When Suzanne joined Grayling, she brought with her 20 years of experience in the Irish residential property market.
In this Q&A, Suzanne shares insight into her role as Lettings Manager at Grayling Properties, how resident selection works across Grayling’s portfolio, and how technology and teamwork support the delivery of high standards in the residential rental sector.
What is your role at Grayling Properties?
I oversee a diverse portfolio of apartments and studios across Dublin. These properties all have their own character, and managing them requires constant coordination to ensure they are maintained to a high standard and brought back to market as efficiently as possible between tenancies.
A key part of the role is managing the full lettings cycle – from preparing properties for viewings and coordinating maintenance or upgrades, to ensuring vacant units are turned around quickly and reintroduced to the market without unnecessary delay.
Alongside this operational oversight, resident selection remains an important part of the process. Applications are initially pre-screened through our letting software before progressing to in-person viewings and a final decision based on referencing and meeting prospective residents.
For me, it’s always about the right person for the right home. You’re constantly thinking – are they the right fit? Will they respect the property? Will they meet their obligations as a resident? These are the types of questions you have to ask yourself before matching a person with a property.
What stands out to you about the working culture at Grayling?
The culture at Grayling is genuinely collaborative. Everyone is approachable and willing to help, whether it’s asking for advice or supporting each other with viewings or tenant queries. That kind of openness creates a really positive working environment.
There’s also a strong sense of teamwork – people share knowledge, support new team members and take pride in helping each other develop.
What does a typical day look like for you?
The role is fast-paced and very varied. My mornings are usually spent reviewing applications, preparing for viewings and coordinating with the wider property management team. In the afternoons, I’m typically meeting prospective residents and conducting viewings.
It’s never the same day twice, which is something I really enjoy. You’re constantly interacting with people and working through different situations, which keeps the role engaging.
How does technology support your role?
Technology has transformed the way my day runs. Our letting software allows us to centralise resident and property data, manage maintenance requests and screen applicants before viewings take place. I can access my diary, assess applicants and progress offers directly from my phone, allowing me to move from viewing to offer quickly, without layers of paperwork slowing things down.
What advice would you give to someone starting out in their career in property?
My biggest advice would be to focus on people skills as much as the property side of the job. Property management is ultimately about understanding people – you need to be able to read situations and people quickly, be a natural conversationalist and get a sense of whether someone will be the right fit for a home. Asking the right questions is important, but it shouldn’t feel like an interrogation.
It’s also important to stay proactive and one step ahead. Every day is different, so you need to be organised, adaptable and ready to respond to things quickly. At the same time, try not to take difficult situations personally. Not every interaction will go smoothly, but the positive moments – like helping someone finally secure a home after a long search – are what make the job really rewarding.
What do you enjoy most about working in lettings at Grayling?
Lettings is a very people-driven profession. I get a lot of energy from interacting with people and helping them find the right place to live. When someone tells you that securing a home has made a real difference to their life, it’s incredibly rewarding, and it stays with you, especially when you’re helping the next person.
Working at Grayling has been a very different experience compared to what I was used to earlier in my career. The team environment is highly collaborative and there is a strong sense of trust across the organisation. People are approachable and supportive, which makes it easy to solve problems quickly and work together when needed.
The systems and processes in place also make a significant difference to how the role operates day-to-day. With streamlined systems and clear processes, I can focus on managing the portfolio, supporting residents and ensuring properties are brought back to market efficiently, rather than dealing with unnecessary administration.
Being able to work within a supportive team while having the autonomy to manage responsibilities effectively makes the role both engaging and fulfilling. Working at Grayling is busy and fast, but I love it.