FirstPort Reviews 

The manager at Kingston Lodge Gina is very hard working. She has made several improvements: Like providing security in the form of CCTV. Improvements to the external areas Like cleaning patios & planting flowers. Regular monitoring of bin areas. This has resulted in the sale of several empty flats. In addition she is kind. A resident

On the whole think First Port doing a good Job Sue always helpful to all the residents

Tim, you are always approachable, cheerful and helpful

If there were a score below 1, I would award it without hesitation.

I have become increasingly concerned about the way FirstPort operates, particularly in relation to the transparency and administration of service charges. I pay my annual maintenance charge promptly and without issue, yet throughout the year I regularly receive additional charges - sometimes two, three or more - which are often difficult, and in some cases seemingly impossible, to reconcile or justify.

Of particular concern is that some of these charges relate to periods when FirstPort were not even managing the site. This raises obvious questions about the basis on which these costs are being retrospectively attributed to residents.

When I attempt to query or challenge an additional charge, rather than receiving a straightforward explanation, a further £35 administration charge can be added. This is deeply frustrating and, in my view, creates an unreasonable barrier to residents who are simply trying to understand and verify what they are being billed for.

The communication systems are equally problematic. The online forum for submitting questions does not appear to function, while email addresses provided by FirstPort return messages indicating that the mailbox does not accept responses. Consequently, there appears to be no effective written channel through which residents can raise and resolve queries about additional charges.

The only remaining option is to telephone. This can involve waiting up to 30 minutes before a call is answered, after which assurances may be given - for example, that a £35 charge will be removed from the account - but these commitments do not appear to be translated into action.

There have also been instances where the Property Manager has expressly undertaken to respond to questions raised by residents, but no response has subsequently been received. This further undermines confidence that residents' concerns are being taken seriously or dealt with appropriately.

Taken as a whole, this represents an exceptionally poor standard of service. More importantly, it raises serious concerns about transparency, accountability and the administration of residents' money. When residents are repeatedly presented with additional charges that they cannot readily understand or verify, are then charged for attempting to query them, and have very limited means of obtaining a meaningful response, it is extremely difficult to have confidence in the integrity of the billing process.

I find the entire experience deeply disappointing and, frankly, troubling. I would strongly urge FirstPort to review its approach to additional service charges, provide clear and auditable explanations for all costs levied against residents, and establish a reliable and genuinely accessible method of communication for resolving queries.

Residents should not have to fight simply to understand what they are being charged for.

I have called several times about the same enquiry and gotten nowhere, however got through to Olivia O'Sullivan this morning who put in extra effort to get it sorted on the spot. So happy and really impressed with how kind and helpful she was!

My solicitor notified Property Transfer last August that a transfer of equity was done on the property and that one of the owners should be changed on the lease.

When I log into portal the name still shows the old owner so I don’t believe the ownership change was actually done!

I have sent five near identical cases over the year via the portal and every single time a few days after I raise it the case status says it has been resolved, the changes were not made on the portal and I have had zero communication on any of those cases if the ownership has been updated.

I have rang them in the past to resolve it for them to say “it has been escalated” but it never does. I am truly disappointed.

Bex has been with us for 5 months and I think she has settled in well. She is competent, approachable and friendly. She seems to get on with everybody. I hope she stays as manager for a long time.

Always professional, hard working @ the same time friendly

Bex is a very dependable manager, who takes her job very seriously.She keeps us all up to date with everything that is going on,and coming up, that affects our day to day living here. She listens to all our problems and soon gets things sorted with a confidence that assures us.

The relief manager Steve is doing a great job. He only comes for a few hours every week but everything gets sorted quickly.
He holds monthly meetings with residents and quickly provides minutes showing all the matters discussed with details of progress on outstanding items.
He is very aproachable and cheerful. A great asset to the location.

Always ready to listen and gets things done

Very good always gets things done, and a very pleasant person

The building is running well, I have to temper my reply with mercy , my standards are high. I am well aware you are running other buildings.
Thank you Steve.

Since you have been our Relief DM many of our problems have been resolved . You have always been approachable and help where you are able to.

Bex has been a breath of fresh air, always happy to help and is true to her word. Her confidentiality, compassion and courtesy are her strengths, she is a people person with the experience and want to problem solve. She greets you with a smile and makes a positive difference to our day.

James is always ready to help with a smile.

The property is well maintained and the grounds keeper is kind and helpful.

Andrea is an excellent manager
She is efficient, professional and thorough at all times and works to the book. In her approach to the residents and their families and other visitors she is consistent and treats everyone fairly . It has to be said that when necessary she stands no nonsense nor nastiness which I believe is overall.the best approach

Marian acts on requests from residents, in the general running of our home.
We see her at Wednesday morning coffee, where there is an interchange, between herself and the residents, working through topics/issues, to do with the building, or how things are done (refuse room usage, for example).

She's always been kind and fair to me, and doesn't mind my eccentricity, or however I come over.

No real complaints, thank you, well done.

Service charges way too high therefore unable to sell lease!!