The No Bullsh*t Property Podcast

Welcome back to The No Bullsh*t Property Podcast! For Season 4 Episode 2, Paul is joined by Corinne from City Centre Chic to unpack one of the biggest shifts facing the rental market right now, the Renters Reform Act. Corinne shares her journey into the property sector and reflects on how the rental market has evolved over the past 16 years. They break down the key changes introduced by the new le...

Welcome back to The No Bullsh*t Property Podcast!  Howard and Paul kick off Season 4 with Laura Blakey, Director of Strategic Finance and Investment at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, to unpack how public sector investment is shaping housing, regeneration, and growth across Greater Manchester. Laura shares her journey into local government and explains the thinking behind GMCA’s Good Gr...

Welcome back to The No Bullsh*t Property Podcast! In this episode Howard is joined by Akeel Malik, Partner at SURE Capital and Fund Manager of the Urban Splash Residential Fund, to explore the power of design-led rental homes and the importance of building communities that last. Akeel shares his journey into the property sector, the founding mission behind SURE Capital, and how his team is tacklin...

In this episode of the No Bullsh*t Property Podcast, we welcome back Ben Hall, the owner and founder of LOFT, to talk about how interior design can shape healthier, more inclusive Build-to-Rent communities. Ben joins Howard and Paul to explore how flexible, multifunctional amenity spaces can encourage community, reduce social isolation, and respond to what residents actually want. Together, they d...

In this episode, Paul and Howard sit down with Dougie Orton-Wade, our newly appointed Head of Build-to-Rent, to talk about the future of BTR at CERT, and how we’re doing things differently. In this conversation they discuss the evolution of the sector and the importance of creating sustainable, thriving communities. Dougie shares how CERT is focused on going beyond traditional expectations, priori...

Welcome back to the No Bullsh*t Property Podcast. Howard and Paul are kicking off Season 3 with a deep dive into commercial utility prices, and their growing impact on businesses and landlords, joined by guest Gary Stewart from Otto. Discover how the intersection of government policy and energy efficiency is reshaping property investment strategies, and explore the potential of super smart meters...

Howard and Paul are joined this week by Paul Nicholson from the Nicolson Group for a deep dive into the day-to-day realities of a professional landlord in today’s shifting property landscape. Nicholson Group acquires unloved, derelict buildings and brings them back to life as efficiently designed modern homes that honour each building’s heritage. They begin by exploring the recent changes brought...

Join Paul and Howard as they sit down with Gemma Krysko, founder of We Are Indigo, to explore the dynamic evolution of Manchester’s hospitality scene and its impact on urban regeneration. Gemma shares her journey into PR and discusses the transformative shifts in hospitality, emphasising how strategic urban planning and unique venues can enhance neighbourhoods. The conversation highlights the impo...

In this episode of the No Bullsh*t Property Podcast, we’re taking a deep dive into the challenges and opportunities in the property development finance market, with the expertise of our guests Jack Poxon and Tom Bamber from Graphene Commercial Finance. With backgrounds in banking and finance, Jack and Tom offer insights into the fragmented world of development finance, exploring the advantages and...

Join Howard and Paul as they dive into the topic of viability as part of the planning application process. Special guest Matt Spilsbury from CBRE joins them to unravel the complexities of viability assessments amidst current proposed planning reforms. Planning is a hot topic for Labour’s newly formed Government, particularly the reintroduction of housing targets on the agenda. Howard, Paul, and gu...

Season 2 of the No Bullsh*t Property Podcast continues with Angela Mansell, Managing Director of Mansell Building Solutions, who joined Howard and Paul to discuss construction in our latest women in property episode. Angela shares her journey from initially avoiding the construction industry to leading a successful second-generation family business in Manchester, highlighting the industry's e...

Join us for Season 2 of The No Bullsh*t Property Podcast!  We’re kicking off a new season with a new set and a whole host of new topics, starting with a dive deep into architectural heritage on none other than World Heritage Day. In this episode Howard and Paul examine the changing perspectives on architectural heritage, reflecting on how buildings once seen as eyesores have come to be appreciated...

🎙️The No Bullsh*t Property Podcast is back for 2024! 🎙️ Tune in to the first episode of the year as we navigate the thriving creative hubs that are revitalising urban spaces in Liverpool.  Joining Howard and Paul as the first guest of the year is Lynn Haime, CEO of Baltic Creative. Lynn discusses Baltic Creative's approach that creates  flourishing ecosystems where profits circle back to nurt...

🎙️That's a wrap on The No Bullsh*t Property Podcast for 2023!🎙️ Join Paul and Howard in the final episode of the year as they navigate the challenges and trends of the 2023 property landscape, with a focus on the cost of living increases affecting the industry. Paul and Howard discuss the rising rents in the residential market and the shift in commercial leases towards energy-conscious decisi...

🎙️Episode 18 is out now!🎙️ Join Howard and Paul for the newest episode of The No Bullsh*t Property Podcast with guest Rebecca Coley, Head of Planning and Development at Trafford Council. Together they explore her journey and passion for planning as we unravel the world of urban planning and development. Howard and Paul discuss with Rebecca the challenges of urban planning and development, and the...

Our latest episode of the No Bullshit Property Podcast is now live! 🎙️ Howard and Paul, are joined by our very own Head of Innovation and Ventures, George Konstantakopoulos. Join us as we dive deep into the dynamic landscape of innovation and business in Manchester. In this episode, George discusses his path to CERT and his approach to innovation. He shares his perspective on how innovation can oc...

In this episode Howard and Paul are joined by guest Ged McPartlin, from Ascend Property, as we discuss the rise of the suburban build-to-rent landscape. He provides us with a perspective on the momentum of this sector, the transition from traditional buy-to-let properties, and the unique edge these suburban locations offer. Ged discusses the intricacies of property management within urban properti...

The No Bullsh*t Property Podcast is back with its 15th episode!  This time we’re joined by Ben Hall, Managing Director of LOFT. Ben shares his journey of starting Loft in 2003 with a student loan and how his experience studying in the United States inspired him to create better quality accommodation for students in Manchester. Howard and Paul discuss with Ben how the rental market is changing the...

In this month’s episode Howard and Paul caught up with our very own Head of Construction, Nigel Pearce, as we navigate the complexities of the construction landscape. Nigel sheds light on the challenges of maintaining a budget across the entire product lifecycle, from inception to maintenance and highlights the importance of innovation in overcoming obstacles within the sector.  We explore the hig...

In this episode of The No Bullsh*t Property Podcast, Howard and Paul are joined by fellow developer Harry Dhaliwal, Managing Director of Step Places. Similar to CERT, innovation and sustainability are at the forefront of their approach, with Harry featuring alongside Howard on Insider Media’s 2021 ‘Property Disruptors’ list, which showcases the individuals ripping up the rulebook in the property i...

It’s The No Bullsh*t Property Podcast’s 12th episode! And what better way to celebrate that we're 12 months into our podcasts, than to be talking all things planning with CERT’s favourite planning consultant, Matt Dixon. Matt is one of the founders of Enabl, a specialist planning, cost management and project management consultancy based in Manchester. CERT have worked with Enabl on a number o...

Community is one of our core values here at CERT, a value shared by today’s guests Josh & Ruben, owners of the F45 fitness studio, not a gym but a community offering life-changing team training in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Paul & Howard are regulars of the 45 min cardio and resistance classes and have seen firsthand the community that Josh and Ruben have built. The guys have had their...

For the milestone 10th episode of #TheNoBullshitPropertyPodcast, we are joined by a very special guest and a friend of CERT.  If you work in property in Manchester, this man needs no introduction. His motto is ‘love what you do’ - a phrase he epitomises in everything he does; today's guest is Atul Bansal of Sheila Bird. In this episode, Atul shares with us the history of Sheila Bird, his thou...

The No Bullsh*t Property Podcast is back for 2023!  After recapping the key figures from Q4 and 2022 as a whole, Howard and Paul are joined by our first guest for 2023, Sky Mapson from Maslow Capital. An award-winning development finance company, Maslow Capital support experienced developers to deliver successful projects, with a main focus on the living sector. Howard and Paul ask Sky about his t...

For the final episode of 2022, Howard & Paul reflect on the year past and look forward to the year ahead. They discuss the key things we saw in 2022, from the Autumn mini-budget to rising rents and energy bills, and predict what 2023 will mean for the UK residential and commercial property markets. 2022 definitely threw us a few curveballs - after emerging from the shocks of covid, we ran stra...