History

The Allen Estate (Properties) Limited was established following the deaths of Derrick Allen and his sister Denise Sheehan who had been the primary co-ordinators of their families property interests started by their parents and previously held in partnerships with other family members for over 70 years. The company continues to be controlled and managed on a daily basis by second, third and fourth generation family members.

Our business is centred on the Hampshire coast at Lee-on-the-Solent, and extends west to Southampton, Eastleigh to the North and Cosham, Portsmouth to the East.

Lee-on-the-Solent is home to the airfield formerly known as HMS Daedalus initially in 1917 a  Royal Navy Air Service sea plane station, later one of the first concrete runway airfields. On 6 June 1944, at 0441 hours, the first allied aircraft to take part in Operation Overlord took off from HMS Daedalus and it became the busiest airfield on D-Day undertaking 435 sorties made up from the 875 Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and US Air Force aircraft based at the field. In 1962 it was the base of the joint services hovercraft evaluation unit The Hovercraft Museum remains at the site. The airfield now operates as a commercial airport including the busiest Maritime Search and Rescue helicopter unit in the United Kingdom. The site includes an adjacent enterprise zone and the CEMAST college that provides unique training for those engaged in maritime and aircraft engineering.

The family has long been community focused and has taken an interest in local communities with members having operated a number of local businesses including an RICS  surveying practice and an estate agency in addition to retail and craft activities trading from the High Street that has some 70 independent shops and businesses.

Current business

Continuing the family tradition The Allen Estate (Properties) Limited provides good quality homes at competitive rents to tenants and commercial premises to both new and established businesses. The company continues to purchase suitable properties for rental, builds new and develops, extends, refurbishes and converts existing premises as has always been the core of the family interests.

Residential properties offered for rent include one bedroom to four-bedroom self-contained flats and houses in convenient locations. As landlords, we invest in our properties and our tenants whom we encourage to treat and hold each property as their long-term home.

Commercial properties owned or managed by the company are diverse and include shops, restaurants, cafes, professional offices and consulting rooms, hairdressing salons, banks/building societies, artisan’s premises and funeral homes. Many commercial tenants have been at the core of their communities both supporting and supported by the local population for more than 20 years.

Commercial properties are generally leased for terms of 10 to 20 years with rents usually fixed for five years. The company frequently offers flexible terms to new businesses and certainty/continuity to established tenants.

Management

In addition to letting its own properties the company also manages Deesland Property Company Limited. This is another property rental and development business which has also been in the ownership of the family for over 60 years.

Although both The Allen Estate (Properties) Limited and Deesland Property Company Limited deal with both residential and commercial properties the main area of business of Deesland is the letting and development of smaller commercial units serving local communities.

Development

The company is actively seeking further property-based opportunities, particularly for residential development with a special emphasis on the provision of affordable homes for young professionals. The policy is to continuously acquire, upgrade and maintain modern energy efficient premises while continuing to maintain and support older properties, particularly in conservation areas. This means that some properties are held for sale whilst others for long term rental.

The company’s managers are members of the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) and the company is a member of the Property Redress Scheme.

Enquiries

Potential and existing tenants and those with properties for sale and development opportunities should first contact the company by email: management@theallenestate.org