FR: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your role at Pure Panel Management?
I met and became friends with the late, great David Gillam several years before I joined Pure. At the time, I was an estate manager for Anchor Housing, and his mam lived at one of the schemes I managed. David and I often clashed at AGM meetings. After one of them, he took me to one side and told me he rarely got put in his place — and that he respected me for standing my ground. Anyone who knew David will understand how rare that was.
From there, we began speaking about me joining his company. The rest is history.
My role at Pure has evolved naturally as the company has grown. I don’t have a specific job title or description —I focus on what needs doing at the time, whether it’s surveyor, lender, or broker-related.
Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of time building the panel of surveyors, and I’m very protective of it. The surveyors are a vital part of the business. I make a point of speaking with them regularly to understand any issues and how to fix them.
Day to day, I like to think I’m hands-on. I enjoy being with the team, some of whom have been here almost as long as my 20-year milestone. We’re very close. We feel like a family. They know I’m here to support them when needed, though I’m lucky to work with such a capable group of people who genuinely care about each other and the company.
FR: What would you tell yourself 20 years ago that you now know?
I’ve learnt some hard lessons along the way and ones I could’ve avoided if I wasn’t the type of person I am. David often told me I was too soft and too trusting, and that I needed to be more careful when building relationships. He was right. I’m definitely more cautious now, and if anything, even more protective of what we’ve built here at Pure.
FR: In the 20 years you’ve been in the business, what are the main changes to the valuation landscape that you have seen and how has Pure adapted to them?
I think we all know the industry is steadily leaning more towards AVMs. There’s no real way to adapt to that shift, as we’re in the business of physical valuations. But the most noticeable change over the years has been the rise of technology, as iPads, digital tools, and databases with comparable data have all made a surveyor’s job more straightforward.
That said, the role itself has changed a great deal in the last 20 years. It’s no longer just about inspecting bricks and mortar. Surveyors now need to manage data, understand digital systems, and work at a faster pace than before, all while maintaining the same professional standards. We've had to make sure we keep up with those changes, and that our surveyors are properly equipped with what they need to do the job well.
FR: What are the main challenges that lenders and brokers commonly face when instructing valuations and how can a business like Pure help them?
Speed has always been the biggest challenge when a physical valuation is needed. We keep a close eye on turnaround times and regularly review areas where things have slipped. If certain postcodes are falling behind, we focus on recruiting in those locations.
We’re always on the lookout for new firms to bring on board. We like to think our fees are competitive, and we aim to be easy to deal with and fully supportive of our surveyors.
One ongoing challenge for lenders and brokers is managing expectations around the final valuation figure. That’s why we offer a free estimated value check. It lets us review recent sales in the immediate area and see if the expected figure is realistic.
We decided years ago that we’d rather not take on an instruction if the value is likely to fall short. It saves time and money for our lender and broker clients and avoids frustration for everyone involved.
FR: What’s next for you and Pure Panel Management for the rest of 2025 and beyond?
I want to carry on growing the company by adding to our panel of surveyors, while also maintaining the strong relationships we’ve built with our lender and broker partners.
I feel extremely lucky to work alongside the people I do, not just my Pure family, but also others in the wider industry who I now count as close friends. Many of them have supported me, and Pure, over the past 20 years.
I want to keep supporting them in return, by offering the personal service they deserve and by always being at the end of the phone when they need me.
