Founder and Managing Director of Amax Estates & Property Services Ltd

Maxine Fothergill, Assoc RICS is the Founder and Managing Director of Amax Estates and Property Services Ltd which she started in 2002 has become a thriving successful business specialising in Residential Lettings, Sales and Block Management.

She has been a landlord/developer for several years and since 2004 she has been a trainer for the UK Landlords Accreditation Scheme (UKLAS) and is personally responsible for successfully training thousands of landlords and agents. Maxine for many years was a member of the RICS Residential Property Group and in 2015 was invited to become an Honorary Consultant for FPRA (The Federation of Private Residents’ Association).

She is honoured and delighted to have now taken up her new role as ARLA President for 2021/22. It is her aim during this year to reach out to young people about working in Property Management as a ‘Career of Choice’ within the Lettings and Property Management Profession. In order to do this, she is bringing together a trailblazer group to ensure this fantastic Career Choice will be supported by an excellent Apprenticeship scheme fit for purpose for the PRS.

Bernie Wales is a Founding Fellow of the Institute of Residential Property Management, Fellow of the Institute of Directors.

He is passionate about fairness, transparency and value for money ... which is why he gets really upset when managing agents and freeholders provide a less than perfect service for leaseholders. He endeavours to do the best he can for his clients (who are mainly leaseholders) and seeks to improve their lot wherever possible.

Bernie claims 2 particular areas of specialism:

1: Freehold to Leasehold Title Splitting - helping property investors get added value by enhancing the terms of the new leases and arranging the sale of the residual freehold title.
2: Bespoke hands-on leasehold property management, investment and consultancy; specialising in getting troubled properties back where they should be.

Mark Chick is recognised as a leading UK authority in this sector. He is a Leasehold Reform specialist and has been a Partner at Bishop & Sewell LLP since 2006. He is a director and a founder committee member of ALEP - the sector body to which all reputable valuers and solicitors working in the field of Leasehold Reform now belong.

Over the past 10 years he has developed Bishop & Sewell’s Landlord & Tenant practice to be one of the largest specialist teams in the UK. Under his direction the department has flourished and he now leads a team of specialist solicitors and property experts.

He is a very well-known and highly-regarded specialist in Landlord & Tenant matters. His expertise when it comes to leasehold reform issues is unparalleled, and in 2016 he was awarded Solicitor of the Year at the Enfranchisement and Right To Manage Awards (ERMAs).

Mark is a member of the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal Frequent User Group Panel. His views as a leasehold reform specialist dealing with freehold purchase, lease extension, services charges and landlord & tenant matters can also be followed direct on LinkedIn and Twitter.