Trust and Collaboration: ALEP and Kerry London share the secret of a successful partnership

A lot can change in ten years. In July 2011, David Cameron was leading the coalition government, One Direction was yet to reach the top of the singles chart and Fabio Capello was managing the England football team. 

Yet, throughout the monumental shifts that the last decade has seen in national life, the partnership between the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners (ALEP) and Lloyd’s accredited, independent insurance broker, Kerry London, has gone from strength to strength.

The Association now brings together more than 250 professional enfranchisement member firms, as well as offering a badge of assurance to members that gives confidence to leaseholders and freeholders seeking advice.

The partnership has evolved over the years, with the relationship between the two organisations growing ever closer. In recent years, Kerry London has not only been the main sponsor at ALEP’s conferences and lectures, but has also regularly attended and supported its networking events, such as the upcoming annual Golf Day and annual quiz.

Speaking about the secret behind the partnership’s success, Clare Grove, ALEP’s Communications and Marketing Manager, said: “The main reason that the partnership has been able to succeed over such a long period is the close ties between the organisations and the collaborative nature of our relationship.”

“Across the ten years, Kerry London has become more and more involved in our events and activities. This has allowed professional, as well as personal, relationships to blossom as the Kerry London team has become part of the ALEP family. We now welcome Kerry London representatives to all of our gatherings, whether they be supporting conferences, playing in golf days or donating raffle prizes.”

The collaboration between the two organisations can also be seen in the offers Kerry London has developed for ALEP members to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their partnership. The insurance broker has announced a range of bespoke services and a fast-track online insurance quote system targeted exclusively at ALEP’s solicitor and valuer members.

Dean Calaz, Regional Managing Director at Kerry London, explained: “The unique offers that Kerry London makes to ALEP members is just one example of the support the two organisations give to one another. The consistent communication between our senior teams has allowed us to understand our practices and offer support when it has been required most.

“As such, our partnership has continued to develop over the years. We have gone from solely offering professional support to looking forward to attending golf days and seasonal drinks parties that give us the chance to get to know all of ALEP’s members and build strong relationships with them as individuals.”

Clare added: “At the heart of the partnership is Kerry London’s understanding of the complexities of the enfranchisement process, which allows them to appreciate the intricacies of our members’ work. From this point of mutual interest, we have developed a strong  relationship that can adapt to suit the requirements of each group.”

Perhaps the greatest challenge for the partnership has come during the pandemic as both organisations have had to adjust to working remotely and have been unable to hold their regular in-person meetings.

Clare commented: “It is in times of adversity that partnerships are tested to the limit. Having a partner like Kerry London, with whom we have established links over a number of years, has allowed us to make the transition to virtual events and working much more easily, knowing that we can rely on their support.”

Dean concluded: “The success that the partnership has enjoyed in the past year alone shows the benefits of maintaining long-term business connections. Not only have we been able to offer each other advice on how to adapt to working through a pandemic, but we have continued to offer unique advantages to ALEP members to help them through this turbulent time.

“We are looking forward to continuing to support ALEP in the coming years and seeing how the partnership evolves as we both face the upcoming changes in the enfranchisement sector.”