There’s a very good reason why DJ Property doesn’t deal in the residential market – the emotional cost of inevitable evictions.
The firm, which owns 200 or more commercial properties, all in South Dorset, was founded by a man who knew how devastating it is to lose your home.
David Jones launched his commercial property firm DJ Contracts (Structural) Ltd in 1963, after a childhood in poverty on Portland. At one point his mother and three children were evicted from their home in Fortuneswell and squatted in a leaking home in Chiswell for five years.

But after leaving school David managed to put that behind him, becoming well known for sport, especially in his role as captain of the British Spear Fishing Team. He went on to found a commercial lettings business that these days owns more than 200 properties in South Dorset.
His son Mickey, 51, joined the business aged 30 and now runs it. The experience of his father has made a lasting impression on him. He said: “If we have to turn
someone out of a commercial property they can just go home. If we had to evict someone from their home they usually have nowhere else to go.”
Mickey benefited from his dad’s vision, which saw him go from erecting farm buildings to building industrial buildings and renting them out. In the early 1970s the council, which was struggling to entice businesses on to its new industrial estate, offered David a chunk of land on the former Granby Airfield – he went for it, creating the start of the Granby Industrial Estate, roads we know today as Cumberland Drive and Kemp Close.

His success in developing the site enabled him to buy up more land to develop and the business grew and grew.
“Some might say he was in the right place at the right time,” said Mickey. “But others didn’t have that vision – it was dad who saw the potential and was able to encourage businesses to move here.”
Mickey achieved a place at Weymouth Grammar School, but ended up going to Millfield in Somerset, then Exeter University.
“Thanks to dad, I had the opportunity to have a good education and went on to qualify as an accountant. I worked for Grant Thornton and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
“But I don’t think I was a very good accountant! They were very process driven, a massive organisation. I took a risk and joined a small start-up in Poole
with six employees, which taught me how to bring a company from six to 66 employees. That was fantastic. I learned about all the elements – the insurance, the business rates, banking – everything.”
Mickey moved back to Weymouth when his father retired in 2003. Sadly, David wasn’t around much longer to enjoy the fruits of his success.
Two years after he retired he suffered a massive heart attack.

Mickey said: “Dad had all the skills to build up the business from nothing and I have all the skills to take it forward. I couldn’t have done what he did.
“And he couldn’t have done what I’m doing.”
Mickey has four children, aged 23 to 15. He said: “The eldest is at University of California San Diego and he’s into mechanical engineering – it’s proper rocket science. He’s been part of a college group developing rockets and is studying robotics and AI.
“He wants to use those skills in medicine – much of the study into AI and robotics involves warfare but they can be used to help the NHS.
“My second eldest is at the University of Southern California studying finance and my youngest son works in the film industry doing sound and
production. My daughter is 15 and is studying performing arts.”
With a busy family life and work life it’s proved a bit hectic juggling everything, when the business demands so much time.
But an in-house chartered surveyor is due to start this month, freeing Mickey up from being the sole point of contact for most issues.
He said: “Commercial property is complicated these days. It’s all about compliance and having the right energy performance – we are upgrading all our properties’ energy performance and we keep the properties in the best condition we can.
“People often ask why we don’t expand to sites in Exeter or Poole or wherever. But there are enough opportunities on my doorstep. We have an advantage in what we know and who we know.”
He prides himself on the direct service they offer to their tenants.
“We help our tenants and have seen many of them go from 1,000 square foot to three or four with our help.
“We can offer economies of scale and we offer a direct service, so if tenants have a query about business rates, or an accountant, or maybe a website builder, we know people who can help. Our tenants get straight answers.
“There are several advantages to letting through us – because we don’t use agents it’s much quicker and our service charges are much less – five per cent rather than up to 30 per cent.”
The firm currently owns Oxford Court, Link Park, Granby Court, South Park and Leanne House.
They have also started to get involved in historic buildings, such as the Deheers building on the harbour, where the eBike Café has opened on the ground floor and five luxury apartments created above. The Rectory – formerly the Clipper pub – is being restored.
“The Rectory is a really unique site – a 8,500 square foot listed building. We are nearly at the stage where the scaffolding comes down and it’s going to look fantastic. We want to lease it to someone long term.
“A museum project or an art gallery are just the sort of thing that is needed here, as it would reach the families who wouldn’t normally engage with this sort of thing. A visitor centre needs to be where people need it. You see it in sport, where they reach out to grass roots organisations to encourage people of all backgrounds to
get involved.”
And there is scope for further heritage projects too – especially now Mickey has his surveyor in place.
He said: “We want to invest more in character properties in South Dorset. We are part of the community and believe in what we are doing. We have the team and we have the funding to deliver. We’re a bit more emotionally invested than other developers. We want to make a profit, but we try to do the right thing for the community.”