If you’d met Ben Ababio-Danso as a young law student, you’d have found a man driven by the prospect of earning a six-figure salary at a top law firm.
‘Before I joined Cromwood, I was working as a solicitor in private practice and was financially motivated,’ he explains. ‘I had a narrow view of what I wanted to do.’
He’d qualified as a solicitor in 2019 and was focused on achieving his dream when an opportunity arose to work in-house at Cromwood. He’d always wanted to work for an organisation where he could get to know the clientele and work in a structured way to achieve fixed objectives, and so he jumped at the chance not realising how much it would change him.
‘When I joined Cromwood my motivation changed. The most rewarding part is that we are making a massive difference by providing housing at below market rents to rough sleepers, homeless people, people experiencing domestic violence. It’s fulfilling to know that your hard work has resulted in a place called home or a place of refuge. I’m happy with the impact I’m able to make on people’s lives.’
Ben’s focus is now on prosperity in its original sense – the idea of doing something good that helps others to thrive.
At Cromwood, he is responsible for handling complaints – all complaints, from start to finish. He’s the person who reviews the issues, decides whether something is a request for service or a complaint, and liaises with the appropriate department. He’s the person who sits with the relevant director to determine a resolution for every complaint across Cromwood’s portfolio. It means that tenants and other parties have the rare privilege of having a qualified solicitor as their first point of contact.
‘In a typical week we receive 10 correspondences categorised as “complaints”. Seven out of the 10 tend to be straightforward requests for service, such as fixing a dripping tap or checking on a boiler. Most of the remaining issues, like noise disturbances, can typically be resolved within 12 hours. Actual complaints are then addressed thoroughly to ensure a suitable and appropriate resolution is achieved.’
Legal action against tenants is taken only when all other avenues have been exhausted.
‘It is always a last resort,’ he says, ‘and is only considered after every possible effort has been made to resolve issues through communication and support.
‘For cases involving antisocial behaviour, we work closely with tenants and partner organisations, such as Thames Reach, to find solutions and prevent escalation. Similarly, for other issues, we make every effort to find manageable solutions and maintain open communication with tenants.’
'We have plans to keep expanding and growing our impact. What could be better than that?'
Ben
As well as handling complaints, Ben negotiates and drafts leases, oversees legal requirements for new purchases, works with banks and lenders on funding arrangements to ensure the company remains compliant with its covenants, and reports to regulators.
As if that’s not enough, he manages all litigation for the organisation, ensures the company is fully insured against risks, ensures regulatory submissions are completed on time, and keeps a close eye on company policies and procedures to support effective management across the board.
In another life, Ben could well have been a doctor, listening to people’s complaints, investigating problems, and making the system work as efficiently as possible.
‘Dad is a retired surgeon and he was my biggest inspiration. Being a doctor was the coolest thing I knew and I wanted to follow in his footsteps. Then, in year 10 a friend invited me to a work experience open day at a law firm. I was 15 and just tagged along. Everything they said about the variety of their work and their interaction with clients was much more exciting than being a doctor. I can’t say my dad was overjoyed, but, as an alternative, being a lawyer was good enough!’
And then came Cromwood whose staff, partners, and tenants form a unique and exceptional community, and which also offers variety and the chance to influence the system and make a real difference to people’s lives.
‘Since I started in January 2021, Cromwood has added more properties to its portfolio. That’s not just about growing the business, it’s hundreds of people whose lives we’ve impacted or changed. We have plans to keep expanding and growing our impact. What could be better than that?’
