Blog by RWP Development Manager Mike Boyle

RWP Development Manager Mike Boyle is a chartered surveyor. Before he joined RWP, he worked as a consultant in the building industry.

“My role essentially is to find properties against the RWP search criteria. I go out to visit properties and see if they are suitable for adaptations for our supported living tenants and if they are financially viable. 

“I really enjoy working on supported living projects. Being involved from project inception to completion has given me a tremendous sense of satisfaction. You’re changing people’s lives for the better.

“I guess the challenges of the role are having so many stakeholders involved in each project, such as commissioners, support providers, and of course families. Everyone’s got a different opinion and at times I’m the mediator! Obviously we have our own design guide to work to, so it’s impossible to tick every box.

“So while we can’t be completely bespoke, we do want to create homes for life. It’s important to bear in mind that when the request for accommodation is received by us, quite often the tenants and their families have already been to hell and back fighting to get to where they are now.

“Not only are we refurbishing properties, we’re also completing new build development via land-led opportunities. This includes utilising our existing stock profile in order to meet the high need and demand for supported living accommodation across the country.

“I’m looking forward to contributing to potential changes which will further develop and strengthen our offer for delivery of schemes, in line with our current strategy. Land purchase, for example, means we can build from scratch and have zero VAT on the build.

“Other issues we’re facing include the continuous change in legislation which affects the sector. We’re working hard to keep rents as low as possible without compromising the quality of our homes. The housing market is under enormous economic pressure and the ability to secure properties at an affordable price remains challenging.”