Meet the Blue Door Property Guardian's Team

We thought it was about time to introduce you to the team behind Blue Door Property Guardians. It would only make sense to start right at the very top so let’s bring Janie Butler through the big blue doors… (can we have a round of applause please?)

Janie Butler, founder of Blue Door Property Guardians

Janie is the founder of Blue Door Property Guardians and the powerhouse woman who made this possible. After returning to the UK from an overseas appointment, Janie stumbled across ‘guardianship’ when she needed somewhere to live as her home was Let with an agency. Whilst giving the opportunity of standing in the shoes of a guardian a shot, Janie could only describe the experience as ‘underwhelming’ and knew there was a gap here for her to do something about it.

Janie put her best foot forward and made the (best!) decision to set up the type of company that provided everything both clients and guardians needed, which led her to build a professional, responsive, value added community model.

Here are some interesting facts about Janie:

• Raised in Cornwall in the UK

• A former UK and International Headteacher

• Has travelled the world

• Has completed the End-to-End (no mean feat!)

• Her hobby is Textile Design

• Favourite sweet treat? Liquorice

Next to take the doors by the handles is Tom West, a member of the team here at Blue Door Property Guardians who has a passion for spreading the benefits of a zero cost solution for vacant properties.

Tom West

In his current role at Blue Door Property Guardians, Tom feels as though he has found a match made in heaven through offering 24/7 zero cost niche property protection security solutions. He also takes great pleasure in having lots of ‘happy bunnies’ as customers.

He has the perfect tools of the trade to help him achieve these goals by working closely with Janie Butler, who he describes as “one of the best bosses” he has ever worked with, which allows him to bring his decades of experience working for a multitude of sectors to the company.

Tom has always liked sports whether it’s playing football, table-tennis, swimming or cycling and has ‘blue blood’ being a life-long Chelsea football fan. Don’t get him talking on this topic though, as he is forever reminiscing about the days when he used to watch his beloved Chelsea play, albeit 2nd division football for a grand total of around £1.00 per day out, which would include travel, admittance and a match programme.

Tom welcomes any enquiries from concerned property owners who are looking to secure their vacant property. You’ll have the chance to meet the legend himself, well virtually that is, as Tom regularly hosts webinars and online talks to chat through just how easy it is to secure your vacant property through Guardianship!

Last but certainly not least to ring the blue door buzzer is Martine Roake who, like Tom, has a passion for spreading the benefits of a zero cost solution for vacant properties.

Martine Roake

Martine is a born and bred Londoner who never tires of the concrete jungle that she lives in (with some very nice green spaces mixed in too!). She always finds something interesting on every street when she goes out from graffiti, to the shop windows, to the people who are going about their everyday business. Of course, she can’t forget looking up at the amazing buildings both old and new. Martine says that after such a challenging few years of covid and adapting to new ways of working and living in these times, you can see the landscape changing.

Martine says it feels good and productive to be able to help our key worker guardian community by providing affordable accommodation and security, and to breathe life back into empty and unloved commercial buildings, office spaces and vacant residential properties. Martine also states that it’s thanks to property owners who see the bigger picture of the social value and the positive impact guardianship can have in communities which is why she loves her job at Blue Door Property Guardians.

So what does Martine love to do when she’s not securing vacant properties?

Martine loves to drive. However she says nowadays she seems to spend most of her time being a taxi driver for her 9-year-old son, who has a better social life than her. Martine taught herself to wolf whistle at primary school and she often impresses friends when hailing a cab in town using her ‘skill’... Her son even recognises her when she is trying to get his attention if he takes off on his bike!

And there you have it, a quick whistle-stop tour of the engine behind the fabulous Blue Door Property Guardians group. They’re a friendly bunch and are always up for a chinwag, even if it’s just for some solid property advice. You can drop the team an email at admin@bluedoorpropertyguardians.co.uk, ring them on 02071174232, or simply send them a direct message on Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram.

Is becoming a property guardian in London worthwhile?

For young professionals, London is one of the most attractive cities in the UK, but it also has a high cost of living. London has one of the highest average rent expenses in the country, which can be intimidating and deterrent for those looking to make a living in the city. It can be complicated to consider if you are inexperienced with property guardianship and what it means to be a guardian, but Live-in Guardians provide a straightforward, innovative, and modern alternative to London living that is both safe and substantially less expensive than standard rents.

What should guardians consider before moving into a property?

So, what does it take to be a property guardian, and is it worthwhile? Property guardians are essentially live-in security and maintenance staff for business buildings that would otherwise be vacant. Squatters, vandals, and other criminals rarely target empty homes, therefore guards help to eliminate the chance of squatters, vandals, or other criminals attacking the property. If our guardians detect any security risks, we have a crew on standby 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to handle the situation securely so that our guardians don't have to. We never ask our guardians to endanger themselves!

The struggle continues for renters as they search for a place to call home

Property guardians also help property owners maintain their properties by keeping them clean, orderly, and well-maintained while they are living there. They notify our team of any problems, such as mould, moisture, or leaks, ensuring that these issues are remedied quickly and the property is kept in excellent shape. In a nutshell, commercial properties are preserved, maintained, and protected by Live-in Guardians.

How Much of your Salary Should you Spend on Rent?

What's in it for the guardians, though? Guardians have the privilege of residing in central London at a greatly reduced rent cost, which is a fraction of typical London rent prices, in exchange for performing crucial protective services. This allows young professionals to get a lot more out of their time in London without breaking the bank on rent. They also have the fascinating option to live in some genuinely unusual settings in the heart of London, like old pubs, office buildings, churches, and schools. Each Live-in Guardians property is completely remodelled on the interior to be completely safe, comfortable, and elegant, with all of the amenities you'd expect from a mainstream residential rental property.

Vacant Property Security Solutions – What are Your Options?

Finally, our guardians can take pleasure in becoming a part of a community. Many of our guardians develop tight-knit support groups and creative communities in the larger buildings safeguarded by Live-in Guardians, and many of our guardians form tight-knit support groups and creative communities. Our guardians are all young professionals in full-time jobs or mature students, and part of the attractiveness of being a guardian is being able to live with other like-minded people who have comparable life experiences. You could not only save hundreds of dollars on rent, but you could also meet some lifelong friends!

Vacant” vs “Unoccupied” Property – What’s the Difference?

Taking up the role of a property guardian in London is a secure, intelligent, and distinctive way to make the most of your professional life in the capital. We'd love to hear from you whether you're employed full-time or a mature student seeking for affordable London housing. If you think you've got what it takes to be a guardian, we'd love to hear from you.

Are Digital High-Speed Property Viewings the Future?

Ever been in this situation? You’re on the bus to a property viewing you arranged several days ago and have travelled over an hour to visit. Just as you approach your stop, your phone buzzes: the viewing has been cancelled.

Renting property in the UK is not like it used to be. In the past, adverts would be posted in newspapers and shop windows, with the process of filling a room often taking weeks or even months. Nowadays, it’s very common for a property to be listed online and filled within the hour.

We can pinpoint technology, the pandemic, the rising housing crisis, the economy and countless other factors as the cause for this change, but the real question is – what does this mean for renters? And where is this trend going?

Online Viewings – The New Normal

In 2020, no-one was legally allowed to enter another person’s home, meaning in-person viewings were temporarily suspended. Digital viewings had already been creeping in, but with this legal change, they quickly took to the mainstream. 

360 photography allowed prospective tenants to digitally “walk around” the property and even jump from room to room. Video tours, uploaded by agents, landlords or flatsharers created the opportunity for tours to be shared online between friends, partners and families for critical inspection. Like detectives, prospective renters and buyers would comb these videos for clues, to ascertain the suitability of the home they were latching themselves onto. 

Today, in-person viewings are back, but no longer a mandatory step in the renting/buying process. In fact, due to the hyper-competitive market in big cities, it’s common to put down a holding deposit on a property you’ve only ever seen online – thus beating the competition.

The practice is flawed, and it’s easy to dupe, mislead or obscure major flaws of a property when shown via online video. However, for some people, it’s simply the most convenient option. Viewings are often only available during normal working hours – making them difficult to view for most people that work a 9 to 5. For those moving from far away (including overseas), it’s a convenient way to secure a flat before you’ve arrived in the region.

How Can Online Viewings be Optimized?

If we are moving into a world in which renting (or even buying) without viewing is the norm – it’s essential that this is optimized. Many letting agents are already working on this, and here are some of the most effective and interesting innovations we’re seeing when it comes to online viewing technology:

VR:

Strutt & Parker are just one of several UK-based estate agents that are experimenting with Virtual Reality (VR) technology. More effective than a 3D-tour, by putting on a VR headset, users can actually step inside their future home, wander the halls and get an immediate sense of being inside. 

For those that have a headset at home, commuting long distances to property viewings may become something of the past. By simply slipping on the helmet, individuals can digitally transport to hundreds of dream homes, simply at the click of a button. For those that don’t have one – another option is an “appointment” service at their local estate agents – to browse properties digitally and complete a full day of personalised property viewings in a matter of minutes. Streamed onto a laptop or TV screen, it may even be possible for the agent to tour you through the property whilst you view it in VR, explaining its features and answering any questions you may have.

TikTok:

What... that app for Gen-Z to choreograph dance moves and lip synch to songs? Yep, that’s the one! In a bid to connect with a new generation of renters, companies like Purplebricks have taken to conducting high speed tours directly via the app. After conducting a survey,  Purplebricks discovered that it takes British adults an average of 25 seconds to deem whether they’re interested in a property, so they’ve set a 25-second limit on their high-speed tour clips.

Whilst some may find this style of viewings hopelessly fast-paced, it falls in line with the needs of a younger generation of renters, who like their online content short, fast and to the point. 

Viewings at Blue Door

Here at Blue Door, we maintain that all prospective Guardians have a right to view a property in person, in order to get the full viewing experience. This also means having the opportunity to meet your future housesharers (when applicable), to get a sense of the non-conventional buildings you will be inhabiting and get any questions you may have about the responsibilities of being a Guardian answered.

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Struggling to find an affordable property to rent? Why not consider signing up as a Property Guardian, saving approximately 50-60% on average market rent? Find out more, browse our available properties and register today: