30 October 2024
Fabienne Coughlan - Meet the Team
Property Management, SHW News
We catch up with Fabienne Coughlan, and associate from the Crawley office.
Describe SHW in three words…
Supportive, creative & dependable.
What are your/your team’s expert areas?
Property management – we act as the connection between occupiers and landlords. With the ability to gain an understanding of each stakeholders’ requirements we are able to provide a holistic view of the asset or assets which filters into our advice and management of rent collection, service charge management and property maintenance, all with a view to aid in the enhancement of the investment value.
Tell us about your career at SHW
I’ve now been with SHW for ten years, I joined fresh out of university and was based in our Croydon office. After working my way through the graduate programme I joined the commercial property management team, having discovered (much to my surprise) that property management was an exceptionally good fit for me. I enjoyed the immense sense of satisfaction gained from tackling the puzzling problems that arise and creating tailor made solutions for each scenario faced. Over the years I have worked in our Croydon, London and now Crawley offices as an associate.
How did you get into the industry?
I was researching degrees while doing my A Levels and the Real Estate Management Degree sounded so fascinating I knew it was something I wanted to study.
What are your qualifications?
MRICS
What do you like most about your job?
When a particularly tricky problem presents itself to you, there is moment when you’re investigating to find a solution where all the pieces of the puzzle click together, and you can see the picture as a whole. In that moment the path to the solution opens up in front of you. It’s this moment probably more than the solution being implemented itself that I find most rewarding. It’s when all your hard work and that of your team pays off.
Pinnacle of your career to date?
Returning to work after maternity leave and discovering the person I was before still existed. That I could still be the surveyor I was, and in many ways better, and that I could do both and enjoy it (most of the time).
Favourite project to date?
Eradicating the spider infestation of an office plant room. There must have been thousands of them. I can’t begin to explain the relief I felt when inspections could finally be carried out without feeling like they were crawling all over me.
Best advice you have ever been given?
Conserve your energy, don’t agonise over the small stuff.
Who do you most admire in the industry?
My colleague Tarniah – I’ve watched her feel the fear and do it anyway. But don’t tell her I said so, I don’t want to embarrass her.
Three things to do before you retire?
- Always lend my voice to those less privileged than me.
- Maintain a sense of hope and joy.
- And I really like to finish our house by the time I retire. Or at least paint the skirting boards.