Beyond the Blind Spot: Uncovering the Strategic Value of Garage Assets
Fresh from Housing 2025, a clear evolution in asset management is underway. Social landlords are embracing smarter, data-led strategies, not just for homes, but for the wider estate environment. Yet amid this digital transformation, one type of asset continues to slip through the cracks: garages.
Hidden across estates nationwide, thousands of lock-up garages remain under-managed and underperforming. Rarely part of strategic asset plans or boardroom discussions, these assets offer secure, functional space and long-term revenue potential when managed well.
At Courtman & Co., we believe it’s time to bring these garages back into focus, not by replacing them, but by restoring them.
The Asset Blind Spot: What Gets Missed?
Walk through a typical estate, and the story is often the same: tired garage blocks with broken doors, water damage, and signs of long-standing neglect. Behind the scenes, issues often include:
- Incomplete or outdated condition surveys
- Data dump spreadsheets with poor standardisation
- Unclear ownership records and tenancy agreements
- Poor visibility into usage or rental patterns
- Missed revenue from voids or abandoned units
- Mounting maintenance and safety risk
- Security concerns and antisocial behaviour hotspots
These challenges aren’t just operational headaches; they’re strategic blind spots. Left unaddressed, they quietly become liabilities. With structured management and refurbishment, they can become valuable, functioning assets once again.
Data-Driven Garage Management
While digital transformation often focuses on homes, with smart meters and housing dashboards stealing the spotlight, the same principles can, and should, extend to garage stock. Structured condition surveys and digital asset registers form the foundation of effective asset management.
At Courtman & Co., we turn data into action. Not through gimmicks, but through grounded, professional management. Our service blends data with experience, using planned maintenance schedules, prioritised refurbishments, and practical block-level decisions to deliver real, measurable improvements. From inspection schedules to tenant liaison, we provide the day-to-day stewardship that turns neglected sites into safe, secure, and revenue-generating assets.
“Garage stock doesn’t have to be a blind spot. With the right data and direction, it becomes a reliable source of income, insight, and certainty.”
– Courtman & Co