Meet Matt Kirk: the property director launching our Manchester office

This week we’re welcoming Matt Kirk to Principle as our new Property Director for the north west. Matt's appointment marks a significant step in our growth plans and the beginning of a new chapter for Principle in Manchester.

Matt brings more than 20 years of residential property management experience to the role, having spent the majority of his career at Rendall & Rittner, where he built and led the company's northern operation from the ground up.

He moved to Manchester in 2008 to open the company's northern office and from that standing start, he grew the operation to a portfolio of approximately 100 buildings and more than 60 members of staff. "When you do good work, it spreads quite quickly," says Matt. "Getting your name out and getting people to trust you is a challenge. But once you're off and running, it's hard work and good fun."

He joins Principle to take on a similar challenge to his time at Rendall & Rittner: building a northern team and portfolio that reflects the company's reputation for customer-focused property management.

Matt is qualified to MTPI and AssocRICS. He served as a council member of the Association of Residential Managing Agents (now The Property Institute) and as former Chair of its Technical Committee; a reflection of his commitment to raising standards across the profession.

Why he chose Principle

For Matt, the decision to join us came down to reputation and people.

"Principle has a strong reputation in the sector," he says. "They are known for being customer-focused with strong leadership. As an independent business they can be agile and tailor their services to client needs. Paired with my knowledge and experience, this provides a solid platform for me to drive growth in the north west and mirror my previous success."

The quality of our leadership was equally important to him. Matt was clear that he wanted to work for people he liked, trusted and respected, and that being able to genuinely believe in what he was offering clients would be fundamental to his success.

“Principle is a business that genuinely cares about the customer and the service it delivers. I was very impressed with Brett and Joe, and wanted to work for people I liked, trusted and respected. That was a key part of my decision to join.”

Matt joins our senior leadership team alongside other Property Directors: Polly Dyer, Patrick Ward, Rachael Hornby, and Lettings Director Lucy Roberts.

A city full of opportunity

Manchester was a natural choice for our northern base. The city's residential market has grown significantly in recent years, with a surge in high-quality city centre development creating real demand for expertly managed schemes.

Our Joint Managing Director Joe Jobson comments: "Manchester has outstanding buildings, a growing residential market and real opportunities to make a difference for clients and residents. Taking office space in central Manchester puts us right at the heart of that, and we have ambitious targets for the region."

Managing Director Brett Williams added: "I have known Matt for many years and have always been impressed by his success in the north. He has an excellent reputation and exactly the right experience to lead our expansion."

Getting the fundamentals right

Matt's approach to property management is grounded in a straightforward belief: that the fundamentals matter equally, regardless of the size or type of scheme.

"Whether you are managing eight flats in Wigan or 200 flats in the middle of Manchester, the fundamentals are the same," he says. "People want their homes to be well looked after, safe, secure and clean with a fair and transparent service charge."

His remit spans all property types, from suburban estates to city centre high-rise blocks, with a focus on building a northern team and portfolio that reflects our values from the ground up.

Investing in people

For Matt, growing a business and developing a team are inseparable. One of his most consistent motivations throughout his career has been bringing on junior colleagues and helping them build their careers and the opportunity to do that again from scratch in the north was a significant part of what attracted him to Principle.

"One of the things that motivates me is helping people develop and grow into their careers," he says. "Building a team in the north is one of the most exciting parts of this role."

Matt is based at our new office in central Manchester, with regular time spent at our Birmingham headquarters as he settles into the role. We're very glad to have him on board.