big reason I joined Premier Estates - his passion and integrity have always been inspiring. He cares deeply about people, both the residents we serve and the team who deliver for them every day and that ethos remains at the heart of our business. As part of Odevo, we also have exciting opportunities ahead such as introducing market-leading technology through our sister company Dwellant. This sophisticated portal will give us increased transparency and better reporting for clients and residents. The combination of greater resources from being part of a larger group, combined with our personal, customer-first approach puts us in a strong position to continue growing and delivering exceptional service.”

Premier Estates' client base includes a mix of resident management companies, freeholders and many of the UK's leading housebuilders, including Barratt Homes, Taylor Wimpey, Berkeley Homes and Cala Homes. With a strong track record built on long-standing partnerships and recommendations, and the continued backing of Odevo, the company is well placed to capitalise on the growing opportunities in the sector.

ENDS