< Go Back Denfords Property Management is 70! Posted: Nov 8, 2018In the Southern Property Times on the 29th July
1994 a profile publication featured a Southampton based, family run business,
surviving and developing in a changing industry. Unlike many of its
contemporaries that business continues to thrive, and this year Denfords
Property Management celebrates its 70th anniversary. The second
generation of this family, Roger Denford reflected on the journey that
the business has been on and the steps taken to remain a constant in the South
Coast property sector.
After serving in the RAF during the war, my father, Donald
Denford returned to Southampton and became a partner in Pring & Co. estate
agents, in Stag Gates House. In 1947 the senior partner in the firm decided to
sell out to Harrods of London. Mr Denford was against joining the London firm
and in 1948 he opened an office in The Inner Avenue, Southampton, trading as
Donald Denford F.A.I Auctioneer and Estate Agent. After several years of hard
work establishing the business, the firm moved, in 1955, to larger premises in
Cumberland Place.
Upon entering the work force I completed my training with a
firm of chartered surveyors in Fareham and when qualified I joined my father in
1960, when the business was renamed Donald Denford & Son.
In 1969, in order to gain a shop front and to compete with
other firms, it was decided to move to London Road. The firm continued to
prosper while I added surveying to the original core business and offices were
opened in Chandlers Ford, West End and North Baddesley and in 1980, my son Paul
joined the family business.
In 1990, at the grand age of 84 years, my father was persuaded
to retire, having spent over 60 years in the profession and in the business he
established.
In 2006 it was decided the time was right to adapt the
business model once more and sell the London Road premises and the Estate
Agency and residential letting side of the business to Goadsby , who were
looking to expand into the Southampton area. The block management side of
Denford's business having expanded rapidly under Paul's direction moved to
Millbrook Road East and was renamed Denfords Property Management, with Paul
Denford becoming the senior partner.
In 2016, I retired, having
been in the profession for 56 years. The firm has been in business for over 70
years under the control of three generations of the Denford family, always
being supported by loyal and experienced staff, many for a great number of
years.
Focusing solely on
residential block management, Denfords has
weathered the storm that other parts of the property sector did not encounter
so favourably. With no active marketing Denfords has grown organically
and local changes to the marketplace have seen the client base grow recently as
customers seek a friendly, personal service to protect their homes and their
investments.
Looking
to the future Paul Denford surmises that the residential leasehold sector
is currently in a state of major upheaval while the leasehold reform is
underway. As the government decides how to bring about much needed change
to the industry we will continue to apply the business principles initiated by
my grandfather in 1948 so that customers have a local service provider to turn
to for consistency in times of change.
