Our beginnings
We were founded in 2000 by Managing Director, Mark Seaborn – an experienced and respected senior executive working in the housing sector.
Mark set up Pennington Choices to provide housing providers with housing consultancy, building and quantity surveying and asset management services.
Key milestones
• In 2005 we acquired WMP Services and W Musker & Partners to provide gas quality auditing (inspecting the management and compliance arrangements property providers have in place in respect of gas appliance testing).
• In 2008, following new legislation, we launched our Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and Green Deal offering.
• In 2009 we achieved our NICEIC registration for electric auditing.
• In 2010 we acquired Invicta, an asbestos services company based in Bromley. The benefit was two-fold: we added asbestos services to our offering, including asbestos sampling undertaken by the on-site laboratory, and provided a London base in order to build on our Southern relationships.
• In 2015 we moved our Head Office to our current home in Warrington to provide sufficient space for our expanding team.
• In 2016 we opened our second asbestos sampling laboratory in Warrington.
• In January 2018 we were awarded a one star 'One to Watch' accreditation by Best Companies.
• In June 2018 we were awarded 'Employer of the Year' at the Warrington Business Awards.
• In September 2018 we acquired Clearwater Environmental Ltd, an asbestos surveying and consultancy business based in Welwyn Garden City, which further expanded our presence and service offering within the market.
• In November 2018 we were awarded 'Employer of the Year' at the Bromley Business Awards.
• In February 2019 we were awarded a two star accreditation by Best Companies and were announced as the 9th Best Company to work for in the North-West.
• In March 2019, we acquired Sheffield-based Auburn Ainsley, a company with vast experience and reach within the NHS and healthcare. This is an important step towards the business's plans for diversification.
Where we are now
We remain committed to our mission of supporting people, driving compliance and enhancing property and have celebrated our 19th year of delivering high quality technical and professional property-related services to clients from a range of sectors.
We remain attentive to the housing sector and understand first-hand the political and economic pressures facing Registered Providers (RPs). For many RPs we have become their “critical friend” advising, guiding and supporting them with their property and organisational needs.
In addition, we continue to see expansion into our other sectors and enjoy the diversity of our clients which includes:
What does the future hold?
We have ambitious plans in place to further grow and develop the services we offer to our clients. Critical to this is remaining true to our promises of being, exceptional, trusted and expert.
Want to be part of our future?
Our team of talented people are passionate about property. We employ people from a range of technical and professional backgrounds, both from the public and private sectors. Find out more.
Meet mark
Mark Seaborn
Managing Director
Mark Seaborn
Managing Director
Qualifications
- PG Diploma Business Administration
- BSc (Hons) Environmental Health
- Corporate Member of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health
- Leadership learning programme
Mark is the Managing Director of Pennington Choices and its subsidiary Auburn Ainsley, a company he set up in 2000 to take a multi-disciplinary approach to property related services nationally to the public and private sectors.
Mark has 28 years’ experience of providing services to local authorities and social landlords and six years’ experience as an employee within local authorities and housing associations. In addition Mark is currently a non-executive director of the trading subsidiary of Warrington Disability Partnership and has previously been a housing association board member.
Mark leads on the development of Pennington Choices as a business, with a strong focus on championing our approach to being a great place to work so that we can recruit and retain the very best people talent so we can deliver exceptional outcomes for our clients. Leading our growth agenda, listening and understanding clients and their needs while helping colleagues to develop, progress and become the best version of themselves possible makes up the core of Mark’s role. Mark has a strong consultancy pedigree and as such spends some of his time working as part of our consultancy team, providing help to clients around subjects such as housing finance, option appraisals, development, organisational strategy, leadership and change management.