The South West Branch of Women in Property launched their Inspiring Woman Series in February this year and Mandy was delighted to be asked as their first guest speaker. The event was held at the beautiful Burges Salmon Offices in the centre of Bristol. Mandy said “it was great to see so many other professional ladies on the night which led to a great question and answer session at the end of the presentation. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening and I am looking forward to another collaboration with the South West Branch soon “.
Delighted to have been invited as guest speaker at the Swindon Business Group on 22nd January 2016, the event was the first in this year’s calendar of speaking events. After delivering my presentation to a room of a variety of businesses and entrepreneurs I headed to BBC Wiltshire for a radio interview with Jonathon Morrell and David Spendley-Bowd of Strakers Estate Agents, Swindon. The interview was on the current property and buy to let market.
MANDY St John Davey, one of Wales’ leading property investors, is warning UK landlords they need to act now to stay on the right side of the law in Wales.
New rules come into force in Wales this autumn requiring anyone who owns and rents out a property in the country to be licensed and registered.
Mandy, who is vice chair of the South Wales branch of the UK Women In Property professional network, has been a property investor and landlord for 16 years, said:
“It’s vitally important anyone who rents out a property in Wales understands what this new legislation means. You don’t have to live in Wales to be affected by it.”
The new landlord and agent registration and licensing scheme – the first of its kind in the UK – is designed to raise standards in the sector in Wales where it’s estimated one in seven residents rent privately. The Welsh Government believes this affects about 184,000 properties.
It’s hoped the rules will make life difficult for rogue landlords, reduce the risk of poor living conditions and ensure more security and clarity for tenants.
But some property investors, like Mandy, believe a licence is unnecessary and will ultimately push rents up for tenants as well as penalising good landlords.
She said: “Whilst I fully agree landlords and agents are trained so they are up to date with new regulations and fully understand their responsibilities, I do have concerns over the licensing and the cost of that license. Along with how that licence money will be utilised.”
“I’ve been an accredited landlord for two years and attended training under the voluntary scheme operated by Landlord Accreditation Wales. At the time I was required to register all my properties with the relevant local authorities. Therefore those local authorities can, at a glance, see who owns a property. So why is there a need to pay for a licence?
“I would rather see local authorities use their existing resources to enforce current legislation and not be distracted by implementing more new systems and costs to penalise good landlords.”
Mandy believes an example of a good scheme already in operation is Welsh Water’s TAP system. All landlords are required to register their properties, and update when a tenant moves in and out of a property. If a tenant vacates owing money on their water bill, the landlord is penalised unless he or she has registered that property under the TAP system.
Mandy said: “I believe the current regulations in the private sector are sufficient to flush out rogue landlords, but I don’t believe it is being policed and enforced properly.”
Mandy, who bought her first property aged 18, now has a multimillion poundportfolio in Wales and abroad and is an advocate of best practice in the sector. She’s is due to take on the role as Chair of the South Wales branch of the UK Women In Property in February 2016 .
Rent Smart Wales can be found here – and Mandy can be contacted at http://www.mandystjohndavey.com
- Contact Name:
- Fiona Scott
Talking about female entrepreneurship, role-models and celebrating International Women’s Day. This is what Miranda Bishop of Talking Social Media has to say in one of her recent blogs
http://mirandabishop.com/2015/03/leaning-in/10923558_10203760836242405_6848369937281425681_n/
Women In Property
Mandy St John Davey has recently been voted in as Vice Chair of the South Wales branch by its current committee. Mandy will shadow and deputise for the current Chair, Marcelle Newbould of Purcell.
The appointment will be for 2 years which then leads automatically to the appointment of Chair of the South Wales branch from February 2016.
The Association of Women in Property is the leading forum for women working in all types of roles throughout the property industry. The Association was formed 25 years ago and currently has over 1,000 members across twelve branches nationwide. The role of the Association is as relevant today as it was back then. The approach is always to offer friendly support and a nurturing backdrop to the professional lives of the diverse membership. Opportunities are provided for learning, mentoring, the exchanging of views, networking and personal development. – see more: http://www.womeninproperty.org.uk
“Mandy said she is delighted to have been voted in and appointed as Vice Chair and is looking forward to continuing supporting Women In Property, and hopes she is able to inspire young women to consider a career in the construction industry”
Women represent only 15% of the property and construction industry workforce, a balance still to be redressed. The Association of Women in Property aims to do just this. The Association seeks to enhance the profile of women in the sector, both by providing a dynamic forum for women in these professions and by encouraging and nurturing aspiring talent.
https://twitter.com/WiPwales/status/621671711201722368/photo/1
Here’s an update on my recent interview I did for the BBC’s news documentary on the Renting Homes (Wales) Bill.
On Monday (9th February 2015) the Wales Bill – Renting Homes was announced and as a result of this it was the main feature on the 6.30pm and 10.00pm News in Wales. The Bill was launched in Wrexham that morning by Lesley Griffiths AM, Communities Minister, of Welsh Assembly Government, who described it as “a very large bill, the biggest the Assembly has seen”. She went on to say, “It aimed to simplify the relationship between landlords and tenants”.
The Bill incorporates all forms of rental homes in Wales, social housing, housing associations and private landlords. Chief Executive, Gaynor Roberts of Citizen Advice Bureau gave her comments on the concerns this Bill will have on 16 and 17 year olds, now being able to rent from any of the sectors. Her concerns were that youngsters are not equipped with this kind of budgeting and education in schools, and therefore it will have an impact on the Citizen Advice Bureau.
As private housing is growing and is expected to be bigger than social housing in the next 5 years, the Welsh Government aims to ‘get rid’ of old laws to make the whole process of renting homes in Wales much easier and clearer. I was asked by BBC radio and television to give my input as a private residential landlord in Wales. The interview also saw one of my private tenants being interviewed in one of my properties. I was asked for my opinion on the topic of standardisation of tenancy agreements. Was this fair to both tenants and landlords alike, in particular the abolishment of the six-month moratorium on “no-fault’ evictions? I said the abolishment would benefit tenants who wished to rent only for a month or two and then move on but the Bill would also mean that families could be evicted with just one month’s notice, perhaps having just found schools for their children. Under an amendment to the Bill to be considered by the Assembly, local authorities will beneficially be able to serve improvement notices on landlords but at the same time making it almost impossible for landlords to regain possession under Section 21 rule, on properties where tenants commit anti-social behaviour. This would be unsatisfactory and I am sure there will be an ongoing debate as a million people in Wales rent their homes so will be affected when the Bill becomes law.
I was delighted to be asked recently, to speak at PEN Exeter. It was a great opportunity to share my journey into property with the audience, and also to meet other investors and entrepreneurs from Exeter/Devon and the surrounding areas. The event was held at Sandy Park Conference Centre in Exeter, which is a fantastic location.
The Property and Entrepreneurial Network (PEN Exeter) is a network event for property investors and entrepreneurs. Amongst the people you will meet are experts offering information and advice on: available mortgages, legal advice and latest regulations, HMO, Lease Options, Buy to lets, Sourcing, Development/Planning, Business ideas, Joint Ventures, Letting , Alternative income generation, Distressed properties, Auctions, internet marketing, Social media. It was a hugely enjoyable event and one I hope to visit again very soon.
Sandy Park is also home ground of Exeter Chiefs, who from the 2010–11 season have been playing in the Aviva Premiership,
I was delighted to be asked to speak at the Cwmbran Landlord Forum which took place at the Parkway Hotel in Cwmbran on 4th November. The event was hosted by Quality Solicitors Rubin Lewis O’Brien and is aimed
to be an educational platform where local landlords can discuss views and bring issues to light in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. This was only the second time the forum has been held. The first meeting was on 2nd September where Douglas Haig, vice-chairman of the Residential Landlords Association and chairman of the Cardiff Landlord Forum gave a talk on how to keep abreast of legislation and the importance of being informed.
Next month’s speaker is Paul Fosh of Paul Fosh Auctions, Newport. Paul will be talking about the benefits of buying at auction and giving you some hints and tips to make the whole experience more appealing
http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/business/11562990.Second_landlord_forum_to_take_place_in_Cwmbran/
In 2017 more and more women will take the leap into entrepreneurship but there are also a rising number of women who are creating more financial freedom by investing in property and other areas. As a previously male dominated area it is important to seek out those women who have made great progress in this area.
As a very wise-woman said to me recently “You can’t be what you can’t see”
Following a key note speech during Global Entrepreneurs Week, I was interviewed about my thoughts on Leadership and Women in Business this is what was published on The Huffington Post
In September this year, I was invited as guest speaker to address members of the Swedish Wealth Institute in Stockholm about property investment opportunities in Wales. Speaking to over hundred delegates who were all keen to invest in property, some experienced investors, others just starting out on their journey after attending property courses in the UK.
It was a busy and eventful weekend, as a result lots of the delegates/investors have since visited Wales with a view of focusing their investment strategy here. This is what the conference organiser Gisela Wood had to say about the event.
“Mandy was invited as a contact and speaker since she is one of the most respected property investors in the UK, with 17 years’ experience in residential real estate in Wales,”
“We view this as a wonderful opportunity for the members of the Swedish Wealth Institute to meet and learn from a true expert in residential real estate and the Welsh real estate market, which will both help Wales gain more international investment and will allow our investors to attract quality returns on their investments.”
Landlord and property developer Mandy St John Davey warns new rules for landlords who have properties in Wales could lead to rent rises for tenants and may not stop the rogues from renting out sub-standard accommodation
For full article see link below :
Contribution piece
Barn conversions are in decline because developers are scared by nightmare tales from TV programmes such as Grand Designs.
The number of agriculture to residential property conversions in England has fallen by a quarter over the past year a due to a lack of funding and developers’ jitters.
The decline has also been attributed to uncertainty following Britain’s decision to leave the EU but more must be done to encourage builders to tackle conversion projects, a spokesman for funding firm Saving Stream said …….
Contribution piece
Barn conversions are on the wane as adventurous builders are put off by horror stories on television shows like Grand Designs.
New figures show the number of agricultural buildings being converted into residential properties has dropped by a quarter.
Conversions dropped to 413 earlier this year from 563 for the same period in 2015, according to a report by funding firm Saving Stream.
The increase in stamp duty on second homes introduced by the Government has also been blamed for the decline ……
Whether you’ve just bought a property, are blissfully settled or are looking to sell, we spoke to home experts about ways to breathe new life into your property, add a bit of extra space and ultimately add some value when the time comes to sell.
But before you bring in the builders, it’s a good idea to check with local estate agents as to whether a major home improvement will add value to your property, and if there are any particular areas of the property worth focusing on.
Every home has its ceiling price, so make sure that the cost does not outweigh the profit
Professional property developer Mandy St John Davey says, ‘When renovating and enhancing your property you should always check with ……. (read full article, link below)
http://www.goodhousekeeping.co.uk/news/how-to-add-value-to-your-home
Much has been reported on the damaging skills gap faced by the UK property and construction industry. The Association of Women in Property (WiP) has been working to encourage girls and young women to enter the industry through an extensive education programme that includes its National Student Awards, now in their tenth year
Mandy St John Davey How I Found My Freedom by Mirela Sula. Mandy is a professional property investor specialising in residential property. She has been investing … (read full on-line article, click link below)