Q&A: Get to know NRLA Wales representative Sandra

In the latest of our meet the team blogs, get to know one of our Wales regional representatives, Sandra Towers (pictured below) better.

Sandra is a regional rep for North Wales, as well as the Midlands. 

Here, we chat to Sandra about some of the changes ahead for landlords in Wales this year, what she enjoys the most about being an NRLA representative and her favourite piece of advice.

Read more in our series of Q&A blogs. Get to know NRLA Wales representative Gill Owens, NRLA adviser Craig Purvis and NRLA Wales operations manager, Steve Bletsoe. 

Hi Sandra. Great to meet you! Tell us a bit about you. What is your role at the NRLA?

I’ve been a regional representative for the NRLA for the last 4 years, running meetings for landlords across the West Midlands and representing the views of landlords with local authorities too. We had to adapt during Covid to running webinars and less formal zoom meetings and I’m looking forward to a more hybrid way of working that means I can offer a range of meetings for landlords to talk to other landlords and find out all the news and updates they need to know.

What do you enjoy about your role?

Good question! Strangely I enjoy the complexities of legislation and how we strategise as landlords to anticipate and respond to the market and the changes. Having said that, I think the changes we face across the UK are tougher than they have ever been and it’s unclear how we can manage some of those challenges – the extreme challenge of improving our energy performance certificates (EPCs) for example.

You mention upcoming changes, as one of our Wales regional reps, what does the road ahead look like for landlords in Wales?

In Wales, the new Renting Homes Wales Act is a challenge as we get to know it and how it works in practice. However, I do believe it’s been written with the idea of covering everything in one piece of legislation so that there isn’t the constant check and counter check and change as we’ve seen in England. The act is a particular challenge for Student Landlords who have to make changes to their contracts that offer less security of rent and possession potentially. Looking forward in the next five years, it’s a worrying and expensive time as the improvements to Energy Efficiency will be at the same time as the next EICR is due but mostly I see supply causing stress for tenants and landlords alike. There is a real lack of homes for tenants to move to in many parts of Wales and this has an immediate impact for landlords who want to regain possession as even the many good tenants will be struggling to move on.

Here at the NRLA we offer expert advice for members on both Welsh and English housing law.  What advice would you pass on to a would-be landlord?

Check your permissions on your NRLA dashboard so that you get emails and updates on changes and make good use of the advice team and support that’s there for you. Whilst I’m not qualified to talk fiscally, I know I’m looking at inflation, my mortgage products and thinking about where they might be in and what the market rent might be in the next few years. 

What’s the best piece of advice that you’ve received either personally or professionally? 

I am also a teacher and have had some great opportunities to work with interesting people, including a few Olympians and professional sports personalities. One of them had a great phrase, ‘If not now, when?’ which I’ve always found useful in determining how committed I am towards an action and if I am, get on with it!

What do you like to do in your spare time outside of working for the NRLA?

Travel is one of my very favourite things to do when I’m not working although we all know that given the right weather there isn’t a better place to be than Wales!