Islington Team
Our team have built a wealth of knowledge and expertise in their respective sectors. Read below to understand a bit more about what drives them and please connect with them.
I became partners with Geoff Hotblack in 1981; our ‘divorce’ in 1986 was friendly and I bought his half back in 1998 when he retired to his guns, cars and the country. I have worked in Islington on and off since 1976 and sold my first house in Theberton Street for £26,000! Remarkably HD is the oldest agent left in Islington now; many having been swallowed up by the larger and flashier types. Being the company insomniac, I am usually in the office at 7.30am. Pleasures outside include, going to the gym, watching lots of sport and enjoying the achievements of my 4 grown up children and 5 grandchildren.
I have spent the majority of my life living in various parts of Islington. I started at the firm in 1990 as a trainee under the tutorage of Geoffrey Hotblack and I rose to partnership in 1998. I opened the Highbury office in 2006 and ran that before handing it over to Alasdair. I now look after new business, working with developers and contractors which I am finding pleasantly challenging. To unwind, I get out my bike and go cycling. I organise the Hotblack bike rides which are a great way for us all to get to know each other out of the office and keep fit too!
Born in Canonbury in 1971, I had the pleasure of going to Canonbury school. 26 years later my children followed in my footsteps. When my first child went there I was shocked at how small the hall was and how little the climbing frames were. My primary love (after my wife and four children) is skiing and I spent 6 years as a ski instructor in the French Alps and travelling the world. However, a broken back cut that career short. I started in estate agency in 1995, joining Hotblack Desiato in 1998 with partnership following in 2003. I ski as often as having 4 children allows me and I have a passion for architecture/ design and sailing.
I have lived in North London all my life, and am the youngest of 4 siblings. Having previously worked in the Camden Branch, I took a break and moved into the busy and wonderful world that is Islington. I took some time out to explore my passion for baking, which I have loved since I was a child. During my time away, I enrolled in a patisserie school and I qualified as a pastry chef. I can either be found at home covered in flour, shouting at people on the ‘Great British Bake Off’ and playing netball in the park.
Born and raised in Islington, I recently graduated from the Arts university Bournemouth in the summer of 2020 with a degree in Photography. My photographic work revolves around the street, getting to know the ins and outs of a new areas and exploring new streets, it is stimulating for my creative mind and photographic work! Having done 2 weeks work experience with Hotblacks back in 2014 I was familiar with the company and excited to return as a Junior Lettings Negotiator in June of 2020 to the Camden office, I am now based in my local office in Islington, please feel free to free to come in for a chat.
I graduated from Ulster University with a degree in Marketing in summer of 2022. I moved to London from Northern Ireland and started my journey with Hotblack Desiato in the Camden office, and I have recently moved to the Islington office, which is super local. I am a huge running fan, and it has been such a great way to discover London and all the hidden gems it has to offer. I adore Clissold Park for sunny morning walks with a warm coffee in hand. Please pop by the office for a chat, I would be delighted to help.
As a lifelong Arsenal fan it made perfect sense when the opportunity to join Hotblack Desiato presented itself to me, coupled with the fact I would be working in Islington is fantastic as I love eating out!
I have grown up in North London and worked in many of London’s prime property markets over the past 17 years, for pioneers within the industry. After all these years I still have the same passion for delivering excellent standards for our customers and clients alike. One of the most enjoyable parts to this job is meeting new people and hearing their stories and being able to make a positive change to their lives. Away from work I’m a single father to two young children who are a bundle of joy (most of the time), I’m a Gooner for life which makes working in Islington perfect for matchdays!!
Hi, my name is Charlie and I work as a Sales Negotiator in our Islington Branch. I was lucky enough to grow up in Highbury, over the last few years the one thing that really stood out to me is the sense of community in the area. At age 15 I started working in Godfrey’s before moving to The Woodbine. Throughout this time I got to know a lot of the locals, many of which I am still in touch with to this day. This was also something that really drew me to Hotblack Desiato, as they have thrived in Islington for many years whilst building up meaningful and lasting relationships with clients. I believe this provides us with a personal touch which is very tricky to come by in the industry, and as someone that loves meeting new people this is perfect for me! I joined Hotblack Desiato in July 2022, and it’s absolutely flown by. I have really appreciated the opportunity to apply and further all the knowledge I gained on my Real Estate course at Oxford Brookes Uni, and look forward to an exciting future with the company.
Hi there, I joined Hotblack Desiato’s property management team in 2014 and I received a warm and friendly welcome from everybody. Originally from up north I have lived in London for over 20 years. I enjoy being a property manager – it keeps me on my toes as no day is the same. I am a ‘people person’ and I naturally go above and beyond to meet the needs and requirements of clients and tenants. In my spare time I enjoy chilling and spending time with my family near Birmingham, they do great fish and chips up there! I also enjoy travelling, reading, cooking and studying historic pictures. Don’t laugh but I also collect old dictionaries – I love words.
Hi I’m Alison, Originally from Wolverhampton, I have been in London for 10 years now. Before joining the Islington team I had worked in the gaming industry as a receptionist. I certainly enjoyed working with the people whether they were experiencing highs or lows. Eventually the late night work pattern got a little much for me and I was ready for a change! So when I was offered the opportunity of a new career and challenge I jumped at the chance! I am enjoying my role here more and more everyday, working in a great environment with great people, and also learning the business more. In my spare time I like to hit the gym or spend time with my family back in Wolverhampton. I also love spending time here in London having been here for some time now.
Hello! I’m Rita! I am part of the Hotblack Desiato property management team. I grew up in Highbury so having the opportunity to manage properties within this area is great! I have a number of years’ experience in AST and block management, so I am excited to be able to bring my skills and experience into my role here at HD. I am currently based in the Islington office. I am very family oriented and enjoy socialising with my friends. In my spare time I enjoy reading, working out, great food and travelling!
Gino from Hotblack Desiato made our experience of finding and renting our flat seamless and actually enjoyable...that's rare! He communicated well with us, and has continued be in touch. He has a personable and honest approach, and I would highly recommen
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Jo Scholar
I loved working with brilliant Saskia. She found me the perfect home and was so supportive during the process. I couldn't recommend her more highly.
Alice B
Great service from Saskia and Alasdair. Highly recommend
Bryan Martin
We have used Hotblack desiato twice now to rent out our flat. Both times we have received an excellent service and the process ran smoothly. A big thank you to Daniel and Gino in particular.
Colyn Weaver
Had the pleasure of working with Nina who made a difficult process much easier and with great sympathy and understanding. Would recommend.
Charles Baloche
Shoutout to Diriye at Hotblack who was extremely helpful in us finding our flat. Made a stressful process very easy. Fantastic communication and felt like they actually cared about us getting into our place. Fire your current estate agent right now and ca
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Brett Renken
Alasdair and the Sales team handled our sale with patience and professionalism throughout. The listing and viewings process was great and we felt we were getting strong viewings and feedback in a very difficult market. Alasdair went above and beyond to
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Paul Budd
Alasdair at Hotblack Desiato was incredibly helpful through the whole process as I bought my flat. As a first time buyer I really appreciated having someone able to explain each step without all the jargon. He checked in regularly to make sure the legal s
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Kathryn Jones
Very happy with Hotblack's service - Daniel is extremely effective at following up any issues, and always helpful
Anthony Wilson