GSV1946 - Professional Property Estate Services

The Parliamentary Estate incorporates the Palace of Westminster (a Grade I Listed Building and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Portcullis House, Norman Shaw North (also Grade I Listed) and several other leased or owned buildings in Westminster.

The Estate comprises over 127,103 square metres (1,368,125 square foot) of net internal space excluding residential and is occupied by 650 MPs (with their own offices and staff) and 778 Lords (with their own offices and staff) and all the associated catering, maintenance and security support services to ensure the smooth running of Parliamentary business and the associated facilities.

The House of Commons employs approximately 1,800 staff and the House of Lords approximately 400 staff.

The Strategic Estates Team (SE) is responsible for the programming, planning and delivery of all construction and conservation work across the Parliamentary Estate, including asset planning, estate surveying, systems development, engineering, compliance, conservation and architectural services, and day-to-day real estate management for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

Over 400 are employed to oversee this work.

The Property Portfolio team within Strategic Estates is responsible for the acquisition and disposals of property, lease advisory, landlord and tenant matters, real estate management, managing and overseeing the real estate services contract, property budgeting and liaising with representatives from NEP and R&R and other Parliamentary stakeholders.

Legal advisors are contracted to deal with all property legal matters and liaise with the Property Portfolio team and its external real estate services supplier.

Property Portfolio updates the Office of Speaker's Counsel which gives (non-property) legal and legislative advice to Mr Speaker, the Clerks of the Houses and the Houses' departments and ensures that the unique legal status of Parliament is properly considered.

The work anticipated under this Professional Property Estate Services contract is any other remaining acquisition and disposal work, feasibility studies, landlord and tenant matters, lease advisory (mainly rent reviews), service charges, business rating, building surveying, dilapidations and limited advice on residential property.

Separate property surveyors are being appointed to advise on potential CPO work; however, the property estate supplier may be required to provide CPO compensation advice and negotiate settlements.

Over half of the House of Commons and House of Lords' estate will comprise refurbishment, modification or redevelopment projects within the next 10 years.

The refurbishment work together with business change could lead to further real estate feasibility (construction, refurbishment, redevelopment), due diligence and associated real estate transactions within the next 3-4 years in order to provide the necessary accommodation.

It should be noted that various proposed refurbishmen...