Q&A: Get to know NRLA adviser Rachel

We are delighted to launch a brand new blog series where you can get to know some of our advisers as part of our expert advice team a little better.

Our advice team is on hand six days a week to help members with a whole host of queries, from tenancy legislation updates to practical advice on property management. In this blog, we meet experienced adviser Rachel (pictured, right).

Rachel has been giving landlords expert advice for the past eight years. Here she explains the one piece of advice she'd give to all would be landlords, what she loves about her role, and a particularly memorable spooky phone call one Halloween.

NRLA members can access free expert advice six days a week, via our landlord advice line. Sound good? Join us today from £85. 

Hi Rachel! Hope you're doing well. First things first tell us a bit about how long you've been an NRLA adviser for?

I have worked for the RLA for seven years up to the point where we merged (last year), so I have been with the company for eight years now. I have always worked in customer service, based in a variety of sectors.

Great! What do you enjoy most about your role as one of our expert advisers?

The best part is when landlords come on the line at the end of their tether with quite a complicated problem. I love listening to people, so I enjoy listening to their issues and really getting down to the ‘nitty gritty’. I like unravelling the issues and talking things over with them, and sending them off with the best advice that I can.   

They then go off the line feeling much better and confident than when they came on. On the really complex issues, it really re-assures the member when we escalate the matter to Senior Advisors that I / the team are doing the very best that we can for them.

Are there any queries that have been particularly memorable, and what advice were you able to give?

Yes! We are not known for giving advice on paranormal activity, but that's exactly what I once found myself giving advice on several years ago. A member gave us a call, not long after I started my role, with a particularly spooky query. Their tenant had contacted them to say things at the rental property were literally going bump in the night and frightening the tenant! Turns out other tenants who had left the flat suddenly, also came forward and complained of the very same thing. The landlord had already inspected the property and found nothing obvious, and wanted to know what else they could do. All I could advise was to ( not joking here ) possibly try to get an exorcist in to remedy the problem. I've certainly never given advice on anything like that before!

Certainly sounds spooky! As a very experienced adviser, you have given advice on so many different scenarios. If there was one piece of advice you'd give to a would-be landlord, what would it be?

I would advise any would-be landlord to not go into the industry 'blind'.

With so much legislation in play, equip yourselves with as much knowledge as you can and join the NRLA. This is such an ever changing industry – a moving target and being a member of a professional organisation will keep you up to speed with these changes.

Sound advice. What's the best piece of advice you have received?

Just be the best you can be and push through the difficult times.

When you're not giving our members expert advice, what do you like to do in your free time?

The usual, socialising with family and friends, but I also volunteer for a Mental Health charity called Self Help Services as a Peer Support Worker, helping people with a number of issues. I also attained my Level 2 in Counselling in 2018.

Our expert advice team is made up of a group of trained professionals who work for us on a full or part time basis to provide information, advice and guidance to our members. Members can give the team a call six days a week (excluding bank holidays) on a whole range of different issues, from deposits and tenancy agreements to rent arrears and welfare.

To learn more about all of the topics we can offer advice on, click here. To join the NRLA from just £85 a year, click here.