London Advisory Council

The Guild is a network which represents, supports and celebrates independent estate agents up and down the UK. The London Advisory Council (LAC) Members are agents who strongly adhere to our core values of knowledge, integrity and results and help us to shape our services. Headed by Stephanie Nash, The Guild's Regional Manager for London, the LAC provide a true representation of the intricate London market.

Simon Caird

Agency: Cairds Estate Agents

What do you value most about The Guild?

The Guild of Property Professionals is an invaluable business partner and provides cutting-edge prop tech to the leading independent estate agent in each town. Retaining only the best of the best agencies within its network ensures its continual growth in its quest of providing 'Local experts', bringing together a truly engaged network with huge resources.

We like and use the outstanding print and media design team in Cambridge, as well as their incredibly powerful new App allowing every team member to refer leads to the entire network. Videoettes that are beamed over 52” screens in all our branches, ezine and glossy magazines, essential training videos to which we use every day in our morning meetings as refreshers and the Knowledge Hub with all the legal changes. The compliance check was a must to ensure we fully comply with all the new legislation and we are making adjustments as we write this to ensure we are completely compliant.

The Guild is an essential business partner that we have become 100% dependant on with huge support and brand marketing in a fast-changing property sector.

What do you bring to the LAC?

My attendance brings 32 years' estate agency experience, passionate to endorse and bring about positive changes that will help others within the network. Promotion of new ideas and a firm sounding board to test and offer feedback with the willingness to listen and continue to learn.

Gary Butler

Agency: Trading Places

What do you value most about The Guild?

Being a Member of The Guild enables us to present our company as the stand-out firm in our locality, focused on offering local people an outstanding service and an excellent customer journey/experience from beginning to end. The technological benefits enjoyed by Guild Members allows for the opportunity to set trends and demonstrate forward thinking, in a marketplace where time stops for no one.

From ezines and branded magazines, through to direct mail marketing tools and the recently launched prospecting service, the benefits are there to help Guild Members stand above the competition with excellent third-party referral opportunities including the fabulous mortgage referral arrangement with L&C. Every member of my staff has used L&C for their personal business, which is a testament to the quality of these relationships.

What do you bring to the LAC?

Having worked in the industry since 1994, I have seen everything from a recovering market to a buoyant market with some mini crashes in between. Starting off as an office junior, I have experienced pretty much every role on offer – Lettings Negotiator, Lettings Valuer, Sales Negotiator, Sales Valuer, Sales Progressor and Property Manager. I believe I can add a balanced opinion to the ideas being discussed by the LAC.

Michael Roccia

Agency: Rochills Estate Agents

What do you value most about The Guild?

Apart from the regular management visits, regional meetings, networking and being part of the Advisory Council, my team uses The Guild as a key point of difference in our area. We are part of one of the UK’s largest networks including 3.5m applicants, access to a New Homes Network for our development partners and gives us the Trading Standards accreditation which, in addition to our many years of experience, gives local landlords ultimate peace of mind.

As an agent on the edge of the Broker-Belt, it is critical for our offering to be part of an organisation that offers a standard of excellence.

What do you bring to the LAC?

I am famous among my Guild friends and associates for my advocacy of social media and willingness to embrace new trends and change. I am hoping I can offer my experiences, successes and failures on digital strategy as well as experience from Rochills. Rochills is run by landlords, sales and development experts, I can offer property-related knowledge which is second-to-none concerning the Broker-Belt and South London from my own experience.

Steve Wayne

Agency: Benjamin Stevens Estate Agents

What do you value most about The Guild?

I particularly enjoy my management meetings and strategy sessions with our Guild Regional Manager. I am always a keen supporter of The Guild's newest offerings and strategies and have gleaned many recent instructions due to The Guild. I am also keen on my staff attending all training provided by our Regional Manager at Park Lane.

What do you bring to the LAC?

I have two very successful offices in North London with fantastic market share which I have built myself, I am also very active in Block Management. I believe my experience in revenue growth in North London and general housing market ideas and insights are of value to the other Members for other areas of London.

Wendy Peterman

Agency: Petermans

What do you value most about The Guild?

Apart from the motivating and forward-thinking ideas The Guild has provided, as well as the exceptional data supplied, I have also enjoyed the opportunity to meet and share positive views and methods of working that can benefit my business.

What do you bring to the LAC?

As a long-established agent in South East London, we have seen many changes, recessions and rises in the market over the years. This experience, and how we have handled them, can certainly be shared and hopefully can help other Guild Members.

Antony Karageorghis

Agency: Ariston Property

What do you value most about The Guild?

We are a Member agent of The Guild of Property Professionals, a national network of approximately 800 independently owned property management and sales businesses. Our membership gives us exclusive access to a comprehensive range of tools, training and marketing which enable us to provide a high-quality service and deliver better results for our landlords and vendors, as well as for tenants and buyers.

What do you bring to the LAC?

Based in Archway, Hornsey Rise N19, Ariston Property have provided a helpful and personal service to landlords and vendors since 1996. We specialise in effective marketing and comprehensive, trouble-free management of properties and tenancies. I can pass on 22 years of effective property management experience and experience of selling through some of the most challenging markets in recent memory.

William Taper

Agency: Willmotts

What do you value most about The Guild?

Since being with The Guild of Property Professionals, it has helped our business dramatically. Features such as the bespoke corporate magazine, instant online valuation, book a valuation online, the fantastic training schemes, the online marketing hub, the compliance audit, the office in Park Lane, the meetings with fellow Guild Members, the new pieces of innovation, the guidance from the Guild on proven ways of success, personal visits from our regional manager and much more all help us all compete with the large corporates at a very small cost. It elevates our brand and allows us to benefit from being an independent but with the weight of a powerful network of The Guild behind us.

What do you bring to the LAC?

Having lived and grown up in London and worked in block/estate management, client acquisitions, development, sales, lettings and management, I bring a broad range of skills to The Guild of Property Professionals.

Willmotts is a multi-disciplinary firm, which includes valuations, building surveying, commercial, agency, block management and residential, which means we can assist other Members in areas which maybe they are not specialists and generate joint revenue streams.