A message from outgoing PLA Chair, Mark Reading

They say time flies when you’re having fun and my year as Chair of the PLA has certainly flown by in the blink of an eye. Previous Chairs told me this would happen and counselled me to enjoy every moment; how wise their words would turn out to be.
 
In taking on the role of Chair, I wanted to try and bring a fresh perspective to the PLA; to shake things up a little and interrogate what we are doing and why. I have talked previously about coming from a non-traditional background – being an openly gay man and the first person in my family to go to university – and I have worked towards the goal of helping the PLA become more representative of our members, reflecting the diversity of the wider industry and society we serve.
 
To help achieve this, my Vice-Chair Rebecca Campbell and I have been meeting with other key industry bodies in the property sphere this year, including the BPF, the British Council for Offices and RICS, to help understand their approach and share learning in relation to such issues. Doing so has not only helped to raise the PLA’s profile but has also built stronger relationships between the Association and the wider industry.
 
When meeting with Justin Young, CEO of RICS, we explored ways in which our two organisations can collaborate and work together more effectively. Along with Chhavie Kapoor, head of our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, we’ll be taking forward some exciting new work to support younger members of the profession and promote EDI. 
 
With around 130,000 members nationwide, RICS have a depth of knowledge and experience that will be really beneficial for PLA members. In exchange, RICS is keen to ensure the PLA and our members are better represented in industry conversations around law reform. 
 
Having reflected in recent years around our purpose and raison d’être, the PLA has now reached a really inspiring and pivotal phase where we are able to be much more externally facing and can offer real, tangible value to the real estate ecosystem that surrounds us, in addition to our members.
 
One such ecosystem we are engaging in is UKREiiF, which I attended back in May. Following my attendance, details of which you can read about here, the PLA will be officially partnering with UKREiiF in 2025 – please watch this space for a further announcement and full details of this partnership.  
 
Rebecca has worked closely with me on this important and exciting work with the industry. She has been a brilliant colleague, friend and sounding board as I’ve developed my ideas and strategy for the Association over the past year.
 
Rebecca and I are very much aligned on values. As the Association's 30^th anniversary approaches in 2025, I am reassured to be leaving the Association in the safe hands of someone who cares as passionately as I do about the PLA's membership and ensuring the Association delivers quality and value for them year on year, as well as its developing role on EDI issues. Like me, Rebecca has been with the PLA for nearly a decade, and I very much look forward to seeing how she develops these industry relationships and wider Association initiatives over the coming year. 
 
The work of the PLA also wouldn’t be possible without the incredible efforts of all those involved in our various committees and sub-committees, and I would like to give a special thanks to a couple of them in particular.
 
Our EDI Committee is now in full swing. Chhavie has brilliantly galvanised the twenty or so people involved in her sub-committee, and I’m excited about what they will achieve over the next year under Chhavie’s excellent stewardship.  
 
Having spent the last year taking stock, gathering information and establishing the EDI Committee, its inaugural event, Chaired by BE News editor Liz Hamson, took place at the end of October. It was a rip-roaring success, with positive feedback across the board. Expect to see further events over the coming twelve months. 
 
Next, I would like to recognise the steadfast commitment of our JPLA Chair Rachael Studman, who has worked tirelessly this year to deliver a varied programme of both professional and social events for JPLA members. There will be even more for our junior members to engage with in the coming year as we link up with the junior arms of a number of industry bodies.
 
Onto our Law Reform Committee and the incredibly important work they do. Going into my Chairpersonship, I expected that the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 would be the major area in which we would be supporting members. The reality has been quite different, and instead we have all been navigating the significant change within the residential property sphere, particularly around leasehold reform and the upcoming Renters’ Rights Bill. There will be much to be done in in the coming months in that space, in addition to the kick off of the Law Commission's consultation on the 1954 Act. It goes without saying that the Law Reform Committee will be at the forefront of discussions on that topic.  
 
I’d like to finish with a sincere thank you to the whole PLA Executive, particularly those who have been supporting the Association for a number of years. Being a PLA volunteer requires significant time and effort. At the end of every Executive meeting I’m always inspired to see the commitment and enthusiasm people have to making our industry work more effectively, as well as ensuring that those who operate in it are supported and feel respected. 
 
I’m pleased to say that having completed my year as Chair, I might not be disappearing from the PLA Executive entirely. Rebecca and I are currently exploring the possibility that, going forwards, previous Chairs transition into a consultancy role for a further year, helping to provide the Association with continuity and stability. 
 
In this new role, over the coming year I would also look to act as a conduit between other former Chairs and the current Executive, helping to harness the huge pool of knowledge they collectively hold for the benefit of the current membership. 
 
It has been one of the highlights of my career to serve as the Chair of your Association. It is an Association that has provided me with much and I hope that I have paid a little of that back in the initiatives pursued this year.  
 
As my final call to action as Chair, I’d like to invite anyone considering getting involved in the PLA to take the next step and get in touch: we really value the creativity and innovation a new generation of volunteers bring and would be delighted to have you join.
 
Thank you for your support this year and my very best wishes to you all.
 
 
Mark Reading
Chair of the Property Litigation Association, 2023-2024