Leah joined SouthSide in 2013 having worked previously in another small Letting Agency in Edinburgh mainly dealing with short-lets, inspections and inventories as well as managing a small portfolio of properties.

Leah began her SouthSide career working on reception however, quickly progressed through the company working in the Applications team, then as a Property Manager and Senior Property Manager before becoming Operations Director in 2020.  Leah is incredibly knowledgeable in all aspects of property management holding the ARLA and SafeAgent qualification in the industry and has played a vital role in facilitating many of the positive changes the company has undergone in recent years.

Outside of work Leah enjoys weekend trips away with her partner, meals out and visiting her family and friends back in Northern Ireland when she can.

When did you join SPM?
January 2010

What are the main aspects of your role?
Legal requirements, Landlord acquisitions/investments and HR.

What is your favourite part of your role?
Keeping people legal and compliant!

Most interesting previous work?
Working with SouthSide has been more interesting than my previous jobs!

What are your hobbies and interests?
Travelling, days out with the kids and long walks with the dog.

Describe your dream home.
Country cottage

SouthSide was founded to help clients in Edinburgh receive a better quality service and fair pricing through a simple and transparent management approach, that other companies seemingly did not provide. Since 2009, John has steadily and organically grown the company each year, primarily through recommendations and word of mouth, working alongside an experienced senior team.

In addition to property management, John has built his own portfolio, mainly consisting of HMOs. Over the past 21 years, he has consistently invested to expand his holdings, both independently and in partnership with other investors.

Outside of work, John is just as busy. He has two young sons, aged 5 and 11, and his wife Kat, who joined the business in 2021 to focus on refurbishing existing properties. Over the years, John has also coached football at the local primary school, volunteered as a scout leader, and helped young people in business as a trustee on the Board of Directors at Canongate Youth, a charity providing support, recreation, and training opportunities for 5-25 year olds.

When did you join SPM?
November 2015

What are the main aspects of your role?
Helping landlords and tenants and managing compliance and maintenance to keep properties safe. I also help our Property Management Team.  

What is your favourite part of your role?
The variety that is involved with property management and generally helping clients and the team.

Most interesting previous work?
I’ve been at SouthSide for over 9 years in various roles and it is my most interesting work.

What are your hobbies and interests?
Football, the gym, running and going out with friends.

Describe your dream home.
A villa in Musselburgh

What are the main aspects of your role?
Liaising with landlords and tenants, managing safety and legislation compliance and maintenance, overseeing the letting and re-letting of properties.  I also co-ordinate the property manager team to keep everyone Safe, Happy and Sustainable.

What is your favourite part of your role?
Dealing with maintenance and learning new things relating to all different trades every day.  I also enjoy helping the team ensure their portfolios are compliant for landlords and tenants.

Most interesting previous work?
Head mixologist in a busy cocktail bar in the centre of town

What are your hobbies and interests?
Jet skiing, hill climbing and exploring new areas and towns.

Describe your dream home.
The bungalow from the Garfield movie.

When did you join SPM?
June 2019

What are the main aspects of your role?
Managing a portfolio of properties across Edinburgh and assisting the property management team where required including the training and development of new team members.

What is your favourite part of your role?
Building relationships with clients and continuing to expand my knowledge of the property industry.

Most interesting previous work?
Professional acting.

What are your hobbies and interests?
Acting, singing, dancing, plays and musical theatre.  If I’m not performing in a show, I’m rehearsing one.

Describe your dream home.
I would love to build my own house one day.  A lovely, peaceful area, very spacious, grand and traditional.  A walk in wardrobe is a must.

What are the main aspects of your role-

Managing a portfolio properties and dealing with maintenance and compliance on behalf of the landlord and tenant.

What is your favourite part of your role-

Creating relationships with tenants and landlords, and providing a solution for any issues a landlord or tenant has.

Most interesting previous work

Education studies at university for 4 years whilst helping with my family  business.

What are your hobbies and interests-

My hobbies outside of work are socialising with friends, travelling, and exploring the world.

Describe your dream home

My dream house to buy would be a detached house in Edinburgh which I can expand and make my own.

What are the main aspects of your role?

I am a Property Manager; I am responsible for the new properties who are going to be managed by Southside.

What is your favourite part of your role?

I love when new properties coming on the market with us from the initial steps to seeing them being advertised and getting let.

What are your hobbies and interests?

I like buying run down houses and turning them into something beautiful. I have just finished one property and about to start another.

Describe your dream home.

A vineyard in Constantia, South Africa with a pool

What are the main aspects of your role?

Managing a portfolio of properties, including compliance and corresponding with landlords and tenants.

What is your favourite part of your role?

Being able to help landlords and tenants and working with the team.

Most interesting previous work?

I used to work on Submarines in the Royal Navy.

What are your hobbies and interests?

I enjoy playing golf and watching the rugby.

Describe your dream home.

I would love to have a modernised, open plan log cabin.

What are the main aspects of your role?

Liaising with landlords and tenants to ensure properties are managed and maintained to the highest possible standard in compliance with safety regulations

What is your favourite part of your role?  

Resolving maintenance issues as quickly as possible to tenants’ and landlords’ satisfaction

Most interesting previous work?

Driving a forklift

What are your hobbies and interests?

Going to live music events and the gym

Describe your dream home.

Top floor flat in centre of Berlin with lots of space and high ceilings

What are the main aspects of your role?

Maintaining great relationships with landlords and tenants while assisting them with any and all aspects of property management. Protecting owners’ investments and ensuring smooth management of their properties.

What is your favourite part of your role?  

Getting acquainted with the wonderful landlords and tenants all whilst working alongside truly amazing colleagues. Constantly learning and evolving to be the best possible Property Manager.

Most interesting previous work?

Head of the humanities department of a very prestigious international school in Malaysia.

What are your hobbies and interests?

Travel, scuba diving, motorbikes and collecting rare vinyl records

Describe your dream home.

Coconut beach hut on a sunny island

Coming Soon!

What are the main aspects of your role?

What is your favourite part of your role?  

Most interesting previous work?

What are your hobbies and interests?

Describe your dream home.

What are the main aspects of your role?
As part of the property refurbishment team I assess, propose, tender out to contractors, and manage work through to completion. The role also consists of assisting landlords with improving their properties energy performance in line with the Governments proposal of a minimum EPC rating of C from 2025.

What is your favourite part of your role?
Seeing a refurbishment project through to completion and the satisfaction it brings to all those involved.

Most interesting previous work?
Placement work within a care home.

What are your hobbies and interests?
As a season ticket holder at Hibs, I enjoy attending games at the weekend, also watching motorsport and socialising with friends and family.

Describe your dream home.
Located in a village, where everyone is neighbourly and gets on with one another.

What are the main aspects of your role?

Assisting the Director and wider team in all areas such as diary and file management, research, travel arrangements and event organisation.

What is your favourite part of your role?

Being able to help the team in as many areas as possible to make their work lives easier where possible!

Most interesting previous work?

Arranging large scale, multiple venue events as an Events Manager.

What are your hobbies and interests?

Football and travelling all over Europe watching football.

Describe your dream home.

Villa in the sun with a swimming pool.

What are the main aspects of your role?
Taking calls regarding tenant applications, reviewing documents and accepting applications.

What is your favourite part of your role?
Every day is a new day and a new challenge.  I really enjoy letting people know when they have been accepted for a property they are interested in – the reaction is different and unique every time.

Most interesting previous work?
Working in my family-owned car rental business, I learnt so much about different cars and models and I also got the opportunity to drive different vehicles to new destinations.

What are your hobbies and interests?
I enjoy horse riding and do this weekly.  I also enjoy drawing and driving, with no specific destination in mind. I like eating too hehe!

Describe your dream home.
My dream home would be an old-fashioned detached stone mansion that is fully refurbished on the inside with an island kitchen, sauna and flat rooftop so I can sit up when it’s nice weather.  It would also have 4 stables so I could have horses.

What are the main aspects of your role?
Processing applications, dealing with applications queries, creating PRTs for new tenants and communicating with colleagues to complete the application process.

What is your favourite part of your role?
When tenants find the right property for them and finally make the move.  It’s a great feeling knowing you were part of the team that helped that happen.  I also enjoy working in a central location, it’s a great part of town. 

Most interesting previous work?
When I was younger I had a job where I got to travel a lot and see new places across the north of Scotland which, was interesting.

What are your hobbies and interests?
I play rugby for Musselburgh RFC and enjoy watching Hibs play at the weekends.  I also like socialising with friends and trying new things as much as possible. 

Describe your dream home.
My dream home would be a big penthouse by the sea with a games room, swimming pool, bar and other luxuries but most importantly a home filled with happiness.

What are the main aspects of your role?

Assisting the property management team with all aspects of property management.

What is your favourite part of your role?

Working with different individuals every day makes the job fun, but I also enjoy being someone who our tenants and landlords can trust.

Most interesting previous work?

Before working at SouthSide, I was a Crew Trainer at McDonald’s in Edinburgh.

What are your hobbies and interests?

I have always been interested in architecture and urban planning but never decided to pursue them as a career. I want to do something in life that people will remember.

Describe your dream home.

My dream home would be a Spanish Revival mansion, in a nice neighbourhood not too far from a city.

What are the main aspects of your role?

The main aspect of my role is accepting new coming tenants that landlord would like to proceed with. From then I review their documents and ensure all checks are completed before they pick up their keys. Also handle call that come into the office with enquiries about the properties we have online, and question new tenants have during the document checks.

What is your favourite part of your role?

That I have a part in them hopefully having somewhere they can be safe and call home.

What are your hobbies and interests?

I have always had in interest in theatre, musical theatre mostly. Socializing with my friends and going to gigs.

Describe your dream home.

My dream home would somewhere near a beach, large house with space for a karaoke room maybe a bar for great weekend of entertainment.

What are the main aspects of your role?

Accepting successful applicants to begin their new tenancy and processing the required checks. I also handle new property applications and dealing with any queries or emails during the application process

What is your favourite part of your role?  

Being able to assist applicants in the process of finding a property they would call home

Most interesting previous work?

Volunteering in Italy over the summer at local festivals

What are your hobbies and interests?

I really enjoy travelling and experiencing new cultures, eating out at different restaurants and I also enjoy walking the dogs

Describe your dream home.

My dream house would be one with a balcony or porch that overlooks the water

What are the main aspects of your role?

The main aspect of my role is to carry out RPVs

So I work with the property manager to ensure all our tenants are happy and the properties don’t have any issues.

What is your favourite part of your role?

My favourite part of my role is meeting new people everyday and building a rapport so that they remember you the next time.

I love to talk.

When I enter a property I always look for something I can chat about, LEGO is always a good conversation starter.

Most interesting previous work?

During 1998 I was spending time on holiday in France and through a friend who owns a security company offered me some driving work.

The World Cup was on and Lyon was a host city, so I drove FIFA officials around the place.

What are your hobbies and interests?

I love my trainers and my watches and have too many according to my wife.

I like to refurbish furniture and I am currently working on a chair with a broken leg.

I do a bit of buying and selling antiques and I love cooking.

Describe your dream home.

My Dream home is anywhere my wife and my family are, I have 2 daughters and a son and also two grandsons Dougie and Sully and they are my world.

What are the main aspects of your role?
I assist with all incoming funds from tenants and landlords as well as preparing the Monthly Rental Statements (MRS) and invoices from local suppliers, ensuring they get paid on time.

What is your favourite part of your role?
The variety of tasks on a day-to-day basis and the fast paced environment.  The camaraderie is a big part of the job too…team work is a must!

Most interesting previous work?
Manager at a Rock bar/restaurant with live bands playing daily.

What are your hobbies and interests?
I am very passionate about cooking as I find being able to create a beautiful meal from a few simple ingredients is very rewarding.  I also love sports (mostly football and international rugby union) but almost all of my free time is spent with the three most important people in my world; my beautiful 1-year old daughter, my partner, and my bulldog Leila.

Describe your dream home.
A big Gothic or Edwardian style Casa Royale on Lake Como with its own vineyard.  That’s the dream.

What are the main aspects of your role?

Assisting with monthly credit card statements, credit card payments, overpayments, utility notifications and several aspects of invoicing. Another aspect of my role is communicating with all the departments to ask about tenants and landlords or their credit card use.

What is your favourite part of your role?

My favourite part of the role is the communication and relationships I build across the company. Even on the very first day I found that everyone in Southside was very friendly and helpful which reassured me a lot as I was quite nervous when I first started!

Most interesting previous work?

Being 18 and the youngest employee at SPM, I’ve only had one previous job and that was in a hotel as a Meetings and Events Assistant which had its ups and downs as hospitality can really test your patience and restraint.

What are your hobbies and interests?

I play football for Edinburgh United U20’s and ever since I was 9 I loved sports as a whole with football being my favourite. Aside from football, I like to run, swim, go to the gym and cook. As for my interests, I’m quite curious so I find just about everything new or active interesting like recently I’ve started taking a big interest into nutrition and what I’m eating on a day-to-day basis.

Describe your dream home.

My dream home would be a villa with a swimming pool, indoor Gym, sauna and cinema room either in Poland or Canada.