Hefin Lewis: Professional Member, Residential Property Tribunal Wales
“I am a fluent Welsh speaker and comfortable in undertaking hearings in Welsh. This enables the Tribunal to be inclusive in its approach to fair hearings. All members must adhere and have an appreciation of the principles for standards in public life.”
Background
I qualified as a chartered surveyor in 1985, becoming a Fellow in January 2000. I have a varied professional career ranging from a trainee general practice surveyor in Mid Wales to being appointed as a staff surveyor for Nationwide Building Society in Shropshire. I currently run my own practice based on the England/Wales border and for the last 35 years have undertaken valuation and survey work in Mid/West Wales and the border areas of Shropshire, Cheshire and Herefordshire.
In addition, I have undertaken residential and commercial developments in England and Wales. I was also a director of a Management Company responsible for the management and planned maintenance program of a mixed residential/commercial development.
The appointment
I was appointed a member of the Residential Property Tribunal for Wales in 2013 and cross-ticketed to the First Tier Tribunal in January 2020. During this period, I have represented the Tribunal at hearings throughout Wales in addition to the Northern Region of the Tribunal in England.
My appointment to the Residential Property Tribunal has been rewarding and, at times, challenging. I have been fortunate to represent the Tribunal in notable hearings, including the first appeal heard against Rent Smart Wales, Housing (Wales) Act 2014. I have also actively participated in meetings for leasehold reform in England and Wales culminating in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024. My increasing participation in Tribunal matters has motivated me to greater involvement in dispute resolution.
The role
Hearings are held either in person or, more frequently in these post-COVID days, as virtual hearings. The usual composition of members representing the Tribunal will be a legal chair, valuer member and a lay person. Cases before us are invariably property-related matters to which we, as valuer and professional members, are expected to make informed contributions. Matters such as lease extensions and enfranchisement are often reliant upon the valuer member expert contribution. Furthermore, a pragmatic approach to construction and maintenance matters are particular skills to which the valuer will be expected to hold and share with Tribunal colleagues.
My experience of residential/commercial property and within the construction industry has equipped me with a broad range of skills to make informed and pragmatic contributions in representing the Tribunal. In recent years, my practice work has evolved to resolving valuation and general property disputes as a single joint expert.
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