MaryAnn Pearce now living in her recently renovated grade II listed farmhouse with her husband Martin. As well as overseeing projects, her main role at Personal Property Services is to ensure that the company's trademark customer service is maintained at all times. As an expert in property and DIY renovations, MaryAnn often offers advice to property owners and as an NLA representative, is an industry expert. She keeps up to date on all the latest property and market news, as well as latest trends in interior design.

Below are just a few nuggets of information about the founder of Personal Property Services. If you want to find out more, please get in touch via the Contact Us page.

What made you set up PPS?

A lot of my friends kept asking me to help out on house renovations and renting. When I left BT in 2000, I did my house up and really enjoyed it. A friend of mine liked what I had done and asked me to prep his property for the rental market. I managed the project successfully and after his encouragement, I realised I had real talent for this sort of thing. Out of this, Personal Property Services was born in 2004.

What was your main incentive for setting up PPS?

My key motivation was to change people's perception of the building industry. There are a lot of unspoken prejudices about builders and I want to try and change this; to strip away the cliché of unfriendly, incompetent builders, who never tidy up after themselves and who don?t want to get to know their clients. At the end of the day, it?s all about mutual respect and about breaking down barriers of communication. If you treat a builder in the same way you would treat a guest in your house, the better the service they will provide.

I try to ensure that all my builders know the rules for each individual client and house. I am also working towards launching a training course to teach builders' soft skills such as telephone techniques and the importance of customer service. I want help remove the complexities of the building industry. It's amazing how quickly I have turned around a relationship between and client and their tradesman, by working as the intermediary to communicate each other's problems. As the trend for DIY and home improvements increases, it is essential that the issue be addressed.

What is your relevant background and experience?

I have 12 years experience of managing people and clients while working at BT. I also have 16 years experience in being a landlord and 11 years of buying, renovating and renting out property.

I am a National Landlords Association (NLA) member and London representative so I regularly attend housing strategy meetings and building regulation launches, to keep up to date on the industry. I find that my knowledge of the sector makes me an expert so people are keen to seek me out for guidance on this specialised area. I am then able to ensure that any building regulations that PPS carries out is adhered to.

Where do you expect to be in 5 years time?

I see there being an even greater demand for PPS's services in the future. Once a change of perceptions happens within the industry and everyone's concerns are addressed, then we can move forward. I realise the challenge ahead but I see no reason for perceptions not to change. I am not naiveﶥ in thinking it will be easy, but I am confident that the correct environment exists.

What part of your job do you enjoy most?

The best parts are meeting people and helping them get a job done well. I am only satisfied when clients are really pleased with the work done.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I need an outlet for my boundless energy so I love to keep fit and be outdoors. Normally this involves running, sailing, skiing or horse riding - or, more importantly, walking my dog. I thrive on being around people of all ages and walks of life so I am out socialising a lot too. As well as interests in antiques and interior design, I also support the Arts through charity art auctions and by helping to promote artists through my coming Arts Space on the website. Travelling is also a passion and I hope one day to have my perfect paradise in the sun!

How would you describe your personal style?

It sounds like an antithesis, but I would describe my style as glamorous/ minimalist. While I like to have luxurious one-off pieces such as a cream upholstered Louis XIV chair, I don't like to have lots of furniture crowding a room.

I am always on the hunt for that special piece of furniture and love to be surrounded by beautiful objects. Owning designer products is not important to me; I would rather buy something that holds some history. I prefer the source of the item to remain a mystery to me, to hold some sort of secret past and help to preserve a tradition, while recycling an object that would otherwise end up in landfill.

I source antiques and other furnishings from all over the UK and keep a secret 'Black Book' of suppliers and contacts. I'm good at bargaining and have no problem with sourcing cheaper alternatives if it means I can then buy an antique that will add the finishing touches to a simple décor.

What's the most important lesson you've learnt in life?

It is essential to understand that people's values and beliefs are different and you should not be surprised by it. I strive to always be accepting of others and to be open to all experiences.

Describe the best and worse house renovation you have managed or overseen?

The best house renovation happened 2 years ago for a man who had a 2 bedroom flat that had remained un-let for 9 months, and needed a lot of renovation. I managed the installation of a new kitchen, all electrical works and got it completely decorated throughout with new flooring and furnishings. The tenants I found for the house are still living in the flat 2 years later and Silvia De Mentaberry is quoted on my website!

The worse project - I'd prefer to say most challenging - involved another two bedroom flat, which was bought by a lady under a tight budget who had not known the full extent of the work that was needed to bring it up to standard. We discovered that the property was not fully registered with Land Registry, was in bad condition and needed a new kitchen, bathroom, heating system and redecorating throughout. I was able to advise her on getting the cheapest suppliers, while ensuring that the necessary work was done in the shortest time possible and under a realistic budget.

What are the key issues facing the property sector now?

The ethical aspect of the building industry is being widely discussed so it is essential that everyone adheres to certain standards of practice. Environmental legislation and its implementation are becoming increasingly important. For instance energy efficient condensed boilers will soon become a legal requirement in all homes so I am ensuring that my team explain this to the client in advance.

Recycling and waste management are also important factors. I try to not throw something away if I think it can be reused in one of my tenant's homes. I believe it is possible to work with what you have and improve it.