OUR STORY
Built by Landlords. Shaped by Experience.
Nola Living started in 2016 because Oli and Alicia believed property management could – and should – be better.
WHO WE ARE
The Founders
Oli and Alicia started Nola Living because they'd been on the other side. They were landlords. They owned HMOs. They knew the 2am worry. They knew what it felt like to chase an agent for an update and hear nothing back.
They knew there had to be a better way. So in 2016, they built it.
Not a lettings chain. Not a volume operation. Something different – a management company with proper systems, calm leadership, and a genuine commitment to doing things right.
Nola Living (formerly known as VCC Homes) has grown since then. But only as fast as the standards could hold. Today we manage HMOs and single lets across Crawley, Gatwick and West Sussex. We've built a team that shares our values. And we've proved, over and over, that landlords and tenants both thrive when someone actually cares about getting it right.
OUR MISSION
We aim to set a higher standard of calm, considered property management - delivering peace of mind for landlords and well-run homes for tenants.
THE NOLA WAY
Everything we do comes back to five principles:
Craft
We do things properly. Not quickly. Not cheaply. Properly. Regular checks. References that matter. Systems that compound over time.
Care
We care about the households we manage. About landlords' peace of mind. About tenants' experience. Care isn't a tagline. It's how we show up.
Clarity
You always know what's happening. We communicate clearly, explain decisions, and flag problems early. No surprises. No mysteries.
Calm
Property management doesn't have to be chaotic. With the right systems, it becomes calm. Most things shouldn't reach you if they're handled properly.
Community
We build relationships – with landlords who trust us, tenants who feel cared for, and contractors who know our standards. It's not transactional.
118
HMO Rooms
22
HMO’s managed
2016
ESTABLISHED
0
LANDLORDS LOST
Do the work properly.
Communicate clearly.
Create calm.
That's how we operate. It's not aspirational.
It's how we show up every day.
HMO Manager of the Year 2025
Named HMO Manager of the Year at the national HMO Summit & Awards 2025 — selected from 15 finalists by industry judges, shaped by direct tenant feedback. Out of 376 nominations nationally, we were also finalists for Best Agency and Best Manager of Professional HMOs.
ARLA Propertymark Member
We're ARLA Propertymark qualified. ARLA sets the professional standards for lettings agents and property managers across the UK. Being ARLA qualified means we've met rigorous standards for competence, ethics, and customer service. It means you're working with professionals who've committed to doing things properly.
OUR EXPERTS
Meet the Nola Team
Oli Collins
CO-FOUNDER
Oli co-founded Nola after seeing a clear gap in the market: no letting agents were delivering genuinely high-quality management for HMOs. He built Nola around one principle — if something is worth doing, it should be done to the highest standard. With over a decade of hands-on property investment experience, he designed the systems, processes, and service ethos that underpin Nola today. Outside of work, he's a committed family man with four children and a strong advocate for discipline, health, and continual self-improvement.
Belief: Calm, focused, consistent execution always wins.
Alicia Valles
CO-FOUNDER
Alicia co-founded Nola and plays a central role in shaping the experience of both landlords and tenants. Commercially astute and highly strategic, she sources, structures, and negotiates property opportunities — and has personally designed many of Nola's HMOs with careful attention to flow, functionality, and tenant experience. Her deep understanding of people, behaviour, and motivation informs how Nola communicates and creates environments that work in real life.
Belief: Thoughtful design, clear boundaries, and human understanding create spaces that truly work.
Melissa Scott
SENIOR PORTFOLIO MANAGER
Mel joined Nola during one of the most challenging periods the industry has faced and rose to it with calm determination. She has since become a cornerstone of the business — bringing structure, consistency, and genuine care to every aspect of the portfolio. Widely trusted by landlords for her reliability and by tenants for her fairness and communication, her contribution was recognised when Nola was awarded HMO Manager of the Year – Tenants' Choice.
Belief: Operational excellence and trusted relationships deliver lasting results.
Tom Dufoe
PORTFOLIO MANAGER
Tom plays a key role in the day-to-day management of Nola's portfolio, bringing structure and reliability to property operations. Detail-focused and methodical, he ensures schedules are maintained, maintenance is coordinated, and communication remains clear and timely. His calm, considered working style reflects the Nola ethos — preparation over panic, clarity over noise, and consistent execution over quick fixes.
Belief: Good planning and clear organisation prevent problems before they start.
Belle Valles
Operations Support Manager
Belle stewards the systems and processes that keep Nola running smoothly and compliantly. She oversees rent runs, payroll, compliance, software support, and PAT testing across the portfolio — combining sharp judgment with a meticulous approach that keeps everything underneath the surface working as it should. Belle works remotely from Spain, bringing deep expertise from her wider role with COHO, the property management software Nola operates on.
Belief: Strong systems and clear oversight create calm, confident outcomes.
Talia Valles
Social Media Manager
Talia shapes Nola's outward presence across social media, newsletters, and visual content. Her focus is on tone, polish, and consistency — ensuring what Nola puts out into the world reflects the care and quality found inside the business. She brings an editorial eye refined through her role as Brand PR & Marketing Manager at Fashion Week Studio, a luxury PR group producing runway shows across Paris, Milan, and Lake Como.
Belief: Brand presence is built one careful, consistent post at a time.
Let's Talk
Ready to Work with Us?
Whether you're a landlord looking for better management or a tenant looking for a quality property, let's talk.