Our Committee

Chairman - Andrew Simpson

Andy has been a landlord for 14 years and is Managing Director of Landlord Broadband based at York Science Park. As Chairman of what he believes to be one of the best local landlord associations in the UK, he is passionate about York RLA encouraging and promoting good practice in York’s private rented sector. He is keen to continue to develop this area, along with enhancing York RLA’s association with other key bodies in the community, and further improving the support provided to members.

Treasurer - Mark Wilson

A member of York RLA since 2002, and Treasurer since 2006, Mark has played a major role in the Association’s significant growth over the last decade. Having spent twenty-five years in the printing industry, owning and running both reprograghics and printing companies, Mark has used his extensive management skills in representing the Association at both local and national level, as well as championing a number of local issues to help ensure good practice in the landlord sector. A full-time landlord for many years now, fully managing a modest portfolio of properties within the City of York, Mark is keen to promote the association, particularly in the face of ever-increasing pressure from Local and Central Government.

Membership Secretary - Roger Dobson

As well as being a landlord himself, Roger is an experienced property manager and has been managing rented properties in York since 2003. Through his extensive experience of managing both student and professional lets he has built up a good knowledge of the York lettings market and understands the challenges faced by landlords today. He is keen to ensure that all landlords are providing good quality housing and excellent levels of service to tenants in York. He believes the York RLA is a key organisation in helping landlords keep up to date with relevant local and national issues and has served on the York RLA Committee since 2007.

General Commitee Members

Dr. Graham Dykes
Graham is an experienced landlord of over 16 years, managing and developing commercial, HMO and residential property in the City of York. He has been a member of York RLA for over 11 years and has been a committee member for the last 6 years. He has served on the University of York’s governing Council and has been awarded several scholarships (ICI, Society of Chemical Industry) and prizes, for academic excellence (Whinfield, Ede), communication (BP, RSC) and skills to occupy leading positions in public life (City of London’s Great Livery Company of Salters). He is educated in both Law and Chemistry, having achieved a ‘starred’ first class honours (with distinction) and doctor of philosophy. He has published many times in leading international journals and has volunteered for local community outreach in both science and law. In the current political climate, Graham is passionate about landlords being portrayed in a fair and positive light and believes in raising standards primarily through bottom-up voluntary self-regulation rather than top-down controls.

Johanne Spittle
Johanne is a solicitor and Director at Ware & Kay solicitors based in York. She graduated from the University of Sheffield in 1983 and qualified as a solicitor in 1986. Johanne specialises in the resolution of property related disputes and has a particular interest in landlord and tenant law acting for landlords of residential, agricultural and commercial property. She is a member of the Property Litigation Association and is a Fellow of the Agricultural Lawyers Association.

Dr. Frantz
Frantz was educated at Manchester University obtaining a PhD in Computer Science. He worked as a post doctoral researcher in safety critical systems at the University of York from 2002 before reading Law and the Bar Professional Course at BPP University Law School, Manchester, graduating in 2012. He was Called to the Bar by Middle Temple’s Inn in 2014 and appointed Chief Examiner of Immigration at one of UK’s top law schools in 2015. Frantz was admitted as an Immigration Practitioner of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx), having been a graduate member of CILEx Regulation since 2014. Frantz is Head of Gregory & Co Lawyers, specialising in Immigration, EEA and Asylum Law. Gregory & Co Lawyers are regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC). Frantz also has experience in civil litigation, commercial contracts and employment, and is an experienced landlord.

Nigel Deamer
Nigel was born, raised and educated in York. He started his working career at the age of 16 and served his apprenticeship as a decorator with D.W. Cook who was based in Heslington. He ran his own business for 42 years, the first 14 in a partnership and latterly as a sole trader when he retired in 2015. He is a member of the Painting and Decorating Association, currently serving on both Regional and National Councils, and has done for the last 15 years. He has been a landlord for the last 18 years and joined the York RLA a number of years ago which has given him a lot of valuable information due to the ever changing legislation. He strongly believes that being a member of Associations it is essential members show interest in the running of the affairs and not leave it entirely to others.

Rob Wood
Bio to follow