Pictured above: Charles Lawson

A new firm of property consultants has opened for business in Shropshire and covering the West Midlands and north and mid Wales.

Trading as Forge Property Consultants, Charles Lawson has 15 years experience working in the property sector. His first job was in Pembrokeshire assisting with the management of 20,000 acres of privately owned country estates, where he qualified as Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and a Fellow of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers.

Charles then moved to Leicestershire for four years where he worked for a national firm and was involved with clients with extensive portfolios of residential, commercial and rural property. He was also involved in the management of two country houses which were open to the public. He also managed around 150 telecoms sites. In 2005 he moved back to his home county of Shropshire and worked for a national firm before leaving them at the end of 2009.

Charles comments: "I am very excited about starting the new business. Although trading conditions are still very difficult I know that I can match my competitors on service quality and by keeping my overheads as low as possible I should be very competitive with my costs. We will be focussing on property management and development but will also offer a wide range of consultancy services for rural, residential and commercial property. I am happy to meet with prospective clients and discuss their requirements initially on a no cost, no obligation basis"