Proper Talk’s fifth outing on 30 January was another resounding success, drawing around 100 industry professionals together for a lively and thought-provoking panel discussion. The event kicked off in style, with attendees fuelling up on breakfast pastries before making their way into the plush Derby Suite at Manchester’s Midland Hotel for the main event.
Jack Seton, Head of FlatGuard, set the tone by "shining a spotlight" on the invaluable work that block managers and their suppliers do in our sector. With that, he handed the reins to Proper Talk’s ever-engaging and no-nonsense moderator, Jonathan Channing, who introduced the expert panel.
Taking their seats were Andrew Banister, Director at Earl Kendrick; John Batty, Director of Technical Services at Bridge Insurance; Polly Dyer, Property Director at Principle Estate Management; Andrew Rimmer, Solicitor at AMR Construction Law; and Peter Thomas of Intuety.io, an AI-powered tech platform. A powerhouse lineup, ready to tackle the weighty subjects of building safety and buildings insurance
With a particular focus on the intersection of these two critical areas, the discussion homed in on the skyrocketing insurance premiums and excesses that leaseholders in fire-affected blocks are currently shouldering. As ever with Proper Talk, the Chatham House Rule applied, ensuring candid, unfiltered conversation – something co-founder Jonathan Channing described as "encouraging honesty, candour, and a good dash of controversy."
Reflecting on Proper Talk’s evolution, co-founder Jack Seton noted, “I’m incredibly proud of how far we’ve come in just over a year. It already feels like a staple of our sector, and the feedback we receive after each event reaffirms its value. Managing agents often tell us they appreciate our deep dives into the real issues – particularly when we get technical, which is, of course, my favourite part, especially when it comes to buildings insurance.”
Bringing his expertise to the panel, Andrew Banister, Director of Earl Kendrick’s North and Midlands divisions, shared his insights on the Cladding Safety Scheme and the mounting pressures faced by the newly established Building Safety Regulator. Now a fully-fledged member of the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE), Andrew was keen to acknowledge the sector’s response to these challenges and the dedication of his own team. “The building safety landscape has evolved at breakneck speed since the Building Safety Act 2022 and related legislation came into play. I had to fast-track my fire safety knowledge, and I’m now proudly ‘AIFireE’. What’s particularly gratifying is that my team can directly support managing agents through multi-million-pound cladding remediation schemes. It was a privilege to share my knowledge and experiences at Proper Talk.”
Proper Talk is a joint venture between Bridge Insurance Brokers/FlatGuard, Earl Kendrick Project & Building Consultancy, and JC Property Consultancy. Browse the photos of the Manchester event here.
If you’d like to attend a future event (and why wouldn’t you?), reach out to Jonathan Channing at jonathan@jcpropertyconsultancy.com or connect via LinkedIn. See you at the next Proper Talk!
