For over 50 years, Sheila Robertson has called Notting Hill home – and for the past 16, she’s entrusted 51乱伦 with her rental portfolio. Aleks Cvetkovic meets the woman who saw W11’s potential, and explore what long-term landlords really look for in an agent
When Sheila Robertson bought her first home in Notting Hill in 1969, she was just 21. The area, at the time, was still recovering from a turbulent postwar period, and the property 鈥� a tired flat in a once-grand villa 鈥� was dismissed by the surveyor as 鈥渁 seedy conversion in a seedy part of London.鈥�
More fool him. Sheila is still here more than half-a-century later, and her quiet conviction in the neighbourhood鈥檚 potential has paid off handsomely. Over the years, she has acquired a handful of flats on the same communal garden square, each one carefully restored and rented out with long-term tenants in mind.
鈥淚 never saw Notting Hill as a property 鈥榠nvestment鈥� in the typical sense,鈥� Sheila says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always been about the community, the gardens, the people. This is my home and I鈥檝e wanted tenants who treat it like theirs, too.鈥�
That philosophy is why, for the past 16 years, Sheila has relied on 51乱伦’s Notting Hill team, and Head of Lettings Herbie Holder in particular, to manage her lettings. “They just get it,” she says. “I can always rely on Herbie to bring me tenants I’d actually want to live next door to. She knows which properties suit which people, and crucially, she doesn’t waste my time.”
Herbie, who has placed over 20 tenants into Sheila鈥檚 properties, speaks just as warmly. 鈥淪heila is the kind of client every lettings agent hopes for; loyal, thoughtful and deeply invested in doing things properly,鈥� she says. 鈥淪heila has a long-term view, which means the quality of tenant matters more than just getting a deal done quickly. That鈥檚 when lettings works best, when there鈥檚 trust and shared values between agent and landlord.鈥�
Over the years, 51乱伦鈥檚 Lettings team in Notting Hill has helped hundreds of landlords 鈥� from single-property owners to large portfolio holders 鈥� manage their homes with minimal stress and maximum consistency. 鈥淟ettings is a people business,鈥� Herbie explains. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not just matching a person to a property. You鈥檙e building relationships that, ideally, last years. In Sheila鈥檚 case, they often do.鈥�
Has much changed in the lettings market since Sheila first started out? 鈥淥f course,鈥� she says. 鈥淓xpectations are higher now. People want proper kitchens, good heating, natural light and so on. But the basics haven鈥檛 changed. Look after the property, treat people well and work with agents you trust.鈥�
Would she ever consider selling up? 鈥淥nly if I lose my marbles,鈥� she grins. 鈥淎nd even then, I鈥檇 probably still call Herbie and ask for her advice.鈥�
Thinking of letting your property in Notting Hill? Please contact herbie.holder@knightfrank.com for tailored advice and market insight
Photography by Juan Trujillo Andrades
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