Husband and wife show hard work pays off with national award

Martyn Toft and his wife Katy, who is originally from Dorset, founded Newton-le-Willows-based MWT Property in November 2019.

The property management company manages single let rentals and HMOs in the area – and it has been recognised as a best rent-to-rent business at the national HMO Awards 2024.

“I took up property mentorship in 2020 during Covid, put the hard work in and built up the business off the back of it,” Martyn explained.

“I managed to leave my day job in June 2021, and have been working full time in property since.

“Previous to that, my wife and I have been landlords since 2016, when we bought an empty, run-down auction property, took it back to brick and refurbished it, and it has been let to a family as a lovely, well-maintained home ever since.”

The pair collecting their award. They also sponser Warrington Wolves youngster Tom Whitehead

Martyn and Katy, who are both directors of MWT Property and share six children and two dogs, recently attended the awards ceremony in Buckinghamshire after being shortlisted in the rent-to-rent category.

This involves them giving the owner a guaranteed monthly rent and managing the property on their behalf.

“The awards recognise businesses that give the owner an exceptional service, and I believe we achieved the highly-commended award for the category as we are ‘boots on the ground’,” Martyn, from Woolston, Warrington, continued.

“We look after and manage the properties as if they were our own, and that is why our owners are really happy with our service.

“So much so that they have recommended us to others and have nominated us for awards such as this.

“We feel really humbled and proud to be identified as a highly commended business.

One of the properties the pair are involved in

“There were a number of excellent businesses in the same category from across the UK, and it is testament to the hard work we have put in over the past five years, for our business, for our landlords, and ultimately for our tenants.”

The pair, both aged 44, say they have actually stopped growing MWT Property and have joined forces with another HMO Property Owner in the area and formed TaG Property Management and Lettings.

“The reasoning behind this was that I felt it right to spread the workload more and get into business with a like-minded individual that has the same work ethic and values,” Martyn added.

“Between us, we now manage 150 rentable units, single let properties and HMO rooms, we are currently refurbishing a five-bed HMO in St Helens, and we have other properties and projects currently in conveyancing and in the pipeline for ourselves and other landlords.”

They have also sponsored young Warrington Wolves rugby player Tom Whitehead for the past two seasons.