40+ years in the property sector.
Nook was born out of frustrations and challenges.
Nook Lettings was founded by Nick Brake and Bryony Spooner after experiencing property management from both sides. Bryony self-managed her own properties, while Nick spent 15 years using a letting agent. Between them, they knew what worked, what didn’t, and what they wanted Nook to do differently.
“We believed landlords deserved a more personal, transparent and proactive service. For those already using an agent, that meant better communication, better judgement and better value. For self-managing landlords, it meant taking the pressure out of compliance, maintenance and the day-to-day responsibility of running a tenancy.”
-
![]()
Downend Road, Fishponds, BS16
-
![]()
Chimney Steps, Bristol, BS2
-
![]()
Windsor Road, Bristol, BS6
-
![]()
Woodbridge Road, Bristol, BS4
-
![]()
Flat 4, 37 Cornwallis Crescent
-
![An aerial view of a brick two-story house with a red-tiled roof, a small front porch with a wooden door, and a garden in front enclosed by a wooden fence. There are neighboring houses on either side and a green hillside in the background.]()
Crews Hole Road, Bristol, BS5
-
![A modern kitchen with gray cabinets, white countertops, wooden accents, and a hardwood floor, featuring a sink under windows, an electric cooktop, and decorative items on the shelves.]()
Arthur Street, Gloucester, GL1
-
![A two-story residential building with a brick lower level and a stucco upper level. There are four windows on the upper level and three on the lower level. The entrance has a small porch with a pitched roof.]()
Barton Close, St. Annes Park, BS4
-
![A spacious living room with a cream sofa and chairs, a wicker coffee table, large windows, and a decorative brick and stone archway]()
Kersteman Road, Bristol, BS6
-
![Front view of two connected houses on a residential street. The left house is brick with two windows, and the right house is painted gray with two stories, three windows, and a front door. There are cars parked in front and a wooden gate between the houses.]()
Great Western Road, Gloucester, GL1
-
![Empty room with beige carpet, white walls, a wooden door, and open glass doors leading to an outdoor area with gravel and white wall.]()
Roseberry Park, Roseberry Mews Roseberry Park, BS5
-
![An urban courtyard with cobblestone and concrete paving, surrounded by brick residential buildings with balconies. A pink and black graffiti-style sign reading 'NEW TIDES' is in the foreground, and there is a bicycle parked near a is lamp post. A few trees are visible on the left side.]()
Gas Ferry Road, Steamship House Gas Ferry Road, BS1
-
![A row of brick multi-story residential buildings with red and green gabled roofs, parked cars on the street, and lush green trees in the neighborhood.]()
Cumberland Place, Browne Court, BS8
-
![A living room with a blue sofa adorned with multiple colorful pillows, a small wooden dining table with four chairs, a wall-mounted shelf with plants and decor, and a door leading to another room. The walls are white, and the floor is carpeted.]()
Wentworth Road, Bristol, BS7
-
![A row of classic beige stone apartment buildings with black wrought iron balconies and large windows, on a city street with parked cars and a cloudy sky.]()
Gloucester Row, Bristol, BS8
-
![Living room with large bay window, beige walls, and hardwood floors. Features include a blue sofa with pink pillows, a striped armchair with a patterned pillow, a wooden chest, a white fireplace with a round mirror above, and a chandelier with multiple lights. Decor includes flowers, framed artwork, and a flat-screen TV.]()
Longfield Road, Bristol, BS7
-
![Small kitchen with white walls, wooden countertops, window with green trees outside, and white appliances including a refrigerator, oven, and dishwasher.]()
Longfield Road, Bristol, BS7
-
![Living room with large window and balcony, featuring a gray sofa with a green pillow, a round coffee table, a TV on a stand, and pink curtains.]()
Broad Weir, Horizon Broad Weir, BS1
-
![A living room with beige sofa, black and white chairs, a wooden table, and two large windows with curtains. There is a potted plant on the black desk and framed pictures on the wall.]()
St. Nicholas Street, Bristol, BS1
-
![A row of attached houses with a mix of beige, red, and blue colors, situated on a residential street. Several parked cars and vans line the street, and the sky is partly cloudy with a few scattered clouds.]()
Mina Road, Bristol, BS2
-
![A bedroom with a bed, blue curtains, a desk with a blue chair, a modern wooden dresser, and framed artwork on the wall.]()
Arthur Street, Gloucester, GL1
-
![A hotel or bedroom with a bed, teal pillows, green ottoman, blue curtains, a small clothing rack, artwork, a plant, and a bay window.]()
Belgrave Road, Gloucester, GL1
-
![A fireplace with a black cast iron insert and wood logs inside, surrounded by a white mantel and built-in white cabinets.]()
Armada Place, Bristol, BS1
Meet the team
Nick Brake
Director and Co-Founder
nick@nooklettings.com
-
Nick co-founded Nook after more than 20 years as a Bristol landlord, building, renovating and managing his own property portfolio and experiencing first-hand what landlords need from a letting agent when they hand over something valuable.
At Nook, Nick focuses on the structure behind the service, making sure the systems, records and processes are clear, accurate and accountable. That gives landlords confidence that the detail around their property is being properly managed, while freeing Harley and Emma to spend their time on the people and properties themselves.
He also brings extensive hands-on experience in property renovation and redevelopment. When a landlord is dealing with something more substantial, such as structural work, damp, roofing problems or a major refurbishment, Nick can offer a level of practical insight that goes well beyond day-to-day property management.
He is equally useful when landlords are thinking more strategically about their property, whether that means understanding a survey, weighing up renovation costs or considering another investment.
For landlords, Nick brings the reassurance of someone who understands both how a property should be managed and how the bigger property decisions fit together.
Bryony Spooner
Director and Co-Founder
bryony@nooklettings.com
-
Bryony co-founded Nook after more than 18 years as a landlord herself and becoming increasingly convinced there had to be a better way to have property managed.
She brings together two sides of her experience: first-hand knowledge of owning and managing rental property, and a long career in marketing, communications and PR. That combination means the way Nook communicates is grounded in what landlords actually care about, rather than simply how a letting agent thinks it should present itself. Her previous career in communications also left her with a fairly low tolerance for poor communication.
At Nook, Bryony leads the brand, marketing and communications, shaping everything from the website and content to campaigns, PR and partnerships.
A big part of her role is making sure landlords can clearly see the value of the service behind the scenes: the care taken over their property, the people looking after it, the transparency around costs and the level of judgement involved in managing it properly.
She is particularly protective of Nook feeling personal, straightforward and human, so landlords know who they are dealing with and why they can feel comfortable handing over a property that matters to them.
Harley Jones
Director and Head of Lettings
harley@nooklettings.com
-
Harley leads the lettings side of Nook as a Director, bringing more than 10 years’ experience across the Bristol rental market, including roles at CJ Hole, Alexander May and Bristol Residential Lettings.
Her role covers the whole lettings journey, from appraising and pricing a property through to marketing, viewings, applications and tenant selection. She combines strong local market knowledge with a very personal approach and has a natural ability to make people feel comfortable, whether she is meeting a landlord for the first time or showing a prospective tenant around a property.
A big part of Harley’s value is judgement. Referencing matters, but she does not believe a good tenancy can be reduced to a report. She takes time to understand the application, the property and the people involved, and looks for a tenancy that feels sensible and sustainable for both landlord and tenant.
As a tenant herself, Harley also understands what good service feels like from the other side. She cares about clear communication, fairness and treating people properly throughout the process.
That balance of experience, judgement and genuine care is a big part of how Harley approaches every tenancy at Nook.
Emma Loveland
Property Manager
propertymanager@nooklettings.com
-
Emma leads the day-to-day management of Nook’s properties, making sure everything is properly looked after once a tenancy is in place.
With over 15 years’ experience in property management, including senior roles at Sarah Kenny Residential Lettings, Zest Property Services and Digs Student Lettings, she has managed large portfolios and led teams across both student and professional markets.
At Nook, Emma looks after maintenance, compliance, tenant issues and landlord communication, bringing a calm, organised and practical approach to whatever comes up. She gets to know the properties she manages and takes ownership of problems, making sure the right questions are asked and the right people are involved before decisions are made.
Her years in Bristol property have also given her a strong network of trusted local contractors and a good sense of who is right for the job. That matters when something needs sorting quickly, but also when a landlord needs sensible advice rather than an unnecessary call-out or cost.
Her experience, judgement and attention to detail give landlords and tenants confidence that issues will be handled properly, communication will be clear and the tenancy will be looked after with care.
