Meet Tina Ashpole, Associate Director.  By day, she leads a team of money-saving experts.  But in her free time, Tina transforms into a Brazilian Jiujitsu enthusiast, adeptly ‘collecting limbs’ on the mats.  Her ideal weekend involves zero housework and toes up by the fire.  Uncover the journey that led her to the world of service charge consultancy 17 years ago.

Can you share more about your background and how it led you to Assure?  After leaving college with, amongst other subjects, a Business Studies A-level, and a keen eye for numbers, I joined an engineering company as an Accounts apprentice.  I completed my AAT qualification and continued to work in all areas of the business – accounts administration, payables and receivables, payroll, management accounting and project management.  That’s where I gained vast experience in numbers, spotting errors, compliance and project planning.  However, my sideline interest was fashion and retail so I joined my brother’s fast-growing retail business and was tasked with converting their manual accounts to computerised.  After fulfilling that project, I left to become a property administrator in the wonderful world of service charge and that’s where I’ve been for the past 17 years, now leading a team of money saving experts as well as money paying experts!

What attracted you to work at Assure?  I met Lee Mason a long time ago and I liked the hard-working and happy culture that Assure had to offer.

How do you describe to family and friends what you do?  Not many people know (or are interested in) what service charge is unless they pay it on their homes/flats so I keep it simple ‘Property Consultancy’.  If they want to know more I always use the Interchange Retail Park, Bedford (as it’s local to me) to explain what service charge on commercial property looks like.

What would your perfect weekend look like?  That’s easy – No housework, no taxiing children around and my feet up in front of the fire. Peace!

What’s one thing people don’t know about you that they will be surprised to find out?  I collect people’s limbs in my spare time.  Only kidding, I train in a martial art called Brazilian Jiujitsu.  It’s referred to as ‘the gentle art’ but I beg to differ!  It has many other nicknames like ‘limb collection’, ‘ground karate’ and ‘pyjama party’ but despite the silly names is often seen in UFC – chokes, arm bars, leg locks that kind of thing – it’s brutal but so much fun.

If you had three wishes, what would they be?  Unlimited wishes, health and happiness for all.

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why?  Jiujitsu takes me to many places and next up on the travel list is likely to be Abu Dhabi.  Jiujitsu aside, it would probably be the Galapagos Islands or similar, somewhere with lots of wildlife and unspoilt landscapes.

One thing you would tell your 13-year old self, what would it be?  Don’t be shy people don’t bite.

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