Behind the Scenes: India Haslam

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where did you grow up? Whereabouts do you live now?

I grew up in Lincolnshire, went to school in Yorkshire, followed by Oxford Brookes University, and I now live in Fulham with my husband and dog, so you can say I’ve had my fair share of moving.

How long have you been an estate agent for?

I have worked at Douglas & Gordon for the last 5 years and used to work in event management before that.

What’s the greatest thing about working for them?

The best thing about working for D&G for me is the really fun team environment and work ethic.

What’s the funniest story you have from your time at Douglas & Gordon?

I was once doing a viewing in Putney on a Saturday morning and I walked into the bedroom with my applicants, only to see the tenants in a very strange position! Needless to say we got out of there very quickly.

When you’re not in the office or showing people around, what do you do in your spare time? Any interesting hobbies we should know about?

I really enjoy spending time with my friends and family, dog walking, going shooting in winter, and as much shopping and travelling as I can afford!

What questions do you most commonly get asked by clients/customers?

I often get asked if the rent is negotiable and also what the market is doing.

What advice do you have for people looking to buy or rent in Pimlico & Westminster?

Try and move to one of the squares if you can as they really are beautiful, and make sure you go to Pimlico Fresh on Wilton Road for breakfast or lunch!

What do you love about Pimlico & Westminster? What are your favourite hangouts? Where do you grab your coffee in the morning, or take a business lunch?

I love the fact there are several tube stations nearby. The square gardens and the shops on Victoria Street are really lovely for some relaxation. I also love the food at Pimlico Fresh, the different nail bars and the Sainsbury’s on Wilton Road is huge! I usually have coffee in the office or from Starbucks as a treat and I would recommend A Wong or Dim T for lunch as they have some delicious options.

What would you say to anyone looking to move into the area?

Pimlico is very quiet at the weekends, which can be either a good or bad thing for young professionals, so keep in mind what you want out of the area when looking for property.

If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about the property market, what would it be?

Tenants and applicants would be more educated about the lettings process – we spend a lot of time explaining the process to them.