Christopher Hartshorn ~ Chartered Surveyor

Chris Hartshorn was articled to George W. M. Loveitt and started to learn the art and science of property in Coventry, Kenilworth and Royal Leamington Spa. He qualified as a Chartered Estate Agent/Auctioneer in 1966 and as a Chartered Surveyor in 1968. He subsequently worked for Coventry Corporation Estates Department and later the Birmingham office of what is now Lambert Smith Hampton.

Chris has been involved with properties of all shapes and sizes. He has dealt with letting and lease renewals of shops and offices in The Precinct, Coventry, Talisman Square, Kenilworth, and the sale and letting of many industrial properties across the Midlands. He worked on the valuation of the whole of Courtaulds’, then very extensive, portfolio of property holdings in the UK. At one stage in his career he became very involved with petrol stations and did much work for Esso Petroleum and Total Oil.

Together with his father, he arranged the move of his family’s firm Hammertons (Ribbon Dyers) from their premises in Much Park Street, Coventry, to a new factory which they built, off Charter Avenue. The firm had been on the Much Park Street site for many years, having been established in 1840. It was compulsorily acquired by the City Council and is now occupied by the new Severn Trent headquarters.

Chris has much experience in the residential sector, having carried out numerous mortgage valuations for Building Societies and Banks and many private surveys, often involving investigations of structural problems. He has a particular interest in old buildings and is a member of several Societies concerned with these. In addition Chris has supervised the refurbishment and alteration of many properties, including work for Sainsburys, built new houses, assembled development sites and generally rather enjoyed being in property.