The MD/Owner of Let Me Properties St Albans answers our questions...

What’s different about your agency?

My aim since I founded the company in 2008 was to provide a different service to the standard letting agents in St Albans. We wanted to bring the use of modern technology from corporate agents together with the personal service, transparency, and accountability of the smaller local letting agents. Based on the feedback from our landlords and tenants we believe that we have achieved this, but we know we have to keep improving to stay ahead.

Where do you live, with whom, and why did you choose your current property?

I live in Hatfield with my Fiancé Tove and our lovely Scottish terrier, Dotty. I chose my current house because at the time it was the best house I could comfortably afford; the choice at the time was a 1 bed flat in St Albans, or a large 3 bedroom house in Hatfield. The house provided a great opportunity for me to renovate it into the family home it is today.

If you weren’t an estate agent, what would you be?

Probably a barrister, because that’s the path I was heading down before I fell head over heels for property.

When did you buy your first property and what was it like?

In 2013, it was a dump and needed to be completely stripped and renovated. It was a great experience and I’m really happy with the results. The biggest surprise was that it was only on the day I received the keys and went to start clearing the house out, that I realised every single wall was covered in about 3 layers of wallpaper!

What’s the most shocking thing you’ve encountered in this profession?

I could honestly write a book on all the crazy, shocking, and outright strange things I have encountered over the years in this profession; it’s very difficult to pick just one. I think one of the things I found personally most surprising was referencing a tenant who earned about £1m a year, or meeting the different celebrity tenants we’ve had over the years (EastEnders actors, film actors, Premier League footballers, musicians, etc.)

If you could have a holiday home, where would it be and what would it be like?

It would definitely have to be a villa style property on a golf course in Hermanus, South Africa overlooking the coast with the mountains behind. My father lives out there and it’s so beautiful and a perfect place to holiday.