Planned Maintenance

A long-term partnership across nine years 
We were appointed by DWS through the entire lifecycle of two major office buildings in Cardiff, beginning with Technical Due Diligence for the acquisition in 2016 and culminating in their successful disposal in 2025. Over this nine-year period, Hollis delivered a wide range of services, all under one roof, demonstrating the value of a fully integrated consultancy approach.

Strategic support from acquisition to exit 
Our involvement began with technical due diligence during the acquisition phase. From there, we provided ongoing consultancy throughout the client’s ownership, including:

• Dilapidations and lease strategy: Settled a dilapidations claim on Building 4 to enable a short-term lease renewal. We then managed a complex strip-out project across three floors to support a rates mitigation strategy, working closely with the client’s ratings surveyor while maintaining tenant occupation on two floors.
• ESG and sustainability: Delivered EPCs and improvement reports, advised on MEES compliance and strategy, and prepared ESG due diligence reports for the vendor packs.
• Technical and operational services: Provided MEP engineering, vertical transportation consultancy, planned maintenance reviews, health and safety audits, measured surveys, and drone data capture.
• Tenant alterations: Provided technical advice in respect of tenant alterations and fit outs.   
• Planned Maintenance: Prepared a PPM for building 3. This allowed the client to get an understanding of the maintenance requirements over a 10-year period and set service charge budgets.  
   

A seamless disposal process 
In early 2025, we prepared comprehensive vendor TDD packs to support the sale of both buildings. The properties were successfully sold in October, marking the end of a strategic and collaborative journey.

Challenges and opportunities  
One of the most significant challenges was managing the strip-out of three floors in Building 4 while a tenant remained in occupation on two other floors. This required careful planning to maintain health and safety standards and minimise disruption. Shared M&E services added complexity, demanding precise coordination to avoid service interruptions.

The strip-out formed part of a rates mitigation strategy, which meant close collaboration with the client’s rating surveyor was essential. We worked proactively to ensure the scope and execution of the works met the client’s objectives for reducing rates liability on the vacated floors, while maintaining compliance and operational continuity for the occupied areas.

A showcase of multidisciplinary, in-house expertise 
This project exemplifies how Hollis can support clients across every stage of the property lifecycle. From acquisition to disposal, all services were delivered in-house, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and strategic alignment throughout.

M&G Real Estate was forward-funding a new 12-storey development in Leeds city centre and needed expert advice to inform decisions about continued funding. We were chosen to monitor the development and fit-out of the building, which combined retail units on the ground floor with 11 floors of office space.

We acted as Development Monitoring advisers, making regular site visits and acting as the client’s eyes and ears - highlighting risks and making recommendations for drawdowns. Timescales were challenging, not least because the anchor tenant, PwC, was due to leave its current premises before the site completion date.

Once the build was successfully complete, our Development Monitoring services extended seamlessly into Tenant Alterations, Planned Maintenance and Project Management. We monitored tenant works for progress and quality, particularly in protecting the building’s outstanding BREEAM rating. 

Works included the project management of a £500,000 Cat A office fit out as part of the final letting in the building and a feature sky garden scheme to level 09.

Hollis were appointed to prepare planned maintenance reports across a portfolio of Landsec assets in Central London, spanning office, leisure and retail uses. Our building surveyors, quantity surveyors and mechanical & electrical engineers work collaboratively to deliver detailed lifecycle and maintenance cost data, supporting Landsec workplace managers in planning annual service charge budgets and providing valuable portfolio cost efficiency insight. 

Our reporting includes annual reviews of cladding and curtain wall systems, identifying high-risk elements and their associated cost implications. Following a successful first year, our appointment has been extended on an annual basis to update cost data and reports, ensuring continued accuracy and long-term asset optimisation.

We were appointed by the Howard de Walden Estate to undertake planned maintenance surveys and associated reports/ schedules for its directly managed portfolio, comprising c.230 properties located in Marylebone, central London. The portfolio covers a range of use classes, in five key sectors of commercial office, retail, healthcare, residential and education.

The surveys sought to identify any immediate health and safety risks and repairs immediately required.

Whilst undertaking this work, we updated key portfolio asset management information to assist with preparation of service charge budgets and prioritising of cyclical maintenance works programmes over the next ten-year period.

Our appointment was subsequently extended to provide Project Management, Cost Management and Principal Designer services for identified implementation projects.