Corporate Services
China Desk
Head of China Desk - Penny Cheung
With a degree in Hospitality Management, Penny spent 10 years working for world renowned Mandarin Oriental Hotels. Joining Benham and Reeves in 2011, Penny worked as a Client Manager before becoming a Director of the Hong Kong office. Penny has now been promoted to Head of China Desk to look after our Hong Kong and China based clients. Penny uses her extensive London property expertise to assist Chinese investors with a one- stop service, from advice on London property investment to leasing and property management. Fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin and English, with her wealth of business and cultural knowledge, Penny works tirelessly for clients ensuring the best possible outcome is achieved.
Zhou is an enthusiastic member of the China Desk property management team currently responsible for new build properties belonging to our growing base of Chinese landlords. He also looks after all maintenance issues and liaises with contractors to ensure our Chinese tenants have a good experience. A native Chinese speaker, Zhou has an undergraduate degree and Masters in Law which comes in handy for his role that requires attention to detail and good negotiation skills. In his spare time, Zhou unwinds at the gym, likes swimming and table tennis.
London rental market update – March 2020
China – comment by Marc von Grundherr
Coronavirus dampens Chinese investor demand for London property
Chinese investors continue to show interest in buying London property although clearly coronavirus and the current restrictions on travel are having an impact on enquiries. With many Chinese not able to obtain a visa at the moment, investors are unable to visit the UK in person, so enquiries are coming in online and via our Shanghai branch but we expect demand to be slower than usual until the outbreak ends and the situation improves.
Rental demand from Chinese professionals is also being affected and we are seeing a downturn in the number of new applicants moving to London. We are however carrying out regular viewings remotely by video in preparation for when restrictions are lifted. Summer and autumn are the busiest times when it comes to rental demand from students who make up a significant proportion of applicants so this slowdown in rental enquiries is only having limited impact as we are not yet near this peak season. Our Asian landlords understand current difficulties though and realise that properties may take longer to rent at the moment due to fewer applicants coming to the UK from Asia.
Benham and Reeves 蓓司商务咨询（上海）有限公司 China Desk consists of a team of Chinese speaking staff, whose focus is on fulfilling the accommodation requirements of Chinese HR departments and the workforce they represent.
Several unique benefits allow our China Desk to stand out from our competitors:
- We concentrate on lettings which means that all our energies are directed towards helping tenants find the right home and settle in.
- Our service is professional, highly personalised and geared towards making the lettings process as simple as possible.
- We manage two thirds of the properties that pass through our hands, enabling us to promptly detect and solve any maintenance issues.
- We ensure hassle free tenancies by acting in an intermediary capacity for even non-managed properties.
- Established connections with London’s top developers provide the pick of London’s best new property developments.
- A network of 18 branches gives us full coverage of the London rentals market.
- Every phase of the rental process is covered by our One Stop Service. Consisting of ten key advice points, this covers optimum locations (including commuter and school-run distances); accompanied viewings; tenancy issues and deposit recovery.
One Stop 10 point plan
You are assigned a dedicated account manager as your main point of contact right from the start who will walk you through the entire process.
Some important parameters (company and employee) will need to be set before arrival in London, including:
- Location
- Property type
- Budget requirements
- Commuter times
- School preferences, local amenities, transport connections.
Using the above criteria, we will narrow our search and provide a list of suitable easy- to-reach properties for viewing. We will then escort you to the viewings as we can then also point out key amenities and transport hubs.
After a property has been chosen, we will negotiate the best terms, ensuring that all the specific company requirements are fully met.
We will then subsequently draw up the tenancy agreement (or, if required, use the pre-existing company document), register the deposit with an appropriate scheme if the tenancy is in the employee’s name and complete all other necessary documentation required under UK law.
We can assist with certain mundane, yet unavoidable tasks such as inventory checks and the management of utilities prior to moving in. Electric, gas and Council Tax accounts can be set up and appliance instructions supplied.
A fully managed property ensures that maintenance issues are kept to a minimum and that tenancies are problem-free. Two thirds of our properties have opted for this service.
Your dedicated account manager is just phone call or email away.
As their tenancy period comes to an end, a good number of our corporate clients choose to renew their agreements. We will be on hand to negotiate a new contract or, if required, to acquire a new rental property on your behalf.
When a tenancy does come to an end, we are on hand to recommend professional cleaners and, if required, to attend any inventory checks.
A smooth end to a tenancy agreement is in everyone’s best interest, so after the inventory check-out is complete, we will ensure that any reasonable deductions are made by the landlord with a view to returning your deposit as soon as possible.
Additional Services For Corporate HR Departments
We offer a choice of additional resources for HR professionals including:
- Regular meetings with a view to keeping companies fully briefed on market trends and how they can keep their rents in line with any variations.
- Guided tours of selected new developments and other properties in our portfolio.
We strongly feel that the best business outcomes are based on established partnerships and with this in mind, we continually strive to give the best long-term advice and assistance attainable.
London’s latest developments
375 Kensington High Street, W14
The red brick elegance of the roads that lead off High Street Kensington make this area one of the most desirable rental locations in London. Any new property development around these parts will definitely need to have something special going for it.
...moreKensington branch 020 7938 3522
Dickens Yard, W5
This new residential development from St George plc offers a fantastic lifestyle, with high spec apartments, many with their own terrace or balcony and great facilities including a private residents' spa, 24 hour concierge service and managed underground parking.
...moreEaling branch 020 8280 0140
Fitzroy Place, W1
It is hard to think of any apartments to let in London that are located in a more convenient spot than Fitzroy Place, an ideal base for both the corporate professional and the media creative.
...moreHyde Park branch 020 7402 9866
Fulham Reach, W6
Situated on an idyllic stretch of the Thames at the Fulham end of Hammersmith, the Fulham Reach property development has become part of a dramatically reshaped West London skyline.
...moreHammersmith branch 020 8600 0960
Goodman's Fields, E1
The architecture of the City of London continues to evolve at a thrilling pace and Goodman's Fields, E1 is one of its latest additions.
...moreWapping branch 020 7680 8900
Kew Bridge, TW8
The Kew Bridge development offers a selection of luxury apartments that blends seamlessly into the river frontage and treats tenants to spectacular maritime views. The development is neighboured by fashionable Richmond with its notable park and riverside locations that also provide fine dining and shopping experiences.
...moreKew branch 020 8326 1960
London Dock, E1W
A base for unloading valuable commodities is now a bespoke accommodation choice for City professionals looking to rent in East London.
...moreWapping branch 020 7680 8900
Nine Elms Point, SW8
The strategic positioning of Nine Elms Point will be of particular interest to the ever-growing corporate workforce looking for accommodation to rent in London.
...moreNine Elms branch 020 3282 3700
One Tower Bridge, SE1
London Bridge has become a magnet to corporate professionals and One Tower Bridge is high on their list of desirable rental properties. In order to enjoy the finer things in life, City workers are looking to cut their commuting times to the absolute minimum - so an apartment in SE1 makes perfect sense.
...moreWapping branch 020 7680 8900
Sovereign Court, W6
Hammersmith has always been high on the list for renters who want to get into central London quickly and be able to reach check-in at Heathrow Airport in under 20 minutes, and new property developments such as Sovereign Court provides a great option.
...moreHammersmith branch 020 8600 0960