I would like to welcome our regular comers and new visitors to my bi-monthly meetups. It's great news to hear that the end of lockdown is finally in sight. Looking forward to meeting you all face to face before the year is up. In the meantime, we can connect online.

I'm your host Jennifer James and every month, I invite all levels of experience property investors (including landlords) to my evening meet up to network and learn from industry experts. I invite various speakers to share their valuable knowledge and insights so that you can learn how to take your property business forward. I especially welcome new faces who have burning questions about property investing but nowhere to ask them. I bring some very experienced developers who are happy to share their knowledge with you. "No question is a silly question."

Our very special guest is Paul Shamplina, Founder of Landlord Action, Chief Commercial Officer of Hamilton Fraser and star of Channel 5’s Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords.

Paul Shamplina has spent over 28 years in the legal field helping landlords with problem tenants, with previous experience working as a clerk, private investigator, debt collector and certified bailiff.

In 1999, he set up Landlord Action to put this expertise to good use, specialising in fixed-fee property recovery and tenant eviction in England and Wales. He has acquired a reputation as “The Landlord’s Friend” having co-written two books with fellow property expert, Kate Faulkner, to help landlords manage their properties.

Paul is a down to earth Londoner with a great sense of humour who has helped thousands of landlords. He travels the country speaking, giving advice and carrying out regular seminars to landlords and letting agents. Landlord Action has won numerous industry accolades, and recently Paul has also achieved the title of ‘Best Seminar Speaker 2019’ at The National Landlord Investment Show Awards, after receiving nearly 40 percent of the overall votes, and ‘Spokesperson of the Year’ at the Property Reporter Awards 2020.

Paul believes passionately in the rights of landlords (and tenants where necessary), and campaigns tirelessly to improve standards throughout the private rented sector. Paul was invited to give evidence to a cross-party Parliamentary Group on the private rented sector in relation to retaliation evictions as part of The Deregulation Act 2015.

As part of the ‘Fair Possessions Coalition’, he has also been an active participant in government consultations on the topic of speeding up the eviction process, abolishing Section 21 evictions and housing court reforms and is also on the advisory council for the Property Investors Bureau to regulate the property education sector. Paul was particularly instrumental in the law which made squatting a criminal offence from September 2012.

Paul regularly appears in the national press, radio and television. He has appeared in numerous productions including: BBC’s Breakfast, War at the Door, Meet the Landlords, Inside Out and The One Show, ITV’s Tenants From Hell and Channel 4 News. Most recently, Paul and his team at Landlord Action have featured regularly in Channel Five’s hit series ‘Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords’ (2015 - present) . Paul has also co-hosted the ‘The Property Hour’ with Clive Bull on LBC Radio, and regularly contributes his expert guidance on BBC Radio London’s Drivetime with Eddie Nestor.

Paul has featured in The Times, Daily Telegraph, Independent, Guardian and Daily Mail, as well as numerous other national, regional and local newspapers, offering expert advice and highlighting the plights and success stories within his field. Reported success stories include Paul’s recovery of £90,000 rent arrears in a single case and seeing notorious serial subletting scammer, Rose Chimuka, brought to justice.

The South East London Regional Representative for ARLA Propertymark, Michaela Anaka, is my in house expert. She and Tony Anaka will share the latest and most relevant industry news as well as answer any of your questions relating to property.

Remember to apply due diligence before acting on any information that you receive.