Julia Rodgers

Committee Member

To date my professional background has been varied. I worked in the tourism industry before having my two children, obtaining qualification as a Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London. Since having the children I have spent twenty years in housing.

My first housing position was with Ealing Council, working with the street homeless through a charity set up by Paradigm Housing. Interesting, and a very steep learning curve!

More recently I worked with our local authority, CDC, as the connection between public money and private enterprise. I ran a scheme called the Rent Deposit Guarantee Scheme where I matched private landlords with families claiming Housing Benefit and helped manage the properties.

Since leaving CDC I have set up run my own company called Rodgers Specialist Lettings Agency (RSLA) running a rent to rent scheme. This is where RSLA rents properties from landlords for a guaranteed income for a specified period of time, quite different from what high street letting agents offer. There are no void periods to worry about and landlords don’t deal with tenants or get involved in minor maintenance issues.

I joined the Chamber of Commerce almost as soon as I set up on my own and was asked to join the committee about eighteen months ago. What I get from the Chamber is support from others in a similar position. Working for yourself has its rewards but can be a bit lonely. I enjoy being on the committee and getting involved in things that I wouldn’t normally get involved in. I find that I can use the organisational skills I learnt when I worked as a secretary/PA – when such a role existed.