Property experts to help you achieve your goals

Francis Tomlinson

Director

Francis Tomlinson is Head of the Lease Advisory Division at Aitchison Raffety, and manages the company’s Hitchin Office. Francis has over 40 years’ experience as a qualified Chartered Surveyor, and has been in practice in North Hertfordshire, based in Hitchin for the last 38 years, originally as a Partner in Chancellors, followed by two years as a Regional Director for Hogg Robinson Property Services, and 20 years as a Director of Tomlinson Quin Ltd, before the merger of that company with Aitchison Raffety in 2009.

The Hitchin Office has been involved with commercial property, including both agency and landlord and tenant matters throughout the last 38 years. Francis acts both for landlords and tenants in lease renewal negotiations and rent review disputes, and also acts for both as an Independent Expert and as an Arbitrator (having been on the Panel of The President of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors for over 25 years in each case). Francis acts for a wide range of clients including national and local property companies institutions and individuals, and multiple and sole traders, relative to shop, office, warehouse and industrial premises for the most part.

Georgia Strazza

Senior Surveyor

Georgia joined Aitchison Raffety in July 2021 after graduating from Nottingham with a degree in Mathematics and is a Senior Surveyor in our St Albans office.

Georgia specialises in the sale and letting of a wide range of commercial properties throughout Hertfordshire. She also works closely with the Lease Advisory team dealing with lease renewals and rent reviews for both landlords and tenants.

Outside of her role at Aitchison Raffety, Georgia is a committee member of the St Albans Chamber of Commerce ‘Future Leaders’ group, which organises local events and initiatives aimed at supporting the next generation of business leaders in the area.

Accreditations: AssocRICS BSc (Hons)
Fun Fact: On weekends, Georgia is often found pulling pints at the local pub or practicing her new passion of synchronised swimming which she has developed a love for in the past year with the help from Hayden from our planning team.

Ian Archer

Director

Ian is a commercial surveyor and Director based at the St Albans office but with responsibility for overseeing the Hemel Hempstead and Watford areas. He joined the company in 1988 and has over 30 years’ experience in commercial property disposals and acquisitions.

Ian is mainly involved in commercial agency and Landlord & Tenant matters with a geographic range including Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, Tring, Amersham, Chesham and surrounds. He is involved in sales, lettings and acquisitions of retail, office and industrial premises, and also involved in landlord and tenant matters such as rent reviews and lease renewals.

In addition, Ian has also provided advice on planning matters where commentary on the local market is required to assist planning applications.

 

Mark Bunting

Regional Director

Mark is Regional Director for Hertfordshire and the surrounding areas which is primarily a business development role building on a wide experience of property related work and in-depth knowledge of what Aitchison Raffety can bring to assist both existing and potential clients.

Previously, Mark has headed both the Commercial Agency and Lease Advisory Divisions at Aitchison Raffety as well as dealing with rating appeals, valuations and general property advice. Mark’s 30 years plus knowledge property started with a short spell in the VOA before moving to Hertfordshire in the mid 80s and opening the St Albans office of Aitchison Raffety in 1990.

His day to day work continues to include a variety of agency and professional work giving him one of the broadest spectrums of experience and expertise within our Group. This allows wide ranging advice to be given to clients, enabling potential problems within jobs to be identified and circumnavigated which may not be spotted by more specialised or less experienced advisors.

 

Max Buckland

Surveyor

Max joined Aitchison Raffety in February 2023 after graduating from the University of Reading with a BSc in Real Estate. Initially qualifying in the Valuation division, he specialised in secured lending for commercial property assets. Max has since transitioned to the Corporate Real Estate team in Central London, where he now focuses on Commercial Agency and Lease Advisory work.

Accreditations: MRICS BSc (Hons)
Fun Fact: Max was a keen rugby player, playing for Worcester Warriors Academy, awarded a sports scholarship to attend Bromsgrove School and regularly captained his University rugby team for the First XV.