Meet The Team

Bradley is a professional and proactive Block Management professional. He has a genuine passion for residential property management and delivering high standards of service to leaseholders, directors and freeholders. He is looking forward to using his experience at Callaways and adding real value to a growing block management department. He has previously managed a portfolio of over 95 residential blocks, overseeing the day-to-day operations and ensuring compliance with leasehold legislation and health and safety requirements.

Bradley’s responsibilities included organising and chairing AGMs and board meetings, preparing service charge budgets, coordinating Section 20 consultations for major works, and liaising with leaseholders, freeholders, resident management companies and contractors to ensure buildings were well maintained and managed efficiently. He also handled LPE1 enquiries for property sales, coordinated contractor tenders and carried out regular site inspections to ensure works were completed to a high standard.

Bradley is enjoying being in the midst of colleagues in Callaways’ sales, lettings, property management and beach hut sales departments.

Melanie is a familiar face in Brighton & Hove’s property world.  She brings more than 20 years of experience and a practical, straightforward approach to property management.

Melanie joined the family business, Land & Brand New Homes Limited, LandPro Consultants in 2005. Her previous experience in retail, banking and medical supplies, brought a strong eye for detail and a natural instinct for looking after people.

Following the acquisition of Callaways Estate & Lettings Agents in 2008, Melanie project-managed the creation of its Property Management Department, establishing the systems, processes and contractor relationships needed to provide a comprehensive service for landlords and tenants.

Her subsequent experience across property management, lettings, sales and client accounts gives Melanie a broad understanding of residential property and what clients expect from their managing agent.

Today, her focus is Property Management at Wilbury Residential. From maintenance and repairs to compliance and communication, Melanie works closely with landlords, tenants, contractors and suppliers to keep properties running smoothly and resolve problems quickly and cost-effectively.

As rental legislation continues to evolve, Melanie believes successful property management comes down to knowledge, communication and common sense. She is also an advocate of proptech, using technology to improve efficiency while creating more time for the personal conversations and relationships that remain at the heart of good service.

Having relocated from Bath to Brighton & Hove, Melanie understands property from a tenant’s perspective too. Now living in Hanover, she enjoys exploring the city with her two daughters.  Outside of work, Melanie is a keen traveller who loves sunshine, discovering new cultures and sampling Brighton & Hove’s cafés and restaurants.

Behind every well-managed property or residential block is a considerable amount of financial administration, and Laura Byman, Client Accounts, plays an important role in keeping everything running smoothly.

For our landlords, Laura helps manage the day-to-day movement of client money. This includes processing rents received from tenants, arranging payments to landlords, paying approved contractor invoices and helping ensure that transactions are accurately recorded and accounted for. Whether it is a routine monthly rent payment or an invoice for maintenance at a property, Laura provides the essential link between our property management team, landlords, tenants and contractors.

Within our Block Management Services, Laura’s role extends to the financial administration of the buildings we manage. She assists with preparing and issuing service charge invoices, recording payments received from leaseholders, processing approved contractor invoices and maintaining clear financial records for each block. She also helps monitor expenditure against service charge budgets and provides the financial information needed to keep Directors and our Block Manager informed.

Working closely with our Block Manager, Bradley Payne,  Laura is very much the team’s support when it comes to “all things numbers.” From checking invoices and answering account queries to helping track service charge income and expenditure, her work supports the effective financial management of each building.

Good property management isn’t only about looking after bricks and mortar; it is also about looking after the money entrusted to us. Laura’s role helps us provide landlords, leaseholders and Directors with the accuracy, accountability and financial organisation they should expect from a professional managing agent.

At Wilbury Residential, I’ve been given the exciting opportunity to build and grow our residential sales department across Sussex, with Hove at the heart of it all.

The local market is fast-moving, competitive and built on relationships, which is exactly what makes it so rewarding. Since joining the business, we’ve already built strong momentum with new instructions, off-market opportunities and growing partnerships with local solicitors, brokers and photographers.

What I enjoy most is the collaborative approach across sales, lettings, block management and maintenance, allowing us to provide clients with joined-up advice and excellent service throughout their property journey.

I’m passionate about continual professional development and delivering high standards, while helping grow a modern, ambitious agency with strong local roots.

Whether you’re looking to move, invest or simply discuss the market, I’d be delighted to help.

In my free time I enjoy football, golf and walking my dogs.

Hi, I’m Heather

My journey as a Property Investor began in the early 1990s. This led to a portfolio including residential and commercial property, property refurbishment, and a life-long interest in property for income and pension purposes.

I have written several e-books on selling property, letting property and beach-huts, and am currently involved in writing a book on land-buying, which is planned for publication in 2020.

Keen to share my passion for property, in 2019 I launched the first of our Landlord Events to help Landlords stay on the right side of legislation in the lettings market.

Since the 1990s, I’ve led teams to sell brand new homes, second hand homes, let properties for overseas landlords, and beach-huts by delivering constant professional service.

From city central Grade II listed to purpose built flats and Victorian terraces, brand new houses and flats, to architect designed individual and unique family homes and mansions in the country and along the coast, my formula to bring sellers and purchasers together has been highly successful, and tested in the most stringent economic times (who can forget the crashes of 1990s and 2008?).

Featured in the national press, BBC One Show, BBC Radio Sussex, and now hosting my own radio show ‘Let’s Talk Property’ on RadioReverb 97.2 FM and DAB, I’m a constant proponent of doing the property ‘thing’ properly, professionally and proudly.

My past TV appearances were on ‘Voulez-vous Jouer’ (Belgium), and Ronnie Corbett’s ‘Child’s Play’. Callaways also featured on Ben Lewis’ ‘What Brits Love’ a series of five 45 minute films, which was produced to coincide with the 2012 Olympics in London.

I’ve become an expert at buying, renting and moving house too over the years, in the UK, France, Italy, Belgium and Spain. Happily, I am now settled in our home in West Sussex (refurbished, extended twice, and still being updated!), getting used to being an empty-nester, but enjoying visits from our 3 adult children, and 2 granddaughters.

I am, fortunately, still extremely fit, and enjoy playing and following sports (particularly tennis and golf), travel for the linguistic and cultural learning opportunities, and continue in my craving for books (which started at a very early age).

Hi, I’m Vanessa.

I’m part of the Callaways and Land & Brand New Homes Accounts team, based at our Head Office in Worthing.  I am available for my colleagues, our clients, tenants and suppliers.

After completing my ACCA qualification, I spent 6 years working in practice before purchasing a share in an independent Letting Agents in Emsworth.  There I spent 15 years enjoying growing and building the business.  After selling to a national chain in 2015, I decided I wanted to remain in the small independent agency environment.  So I joined R W Hilder & Co Ltd, the holding company for Land & Brand New Homes, Callaways Estate & Letting Agents and HRH Developments.

As an FCCA I enjoy applying myself to the varied responsibilities of working in a small business, i.e. building relationships with clients, Landlords, Tenants, and Developers.  I also enjoy working with my colleagues in the various departments of Land, Marketing, Sales, Lettings and Property Management.  I think we will all remember 2020 for the challenges it presented in working remotely.

Our new software system has now bedded in, much to the delight of our Landlords and Tenants.  I played a significant role in developing the templates for accounting procedures and training in-house staff.  Our focus on efficiency is now paying off with colleagues reaping the benefits of quicker access to records.

I take pride in the excellent record of rent collection and in presenting accurate and meaningful statements to our Landlords.  Our consistency level for rental arrears continues at less than 1%.  Always ready for a challenge, our aim is to improve on this figure.  Other responsibilities include client and office accounting.

I have seen many changes during my working life.  Letting agents come and go, but Callaways has remained a steadfast Estate & Lettings Agency in Hove since 1935.  Callaways continues to provide a reputable service to those who want their properties marketed and managed by a professional Propertymark licensed team.

When I’m not at work, my life revolves around my 2 children and travel.

Hi, I’m Laura.

I joined the Callaways team in January 2023 as the Administration Executive.  After three years of working in the student let market in Brighton, I knew that working within the property industry was the right career for me.

I enjoy talking to and meeting new and existing clients, using my customer service background to identify their needs and requirements.  I love being involved in the process of helping people to find the perfect place for them to buy or to let, whether it’s a Beach Hut on the seafront, temporary student accommodation, or a ‘forever’ family home.

I had an Associate membership with the Association of Residential Lettings Agency while studying for qualifications.  I have now successfully completed my Propertymark Level 3 in Residential Letting and Property Management.  This makes me all the more eager to expand my knowledge regarding the lettings side of the business, working with my Lettings team members.

Heather has passed on her passion for ‘properties on the prom’ to me.  I enjoy meeting beach hut owners and new buyers, and explaining all the ins and outs of owning a beach hut.  If you have a beach hut you’d like to sell, call me on 01273 735237 or via enquiries@callaways.co.uk

When I’m not at work, I enjoy a variety of pastimes – going to the gym, watching motorcycle racing, reading books and travelling.  My last big adventure was backpacking through Central America and bus hopping in Peru with my husband and two children.  I have also previously chaired my son’s school PTA, fundraising for his school, volunteering at and organising events including a Zumbathon, Quiz nights and the annual Summer Fiesta held in Hove Park.