Why did you become an estate agent?
I actually fell into the business by accident working initially in Hampshire, then one day decided to head to London … and that was down to my brother. He lived in Docklands which seemed magical to me. He persuaded me come to London and I was offered a position as manager of Alex Neil’s Tower Bridge office.
I stayed there for 11 years, rising to director, and was then group managing director for Bushells from 2008 until its acquisition last year. In February this year, I became regional managing director for Your Move.
How did Nick Cooper approach you about Northwood?
We had a beer together with one eye on the Ashes and I was advised of the change in my career path. The only emotional bit concerned the standard of the cricket.
Were Your Move understanding of your desire to take up your new job, and the circumstances of your doing so?
I enjoyed being RMD of the South-East and loved working with such a great team. We broke a lot of records thanks to the hard work of the staff for which I got credit, an arrangement I rather liked. When I broke my news, Helen Woodhouse and David Newnes were very understanding and immensely supportive. We parted as firm friends.
When did you first become involved in lettings?
I had no lettings experience until I started working in London in 1997. It was a very steep learning curve, but immensely enjoyable. I loved the pace of the industry, but some of the practices I witnessed made me want to do things properly.
How different do you think the two activities – selling and letting – are?
There are a number of common denominators and both are fundamentally a people business. Lettings has become increasingly more technical, and attention to detail is paramount.
The impact of what a lettings agent does has a more profound effect on customers than it does with sales where a number of professional advisers are involved.
Why did you become involved in SAFEagent?
I became fed up with people moaning about lettings agents and complaining that no one ever did anything about it. I was not alone, so a group of us started SAFEagent. A minority of agents give the rest a bad name and most agents do a good job.
I’m passionate about professional standards, but until proper compulsory regulation is introduced, we need to ensure that landlords and tenants are properly informed as to the risks of using unregulated agents. It’s always going to be a challenge to get rogue agents to comply with anything, so we need to empower the consumer.
I am immensely proud of what SAFEagent has achieved and am extremely grateful to all those who have supported it.
How does Northwood deal with tenancy deposits?
Each office is independently owned and operated, and as such is free to decide with which scheme deposits are registered. All franchisees are required to be members of a regulatory body, of the Property Ombudsman and of SAFEagent.
What is Northwood’s stance on fees to tenants and how they are displayed in adverts?
We fully understand and support the need for transparency and have always provided a fee guide for tenants. In fact, East Sussex Trading Standards used Northwood as an example of best practice and we will continue to be at the forefront of compliance.
I sincerely hope that Trading Standards take a very proactive stance on those agents who choose to ignore the November 1 deadline.
What are your ambitions for Northwood?
Our plan is to achieve 100 territories in the UK and develop the business further. We have some very exciting plans in the pipeline.
How do you view the membership bodies?
I have been a member of ARLA and NAEA for many years and am a huge supporter of our friends at NALS. In the absence of compulsory regulation, I believe agents should subscribe to a regulatory body, ensuring that they offer proper consumer protection.
It’s not about being part of a club, it’s a statement that you take the industry seriously and a message to consumers that you have chosen to subscribe to a professional code of practice.
Looking into your crystal ball generally, what do you think are and will be the issues for the agency world?
I think that agency is improving for the better but fear we are in danger of adding too many sticking plasters to fix a broken leg. We need cohesive regulation, not a plethora of registers, licences and red tape.
The truth is that an agent or landlord intent on doing something dishonest isn’t going to opt in or comply with any scheme which catches them out.
We need to focus upon consumer redress in a way that the myriad laws and regulation have failed to address. The fundamental problem remains: to whom does a landlord or tenant turn when their money isn’t where it should be?
I also believe that if all elements of the industry worked together, an early warning of potential problems could be established, protecting consumers and mitigating potential losses.
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