In September 2024, I joined FHP’s Retail and Leisure team. After graduating from Reading University’s Real Estate program, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with FHP, which will greatly enhance my learning, enable me to progress in the property sector and help advance my career.

In July 2023 I joined FHP’s Derby Office where I work on industrial, office and retail instructions across the region. I am currently in my second year of a Degree Apprenticeship in Real Estate at Nottingham Trent University, intending to graduate and qualify as a Chartered Surveyor. FHP will provide me with hands-on experience that will benefit my learning and development in my career in property.

I have over 17 years experience in the property industry which has taken me from FM, to residential block, to commercial management and latterly to lease advisory and retail agency having joined FHP in 2014 as a management surveyor.

While these roles vary from one to the next, the common thread is having the ability to make a sound assessment of a given situation and give my clients the advice they need to achieve the best outcome possible. I believe this is my primary skill which I apply to whatever project I am working on.

I am a Director within the FHP Professional Services Team, experienced with providing occupiers, landlords and developers across the UK with strategic Business Rates advice to proactively minimise their exposure to Business Rates. Such includes appeal work, empty rates mitigation strategies, advice during redevelopment works, challenging Completion Notices and rates account management.

In addition to the above, my role involves undertaking property valuations of single assets and portfolios of all commercial property types and residential developments for both major lending institutions and private individuals; and rent reviews and lease renewals for all commercial property types.

I joined FHP several years ago as one of the dominant agencies in the region, attracted by a shared ethos of quality of service, in depth market knowledge, adding value, teamwork and proactive approach. I have practised as a surveyor in Derby for many years and jumped at the opportunity to head up the Derby Office. The city and its environs have a healthy economy driven by manufacturing and high tech industries.

Having qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 1996 I have worked for both national and regional practices across the East Midlands. I have and continue to deal with a wide range of properties and sectors including industrial and distribution, offices, development land, and retail.

Having had a many years of experience in the transactional side of the business, I now focus on property matters such as rent reviews, lease renewals, valuation, land use and strategic advice. My hands on market knowledge enables me to provide the best advice for clients. Our in depth knowledge in the market combined with a practical approach and wide resources allow us to provide sound advice.

Within the Professional Services Department, my day-to-day role involves dealing principally in Property Valuations and Investment Acquisition. I’m also trained as a Level 4 EPC Energy Professor to add to the range of services we’re able to provide our customers.

I’ve been part of the Nottingham Property Market for many years and am also now actively involved in the Newark Retail Market. As such I have many contacts and have advised clients in Investment Acquisition and in the Letting and Investment sale of Fat Face on Middlegate in 2010.

I qualified as a Level 4 Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Surveyor in 2008 and now undertake a range of assessments on all types of commercial buildings, ranging from a bar/restaurant complex to large and small industrial units, and a retail parade. My current role also includes bank Valuation Work, Investment Sales and advising in Property Litigation.

As a Director within FHP’s Professional Services Team my own work now focuses primarily on two areas. Business Rates to reduce liabilities whether a building is occupied or vacant and Lease Consultancy providing advice to both Landlords and Tenants at lease renewal, rent review and during lease re gear negotiations.

I am experienced in providing Expert Witness evidence at both Valuation Tribunal and during the course of dispute resolution regarding rent reviews and lease renewals.

I work across the Country for a wide variety of clients from institutional investors and pension funds to entrepreneurial businesses and developers.

I am also an APC Counsellor to a number of the FHP Graduates and I help co-ordinate in-house training sessions to support our APC candidates.

Jack Nicklaus once famously said that “Achievement is largely the product of steadily raising one’s levels of aspiration … and expectation”; and so it has been with the development of the Professional Services Department at FHP.

Having grown from one to nine surveyors, the FHP Professional Services Team has a wealth of experience and now provides clients with services across the Professional Services spectrum, ranging from Valuations for a wide variety of purposes to advising upon business rates, compulsory purchase and Rent Review/Lease Renewals to name but a few.

Since my arrival at FHP in 1999, I’ve been privileged to work with not only great colleagues but also some great clients with wonderful senses of humour and incredible levels of humility, despite some truly remarkable success stories. Together they have made me laugh, kept me motivated and have picked me up when times have been tough.