Meet the Team - Gill Owens
With all eyes on Wales ahead of this year’s elections, we talk to our regional representative Gill Owens about what the future holds for the Welsh private rented sector.
Joining the NRLA in December 2020, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, as the All-Wales Representative for Wales, Gill is the local face of the NRLA, building relationships with key stakeholders including local authorities, housing charities,and Welsh Government policy-makers to lobby for the best deal possible for landlords in Wales.
She said: “When I started in the role, there were no landlord forums in Wales. Now after five years in the role, I have been instrumental in ensuring that there is some form of landlord meeting happening in every county, something I am immensely proud of."
Demanding
It’s a demanding role which requires Gill to liaise with charities and advise councils on best practice as well as being the link between local landlord communities in Wales and the NRLA answering questions and setting up meetings to keep landlords informed of all the latest legislative changes affecting the sector.
Gill, who has had a diverse career including senior roles in BBC Cymru Wales, Manpower UK Ltd and Welsh Women’s Aid, where she was CEO. She has been a landlord for more than 20 years and, along with husband, Steph, runs a small portfolio of buy-to-lets in South Wales, along with small estate agency.
What does the road ahead look like for landlords in Wales?
The private sector landscape in Wales has changed considerably in the past few years, leading to a number of older landlords exiting the market.
The vast majority of landlords in Wales own fewer than five properties and with tax changes, land transaction tax and mortgage increases, together with higher maintenance costs, impending energy efficiency regulations and greater tenancy securities, she says many are finding it difficult to make ends meet.
However, she is a firm believer that Wales is still a great place to invest in the private rented sector, and is already seeing a new generation of younger, business-focused landlords entering the market.
Want to know more?
If you have a question about the Welsh PRS - or want to know more about the forum meetings in your area, you can check out our events calendar here, or get in touch with Gill directly at [email protected]
The NRLA has this week unveiled its manifesto for the PRS ahead of the Welsh elections in May - you can find out more about that here and watch our video below:
