Meet the Team
Neil Bartlett FNAEA CPEA MARLA
Managing Director
Neil joined the firm in 1998 as an apprentice following work experience and his professional attitude and hard work soon elevated him through the ranks to become a Partner in September 2011. Throughout his time with the company he has gained his Certificate of Practice in Residential Estate Agency and NVQ Levels II and III whilst also achieving the highly regarded Fellowship of the National Association of Estate Agents when he was 25, the youngest eligible age. Neil has also passed the Technical Award in Residential Lettings and Property Management and is a member of the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA). A proud Torquay boy born and bred, Neil has extensive knowledge of the areas we cover and a true passion for the profession.
Paul Leaver MNAEA
Director
Paul joined the firm at the start of 2015 and brings a wealth of experience, having been a household name in the local property market since starting his career at GA Property Services in 1992. He moved to Waycotts in 1995 where he progressed through the ranks to become an Associate Director, before joining Torbay Council in 2010 to work in a variety of roles involving housing and community safety. Throughout his career so far, Paul has achieved his NVQ Level III in Residential Property and Level 3 award in Domestic Energy Assessment through the National Association of Estate Agents of which he is a member. A Torquay boy born and bred with his roots firmly in the bay, Paul is a true professional with encyclopedic knowledge of both people and places.
Gemma Bartlett
Director
Gemma is Neil’s better half, and instrumental in the growth of the company throughout their gradual taking over the firm from John & Eve. Studying privately to gain the acclaimed AAT Qualifications, Gemma keeps a trained eye on the accounts side of the businesses and human resources. In addition to her long-term role at the firm, Gemma worked at HMRC as a Revenue Officer for seven years, then joining the Lloyds Banking Group, and on to a highly regarded independent accountancy practice in Torbay. A busy mum to two beautiful children, Gemma takes exceptional multi-tasking to a different level!
Steven Russell MARLA
Lettings Manager
Steven earned promotion to Lettings Manager in 2020 following his six years’ dedication and hard work, achieving valuable experience since joining our busy department in March 2014. Before entering lettings, Steven worked for a 40 office strong telecommunications company and brought extensive knowledge of accounts, payroll, bookkeeping and IT. Steven is a Member of the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) and has passed his Certificate of Practice in Residential Lettings and Property Management, which reinforces his commitment to standards within our industry.
Jessica Magill MNAEA
Sales Negotiator
Born and bred in Torquay, Jess joined the John Lake family in March 2019 with her first steps into estate agency. After finishing her education at a local sixth form, in June 2016 Jess went into the hotel and leisure industry as front of house for a long established, highly regarded Torquay hotel. Bringing her exceptional communication skills and infectious friendly approach, Jess is keen to enhance her knowledge of our industry, having successfully passed the Technical Award in Residential Property in April 2023, thus becoming a Member of the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), part of the wider Propertymark umbrella.
Carolyn Axtell
Sales Administrator
Carolyn joined the firm in 2001 and is the linchpin of the company, solely office-based with a relentless task of making sure the rest of the team are working efficiently. Usually the first port of call when contacting our office, Carolyn deals with all the office administration from booking appointments to creating brochures and marketing material – without these instrumental components none of the team could conduct their jobs professionally.
Sue Johnson
Accounts Administrator
Sue was educated in Torquay, having moved from the Midlands with her family. Starting her career in insurance as a claims handler, Sue moved into hotel and leisure, initially as Front of House Manager at a renowned local hotel and then Manager of a waterside bar / restaurant. Sue entered the property sector in 2013, working for a local commercial estate agent as office manager and PA to the Director until 2022. Seeking to enhance her knowledge of accounts whilst studying privately for her AAT in Bookkeeping, Sue joined a large healthcare business as credit controller, although missed being client facing in the hub of a busy office – she joined our letting team to head our accounts department in June 2024. Sue has a keen eye for detail, coupled with a warm personality and wicked sense of humour!
Rachel Lee
Lettings Administrator
Rachel joined our busy letting team in May 2024, bringing with her a broad depth and knowledge of the local residential property market. Starting her property career in 2006 in the Devon office of a large national house builder, Barrett Homes, Rachel relocated to Surrey with a family-run agency specialising in residential sales and lettings. Moving back to Exeter in 2017, Rachel joined a national franchise letting office before taking an opportunity to join a new independent Torquay agency as their office manager, becoming instrumental in driving significant growth of the business for five years. With the owner planning to close the business and move counties, Rachel took a role with a large South Hams-based practice in their Professional Services Department, but missed being front of house in a busy sales and letting office. Rachel’s enthusiasm is infectious, and has seamlessly settled into life at John Lake.
Justina Stanway
Sales Valuer / Negotiator
Having been a household name in the local property market since moving to Paignton in 1993, Justina joined the John Lake family in May 2023. Commencing her career at PSG preparing local authority searches for solicitors, Justina took some time out to start a family, before qualifying as a Domestic Energy Assessor in 2007 and starting her own business producing energy reports and Home Information Packs. Following the withdrawal of the HIPS in 2010, it was an obvious move into agency as a Negotiator for the long established Barbets in Paignton, where she was appointed as a director in 2017. Justina has also achieved the NVQ Level 3 in ‘The Sale of Residential Property’ through the National Association of Estate Agents and Propertymark, of which she is a member.
Helen Holgate BA (Hons)
Sales & Letting Negotiator
Locally born Helen has been involved with property the whole of her career, which commenced in the late 1970s at an estate agents in Newton Abbot and continued working for agents within the Bay until the 1990s. Helen then concentrated on the provision of affordable housing for both sale and rent, working for Westcountry Housing where she gained a BA (Hons) degree in Housing and Development, becoming a Member of the Chartered Institute for Housing. Helen moved back into the private lettings market in 2012 and joined our team in March 2013, becoming manager until wishing to step back in March 2018. She now brings her wide range of experience to the sales team whilst supporting lettings, enhancing the professional service already expected from John Lake.
Suzanne Barrett
Sales Progressor & Negotiator
Suzanne has worked in estate agency within Torbay for over 20 years, experiencing both the corporate and independent sides to our industry. More latterly Suzanne held the position of senior negotiator at one of Paignton’s most respected firms for over eight years, joining the John Lake family in September 2020 to head our sales progression and support the sales team. Suzanne’s breadth of property knowledge, calming demeanour and established working relationships with fellow property professionals are instrumental in guiding our clients’ sales to successful completion.
Darren Bartlett
Lettings Consultant
Darren provides our letting department with a broad depth of construction knowledge and management expertise on a consultancy role. Darren was previously a contracts manager for a large environmental specialist firm handling remediation solutions to the development, industrial, commercial and public sectors, working for them for eleven years and covering the whole of England. As a Torquinian born and raised, Darren took a lifestyle choice to change career path and enable him to spend more time in the Westcountry with less travel away from home. Darren primarily assists our lettings team with property inspections, condition reports and maintenance issues.
George Sage
Lettings Negotiator
George is a Torquay boy, born, educated, and raised in the bay. He joined our busy Letting office in August 2023 as an apprentice, having already commenced his first year of a vocational qualification studying business. George is a smart, enthusiastic young man with a willingness to learn and dedication to study the intricacies of residential letting. He has already established himself as a valued team member, undertaking a broad range of duties, both client facing and administrative roles.
John Lake FNAEA FNAVA
Consultant
Having been brought up in Devon’s Exe Valley, John entered the profession in 1968 as an articled pupil with a large firm of auctioneers and valuers in Bristol where he progressed to establish a new office in Bath for the company before returning to Devon with his family in 1974. After furthering his career for 4 years with a local independent firm in Torquay, John started his own partnership in 1978 and was a Fellow of both the National Association of Estate Agents and National Association of Valuers and Auctioneers. Although John officially retired in March 2019, he remains on hand in an advisory capacity, providing invaluable experience amassed over 45 years in Torquay. An exceptional agent, and a true gentleman!