Lettings Agency of the Year 2011 Judges Report

The Judges’ Report

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Contents

Messages

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Lettings Agency of the Year 2011

2

Best Single Office Lettings Agency

4

Best Small Lettings Agency

6

Best Medium Lettings Agency

8

Thank You to the Judges

9

Best Large Lettings Agency

10

Best Property Management

12

Best Innovation

14

Best Marketing

16

Best Technology & Online

18

Best Block Management

20

Best Customer Service

22

Best Newcomer

24

Best Training & Development

26

Best Lettings Agency Franchise

28

Best Luxury Lettings

30

Best Student Lettings

32

Outstanding Contribution to the Lettings Industry

34

A message from the organisers I believe Lettings is now just as important as sales, indeed many agencies tell me this area of our industry has become the most valuable part of their business. We recognised this two years ago and hence our commitment to delivering the only awards in the industry specifically focussed on Lettings.

I’m delighted to announce that we continue our long term arrangement with The Sunday Times and The Times to be our media partners for both award events and winners will receive significant exposure with editorial coverage and 30 advertisements in The Sunday Times ‘Home’ and The Times ‘Bricks & Mortar’ supplements.

We also are very grateful to receive support from The Property Ombudsman, NFOPP and for the Lettings Agency of the Year Awards from ARLA specifically. They join us in championing and promoting best practice.

Peter Knight Chairman, Estate Agency Events

Without our sponsors this event would not be possible and I’m particularly grateful to Simon Duce of ARPM for once again being the lead awards sponsor. I’d also like to recognise all our other sponsors – Digital Property Group, LetMC, Reapit, Homelet, Moneypenny, CFP Software, Spark, Te Atrium, Endsleigh Insurance, LSN, Roomservice by Cort, and the Property Academy.

On to the awards for 2011 when once again the bar has been raised further with a 27% increase in the number of entries and the quality higher than ever. I don’t attend the judges meetings or get involved with the process in any way but I do know that the task of selecting a winner gets harder each year.

All agencies who have been shortlisted and won awards should be rightly proud as the competition is fierce.

I’d like to personally thank Christopher Hamer, The Property Ombudsman, for again being our awards Chairman. Christopher doesn’t judge himself but oversees the whole process to ensure fair play and impartiality. I’m also very grateful to our judges this year, (listed elsewhere in this report), whose collective experience and knowledge of the industry is second to none. The judges invest a huge amount of time interviewing every single entrant as well as reviewing all the written submissions and we really appreciate their huge contribution.

I’d also like to thank Sophie Williams, our Event Director and the rest of the team for their sterling efforts in producing this event and dealing with several hundred lettings agents which I’m sure you will appreciate is no easy task!

Finally, I would like to thank every single one of you for your support. Unfortunately you can’t all be winners but in my mind you are without doubt the leaders of the industry.

Peter Knight Chairman, Estate Agency Events

Message from the Chairman of Judges

Christopher J Hamer The Property Ombudsman

In my role as the Property Ombudsman I see many instances where disputes have arisen between agents and tenants or landlords. Often I find that the agents involved in such disputes have no real commitment to customer service or to improving their businesses. Almost always the situations arise from the failure of the agent to have in place a robust approach to looking after the consumer, through carelessness or poor communication. As Chairman of the judging panel I have not been involved in the examination of the entrants but from the searching discussions that took place in arriving at the award winners I know that there are many agents operating to high standards, are looking to be innovative and are focussing on improving their businesses. The winners this year can all highlight good practice but based on my previous experience of chairing these awards I must emphasise that they should not stand still if they want to win again next year. And that is the very positive aspect of the awards , they encourage firms to reach for the top prize, achievable only by displaying continuous improvement and exemplary business operation.

Congratulations to the winners.

The list of judges can be found elsewhere in this report and once again I thank them for their commitment and for their challenging consideration of the entries.

Christopher J Hamer Ombudsman

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Sponsored by

The award for Lettings Agency of the Year 2011

Romans An outstanding agency in every respect, customer service is clearly at the forefront of the Romans philosophy. Led from the helm by Peter Fuller, whose passion, dedication and vision is awe inspiring, it is clear these traits are shared by the entire team without exception and Romans enjoys an excellent relationship with both tenants and landlords.

Romans has over 20 years experience in the lettings sector and it shows. From Peter down, the enthusiasm and expertise expressed by all is infectious, and the standards adhered to by the long standing staff is reinforced by stringent and well honed systems and processes, excellent use of technology, a thorough training programme and an understanding of the importance of communication and transparency.

Their mission is to inform and support their clients and every action is undertaken with this goal in mind. Landlords and tenants are kept fully up-to-date on all aspects of the lettings process via a well designed and executed communication plan and all property managers can be contacted via a direct line rather than through a switchboard. Property managers are available from 7am until 10pm every day and work hard to ensure continuity for all parties. It was clear there is a pro-active culture, especially with regard to maintenance on managed properties as the objective is to look after a landlord’s investment so it will retain its value and achieve maximum market price when sold. Renewing landlords are offered a choice of discount from a number of services or they can choose from a wide range of other incentives.

Feedback is encouraged from all clients and acted on appropriately and the Tenants and Landlords Guide sets out expectation for all parties and explains the very comprehensive complaints procedure.

Peter and the senior team believe education is a must. They employ a dedicated Training and Development Manager who runs an extensive programme covering technical and pastoral topics across internal and external learning opportunities. The aim is to ensure every single member of the team is fully ARLA qualified in the near future and they are well on their way to achieving this goal. All staff regularly attend ARLA update meetings as well as the annual ARLA conference. External experts and consultants are also employed.

All valuers have access to iPads and are able to provide up-to-date market trends and information in an easy-to-read format. Their well designed and attractive website offers a wide variety of detail, information and commentary and clever use of social media only cements Romans position as experts in its field.

Its marketing is both effective and highly regarded; staff are trained to a high level so that marketing their services is founded on substance, with particular emphasis paid to their key areas of excellence: ability to provide quality tenants, efficient rent collection service and importantly the experience, knowledge and continuity of their staff.

Over the past few years, Romans has shown itself to be a strong lettings business which has grown at an experiential rate in terms of numbers, quality of customer service and innovation. Never a company to be complacent or stand still, they constantly strive to improve their already excellent service standards and the judges are absolutely delighted to reward the Romans team with the Lettings Agency of the Year Award 2011. Congratulations.

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The award for Best Single Office Lettings Agency

UK Single Office GOLD - W.A. Ellis This agency really stands out as a business which is setting an example to the industry as a “how to” in lettings. Competing in one of the most exclusive and discerning lettings markets in the world, it shows a level of expertise which is breathtaking and punches above its weight at every level. The team are extremely experienced and from the directors down, everyone is hands-on throughout the entire lettings process. Two way communication and dialogue between the team and clients is actively encouraged and tenants and landlords can rest assured they receive advice and information of the highest standards; this approach is proven via the outstanding renewal and referral rates. W.A. Ellis is an agency which offers big office services with a bespoke personal touch and the judges felt that customers are in the best possible hands with them.

Single Office South East GOLD - Sewell & Gardner Sewell & Gardner is a pro-active and enthusiastic agency. As an independent and family run business, it radiates team work and it is clear that the staff are a close knit bunch; this in turn filters through to the clients and there is a strong sense of loyalty between the team itself and tenants and landlords. There is a keen emphasis on CSR and accordingly, a high level of involvement in local causes. The marketing is extremely professional and effectively communicates the brand to clients, particularly demonstrated by the website which is informative and slick whilst retaining the personal touch and a sense of fun. This outward thinking attitude is reinforced by rigorous systems and processes and a comprehensive compliance policy.

SILVER - Alexandre Boyes This agency is well run, offering a wide ranging and appealing level of services. The judges were impressed by the focus on procedures, particularly those pertaining to dispute resolution.

The way in which payments and arrears are run has also been well thought through to minimise potential issues and ensure complete transparency. The website has recently undergone a redesign and is eye catching and detailed. Customer care standards are high and the enthusiasm of the staff is obvious at every stage of the lettings service. They state that they wish to exceed expectation on every level and the panel found every reason to believe that they do.

Single Office London GOLD - W.A. Ellis

SILVER - Young London

W.A. Ellis offers an extremely high standard of service to a very discerning client base. Every valuation appointment is attended by at least one partner, if not two which can only mean clients are receiving the very best advice from extremely experienced professionals. High levels of communication and personal service throughout the whole lettings process ensures great client retention rates. They simply don’t lose clients. W.A. Ellis is the largest lettings team under one roof in London and the personal service combined with the vast experience of partners and staff attracts lots of referrals. Employee retention is high, due in no small part to the excellent training programme. Their success is down to honesty, integrity and knowledge. Delivery of a personal service and superior advice to clients shines through and results in it being instructed on some of the most expensive rental stock in the UK.

Young London’s mantra is to build strong relationships with clients and deliver ‘amazing’ service which it monitors by polling clients on a weekly basis - over 90% of both tenants and landlords rate their service as good or excellent so the team are achieving their goal. It makes use of robust workflows and procedures to ensure the service is delivered consistently and in a bold move they are seeking to offer just a full let management service and no tenant find as this gives them much greater control over each let, thus being able to deliver very high standards. Young London places a great deal of emphasis on researching information so they can pass on sound advice to landlords and tenants including daily, weekly and monthly meetings to update all. A newly appointed ‘Head of Fun’ is tasked with finding everything which is great about living in London and communicating to all – a nice touch. A highly capable and professional agency.

Shortlisted: MyLondonHome

Single Office Midlands Shortlisted: Fosse House, Premier Places

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Single Office Central GOLD - College & County College & County realise its staff are the principal resource of its business and have invested heavily in the team in terms of both personal and professional development. A powerful online presence is solely down to the expertise with which the team use the web and social media and its own website is dynamic and easy to use. A lot of effort is invested in aiding communications between landlords and tenants from staff training to forums and networking events so many issues are dealt with before they arise.

Other value added services they provide include incentives for good property inspections and real time police updates on security issues. 90% of professional and family lets renew and it has less than 1% arrears at any time. College & County is a very good agency indeed and well deserving of the gold.

SILVER - Homefinders This agency offers a range of services which are informative and extensive. The team strongly believe in efficiency and the adherence to this policy is clear at every stage. A no blame policy in the offices encourages openness and transparency. Referencing is done in-house to speed up the process and the team has introduced a new service for processing the application of the new HMO licensing. Inspections are carried out regularly with a view to dealing with maintenance issues before they become a problem.

They embrace the advantages of a small efficient office and over time the systems and procedures have developed and advanced to a slick and smooth operation which continues to provide their original aim of quality of service at an affordable cost.

Shortlisted: Maxine Lester Residential Lettings

Single Office Northern GOLD - Sheffield Residential SILVER - Karl Tatler This agency believes in its people and places value on them accordingly. The fact that there is a dedicated training manager despite being a single office enterprise is brilliant and alongside the necessary job related training there is also a strong emphasis on personal development and corporate social responsibility as well as a culture of reward. Its statistics for its clients is equally impressive – 99.9% of rental properties are managed and it has never lost a landlord due to service issues. Enquiry response times are worthy of particular mention as is the stringent and thorough schedule of contact for landlords. A viewing feedback option on the website delivers comments to the office and the landlord and the team are delighted with the response from potential tenants to this service. Plans are afoot to open a second branch next year and the panel are excited to see even greater things from this outstanding business.

Perpetually successful, this agency impressed the panel with its ongoing enthusiasm and passion for the industry. Firm believers in investing in quality, this is clear from the layout of the offices to the calibre of staff. The branding is strong and they are well recognised in their locale. Systems and training are important to Karl and he invests accordingly in rigorous education for the staff – all are required to sit in-house exams as well as standard industry compliance. This is an agency which embraces technology and invested in the new iPads on the first day, utilising them efficiently. The entire team is knowledgeable and able to speak with authority on many of the issues surrounding lettings and their drop-in advice service for tenants and landlords has proved popular. It is apparent that this agency rely on the things they do well whilst constantly seeking to improve and innovate.

Shortlisted: Coalters

Single Office Wales Single Office South West GOLD - Williams & Goodwin GOLD - Thompson Lettings Thompson Lettings is more than a company; it is a brand - The Property People synonymous with honesty, integrity and professionalism and one This agency takes an extremely organised and process driven approach to lettings, and many of its systems have been standardised to free up time for the team to spend on personal, face-to-face customer service. Communication is excellent and regular meetings and briefings are held both internally and with clients. The focus on systems also benefits clients directly due to the transparent and efficient way in which transactions, complaints and maintenance requirements are run.

Well known and liked in its area of operation, this past year has seen the lettings division move from a department in a sales office to a stand-alone high street presence. Extremely pro-active, the directors seek to anticipate potential problems and deal with them before they escalate and the high number of renewals supports this approach. Particularly impressive is the website which is clean, functional, informative and easily navigable.

which is wholeheartedly embraced by its staff. The company is only two years old and has already developed many loyal and satisfied landlords and tenants and customer testimonials speak for themselves.

It is clear that the team refuse to fail in anything they set out to achieve and are constantly striving to achieve optimum customer satisfaction. A keen interest in technology has served it well – it is the only agency in Jersey using ExpertAgent. It is also the only agency in Jersey open seven days a week. Forward thinkers, the growth of this business is proof that their vision is paying off.

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The award for Best Small Lettings Agency

UK Small GOLD - scottfraser scottfraser is an independent agency which successfully dovetails a very personal service with highly technological systems and processes. Strong believers in excellent communication, they reinforce this approach with thorough local knowledge, highly trained staff and close customer contact. The directors are extremely proud of the massive investment they have made in the business over the last year and it is clear that this has reaped benefits for them. The website is very well designed and informative and it has clearly been designed with the customer journey in mind. The market commentary and newsletter updates especially have been very well received. They present themselves as local experts and the judges could see no reason to disagree. scottfraser is a well respected and profitable agency which knows its market and adheres to the very high standards it sets for itself.

Small South East GOLD - Gibbs Gillespie Gibbs Gillespie offers a full range of lettings and property management services concentrating on providing best in class service to their clients. Its focus on staff training and building customer relationships has seen it improve its income figures and market share in a very competitive period. This has been helped by the investment in technology and online solutions as by using social media, e-newsletters and working on their database they are retaining clients and growing market share. This also includes moving the majority of business to rent-collect and management services and away from let-only tenant find – a bold move in a very competitive market. The training spend per head shows the value the directors place on development and this has had a direct effect on staff retention. Gibbs Gillespie provides an all round professional lettings service at a consistently high level.

Brilliant.

Small London GOLD - Greene & Co. Greene & Co. is head and shoulders above the competition in terms of its marketing and innovation in customer service. A bespoke CRM programme is helping to build long term relationships with customers and the team has recently launched e-books on a variety of topics. The website has been re-launched with some excellent new features including the option for potential tenants to match their lifestyle preferences to rental properties. There are also video blogs and property book reviews.

The Lettings Director has undertaken a series of roadshows to meet landlords face to face, making up to 60 visits per month and a vast range of marketing tools designed to attract new clients are readily available as is informative and eye catching collateral for existing customers. It is obvious Greene & Co. is constantly striving to give its clients the best possible experience.

SILVER - Fitz-Gibbon For continuing to promote excellence, we are pleased to award Fitz-Gibbon the silver award once more. Fitz-Gibbon offers a high quality lettings service backed up by thorough procedures. It provides a number of services from empty property management to independent education consultancy for those clients who are new to the area. This is an agency which works hard at creating excellent local relationships. Recent initiatives include networking events for landlords and the launch of an e-zine. Thorough internal processes ensure landlord payments are made on time and no tenants are currently in arrears which is impressive. A high percentage of new business comes via referrals and the team believe this can be attributed to their desire to offer honest, considered and professional advice. The judges agree.

Shortlisted: Aston Mead; Streets Ahead

SILVER - Campsie Campsie is a professional letting agency which offers a high level of personal service and possesses a great attitude towards tenants. Employing a high quality team, it is clear from the outset that they make it their business to really understand and focus on the needs of their landlords and tenants. Heavy and accurate usage of its CRM system has led to a referral percentage of 35% over the past year and it operates very open lines of communication in order to get properties let and also to manage situations where necessary. The approach to getting the job done is exercised with flexibility, however the ability to do this is due in no small part to the excellent systems behind the scenes. An achievement to be proud of is the recently awarded contract by BAA to manage 250 of their properties. This is a lettings agency which really cares about its relationship with its customers and is rewarded accordingly.

Shortlisted: OliverFinn

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Sponsored by

Small Central GOLD - scottfraser

Small Scotland GOLD - Rettie & Co.

This Oxford based agency is superb. Customer service is a top priority and is backed up by excellent bespoke systems. It offers an impressive range of services completely tailored to its location and target customers and its knowledge of the local area is second to none. The comprehensive website is well designed, informative and shows good use of tools such as social media and external links – the owner is always actively seeking new opportunities for technology solutions. Investment in training is also heavy to ensure the team are fully up to date with developments in the industry and also to reinforce the importance of the personal touch. Great marketing initiatives communicate that this is a small personal agency with big office ideas.

One of the few RICS accredited agencies in Scotland, Rettie & Co. provide an exceptionally professional service to landlords and tenants. Each member of staff manages just 35 properties, a fact which clearly demonstrates the personal quality of the service. Its award winning website contains links to 10 other informative websites providing a wealth of information to clients. Landlords and tenants are given 24 hour access to staff should they need it and client testimonials show they are highly satisfied with the service they receive. Great importance is placed on compliance and conduct and the judges were impressed by the dispute resolution process of this company. 100% of viewings are accompanied 7 days per week reinforcing their message of “doing the right things on a daily basis”. This gold award is well deserved.

Small Midlands GOLD - Martin & Co. – Worcester & Gloucester

Small Northern GOLD - Sarah Mains Residential

This is an agency totally focused on exceeding customer expectations and it strives for perfection at all times. Training, training and more training is the mantra and all staff have clearly defined targets and objectives which are monitored on a weekly basis. As part of the Martin & Co website, the section for this branch is impressive and the team clearly understand how to use social media for the greatest benefit – there was good use of social media links on the website accompanied by an informative and easy to read blog and news articles. Stock levels are well run and it was apparent this branch enjoys large market share and is well liked in the local community. They run some great initiatives for landlords and tenants and some top notch PR has been generated as a result pushing business up 40% on last year.

Everything about this agency is different and the judges were impressed by the level of innovation shown across all services.

During the bad weather in December, it launched a scheme to entice new tenants out for viewings by offering a two week rent free period which resulted in 75% of its available properties being let – a phenomenal result. Each property has a personal property manager and they operate tight back office systems for rent collections and property repairs – 98% of rent is collected on time.

The customer service is first class and the level of detail and care undertaken is apparent at every turn from marketing materials to property inspections and 24 hour maintenance availability. Staff retention is first rate, due in no small part to the great investment in training and personal development. Excellence in everything is at the core of the Sarah Mains Residential proposition.

Shortlisted: Nock Deighton

Small Wales GOLD - Cavendish Rentals Lots of training and daily meetings ensures the team at Cavendish Rentals are at the top of their game and the budget for training and external consultants is outstanding. A focus on converting letonly properties to managed rentals has reaped rewards – revenue and profit are in excess of last year and landlord and tenant retention has also improved. The level of rent paid on time is exemplary and the business shows growth year on year. There is an excellent dispute resolution scheme and the team are proud no case has ever gone to the TDS. A recent marketing review has led to involving the entire workforce in actively seeking new marketing opportunities which has engendered relationship building and a competitive atmosphere. The judges also commented on the enthusiasm and positive attitude shown by all the staff.

Shortlisted: Dawsons

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The award for Best Medium Lettings Agency

UK Medium GOLD - Romans Romans is a market leader in lettings and quite simply, seem to do everything right, across the board. From the directors down to the most junior lettings negotiator, the entire team demonstrates a passion and dedication to the company values which is outstanding and this attitude prevails to enthusiasm for the wider lettings industry as a whole. This adherence to the core ideals means excellence for clients and the business, and profit is growing accordingly. Everyone works on the basis that a sturdy foundation should be built on and participates to make this happen. Very well known in its area, Romans reaps huge benefits from the fact that its slick and innovative marketing campaigns are based around their strong service values so the team deliver on what they promise and client confidence is extremely well placed.

Medium London GOLD - Marsh & Parsons SILVER - Edmund Cude The tremendous growth shown by this agency over the past five years is extremely well deserved. Passionate about customer service, the team know their clients and their market and the sheer level of services and innovation on offer is absolutely outstanding. They have an international desk to help clients in 14 different languages and assist tenants with opening English bank accounts and other administrative necessities before they secure an address. The expertise of all employees results in some impressive statistics – they have secured rent increases for 60% of their properties over the past 12 months and 99% of all rents are paid on time. There is a strong focus on in-house training and an emphasis on marketing which positions Peter Rollings and Marsh & Parsons as lettings experts through industry commentary and their high quality magazine. Dedicated involvement in local causes reinforces links with the community. A fantastic example of lettings at its best.

This is an agency which continues to wow year on year. The past 12 months has seen the team increase revenue by 37%, launch a seminar series and write a book for landlords. Training is the norm with this company; they have courses for everyone from journalism to overcoming objections and these are well received by employees . Staff are given a bonus of ÂŁ500 when they pass their ARLA exams and a recently introduced graduate scheme is over subscribed. Excellent back office systems take care of the rent collections including text alerts for landlords when rent is paid and the staff, landlords and tenants can monitor maintenance issues online plus maintenance is managed inhouse ensuring greater control and speedier response times.

Landlords like the fact that commission fees are taken monthly rather than upfront, a policy which also has the added benefit of aiding cash flow. Edmund Cude is a thriving agency with a positive culture.

Shortlisted: Northfields

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Medium Northern GOLD - Linley & Simpson

SILVER - Jordan Fishwick

Linley & Simpson showed itself to be a thoroughly professional and knowledgeable agency. In recent months, a new office has been opened and all existing offices have undergone refurbishment - the PR and marketing executed around these achievements has reaped rewards. The training curriculum is constantly improved upon and the judges were impressed with the heavy investment the directors have made in all aspects of the business. Use of technology is embraced and run alongside exemplary customer service standards to offer landlords and tenants a comprehensive range of services. The transparency of the accounting and compliance procedures should set an example to the industry.

This is an agency which understands its market and tailors its services accordingly to retain and attract further instructions within this demographic. Catering to high end clients, some of whom are well known, the team offers an enhanced management service and concierge service, both of which have been well received judging from testimonials and feedback. An approach based on referrals and word of mouth recommendation is enhanced by focused advertising and strong IT solutions and it uses an excellent IT system for accounting which is backed by sound practices and constant monitoring. This is a company which provides a quality service through loyal staff who are well trained and totally committed.

Sponsored by

Medium South East GOLD - Romans

Medium South West GOLD - CJ Hole

Romans is at the forefront of lettings in its area, an achievement which is due in no small part to the solid foundations on which it is built. With over 20 years experience in the lettings sector, this agency is led strongly from the top through a visionary leadership team and the judges were impressed by the ethics, knowledge and positivity of the entire team. Compliance is stringent and backed up by massive investment in training and development, including CSR. A culture of recognition and reward is prevalent and staff are acknowledged regularly for going above and beyond.

Business growth has been achieved carefully and this steady approach has enabled this company to soar.

Communication is key for this company and they seem to maintain an unusually (and admirably) close contact with both tenants and landlords. A huge investment in technology solutions has helped the business on several levels by streamlining systems and raising the local profile via clever use of social media. The latter is also aided by the team’s excellent attitude to and involvement with CSR – most recently fundraising to send a local child to the US for vital medical treatment. The culture of sharing knowledge and information works well and regular meetings are held to enable this on a formal basis whilst the staff are also encouraged to share both positive and negative issues informally as well. The payments structure for clients is very good indeed and the level of renewals, referrals and the excellent client feedbacks only bears witness to the top notch levels of service.

Thank You to the Judges Our sincere thanks must go to this year’s panel of judges whose commitment and hard work ensures the recipients of these awards undergo a stringent and consistent judging process.

Chairman of Judges Christopher Hamer – The Property Ombudsman

Panel of Judges John Boyle - Managing Director, Homelet Sam Coates - Head of Property Sector, Moneypenny Simon Duce - Managing Director, ARPM Susan Hughes-Thomas- President, ARLA Nick Leeming - Commercial Director, Zoopla Lucy Morton - Senior Partner, W.A. Ellis Julian O’Dell - Industry Trainer, TM Training & Development Lisa Orme - Specialist buy to let mortgage adviser and professional landlady Henry Pryor - Industry Expert Marveen Smith - Principal, Painsmith Julie Twist - Managing Director, Julie Twist Properties Julie Westby - Lettings Specialist Susie Crolla - Chief Executive, Guild of Letting & Management Special thanks also to Peter Bolton King, Chairman of NFOPP, who once again reprised his role as Arbiter.

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The award for Best UK Large Lettings Agency

GOLD Chesterton Humberts Chesterton Humberts once again shone as an example of outstanding lettings service in a nationwide agency and we are pleased to award them the gold for a second year. Over the past two years, this merged company has taken the combined strengths of both original businesses and forged them into something really special. This achievement alone is enough to be proud of. The service offering is extremely well structured and is fully reinforced by an excellent resolution system and very good payment processes. The range of products and services is breathtaking and the style and professionalism with which these are undertaken is tremendous. For such a large organisation, it is also clear there is an innate family atmosphere and the team are encouraged to have fun whilst they work, an approach which has reaped rewards through fantastic staff retention and communication which is second to none.

SILVER Foxtons At every step, there is a sense of innovation which should surprise no-one. The dynamism and expertise of the team has led to brilliant ideas being implemented across the board and this can only mean great things for clients. It is clear that technology is a driver for this business and it uses it totally to its advantage from its transactional systems to blogs and from the website to communication tools.

The communication demonstrated by Foxtons is thorough to say the least. Tenants and landlords are kept fully informed of any developments and issues at all stages leading to quick and painless resolutions. Staff retention is growing as is turnover and three new offices are due to open imminently.

Foxtons deserve the silver and we look forward to more from them over the next 12 months.

BRONZE Andrews & Partners Shortlisted for this award last year, the judges were thrilled at the great things Andrews has done over the past year and this renewed effort has been rewarded with the bronze. Opened in 1946, this is an agency with history yet they maintain a visionary approach. A major investment in technology is bearing fruit across all services, not least through the focus on a bespoke CRM programme. The introduction of a new service – Andrews Corporate Property Services – means the company is extending its reach into business rentals as well. As one would expect in a business with such a strong CSR policy, the team are valued above all else and the training and development scheme is exemplary.

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Chancellors A strong contender yet again, Chancellors has once again impressed the judges as it really is a great example of how a business is the sum of its parts - the focus on each aspect of lettings and agency processes and the training of the team accordingly is paying dividends. With over 200 years experience, Chancellors is not resting on its laurels and continues to innovate and impress across all its lettings services. Clarity and transparency for clients is at the heart of its offering and consequently tenants and landlords are responding in droves. Information is freely available and clients are encouraged at every stage to take advantage of this either through the team or via the excellent collateral available online. Continued innovation is the key to Chancellors success.

Sponsored by

ARPM Inventory service is a breath of fresh air for leading agents The new ARPM Inventory service has been widely welcomed by leading agents across the country as providing a real improvement on their existing inventory management service.

Agents who now use the service regularly point to the key differences in the ARPM service that provide true added value to a lettings manager.

The first of these is ARPM’s uniformed staff, each of whom carry ID which gives significant peace of mind to the tenant. Every clerk is covered by public liability insurance and CRB checked and each is fully trained in using the very latest inventory software.

Agents have found that the ARPM service saves significant time and administration as each ARPM inventory clerk ensures the inventory is signed by the tenant saving the agent the hassle of managing this process themselves.

Adding photographs is an integral part of the service and not charging extra for them has also been well received with many agents commenting on how useful a photograph can be in confirming the condition of any property.

Robert Clark at Aitchisons is happy to endorse the ARPM service “At Aitchisons we’ve been using ARPM for inventories for a while and we are very pleased with the complete service. The staff are professional, polite and efficient and the reports are very impressive. The inclusion of photographs is a great confirmation of the condition of the property. No longer having to send the reports to the tenants is such a time saver! And last but not least your competitive price list is often a lot cheaper than our local companies.”

Asked why he felt his service had been so well received, Simon Duce points to a number of factors: “There are many inventory clerks/companies offering their services to the market so it was vital that the ARPM service offered a real commercial difference. We had to ensure that we combined the highest levels of customer service and market knowledge with the latest technology and still price our service competitively.

“We provide unique services such as white labelled inventories, an incentive ‘pay back’ scheme for agents and an admin service to deliver fully signed and agreed inventories. Combine this with our trained inventory staff, ARLA status and full understanding of the tenancy deposit laws, we believe we are pretty much the perfect inventory partner.”

Simon Duce and his team have also added a hitherto unseen flexibility to their inventory service with agents being able to book an inventory 24 hours a day or indeed to have the whole service provided under a white label allowing the agent to brand the service as their own.

ARPM brings fresh approach to the lettings market ARPM is now firmly established as the largest company in the UK offering specialist outsourced tenancy administration and property management services exclusively to estate and letting agents. Its success has been built on taking a bold new approach to lettings management and offering agents throughout the country a new alternative model that delivers all of the positive benefits of running a successful lettings practice without the costs and overheads traditionally associated with such a venture.

The ARPM service challenges the accepted wisdoms of how to manage a lettings portfolio and offers a pioneering new approach to estate agents seeking to enter the lettings market or refine their existing offer.

The ARPM service allows estate agents to concentrate on the front end of the lettings process: the valuation, marketing and viewing whilst ARPM will complete the tenancy administration and property management. It allows any agent considering launching a lettings service to add a valuable source of additional income to their business. Agents who find themselves constantly dealing with rent arrears and maintenance problems can, by using the ARPM service, concentrate on winning new business. ARPM can also help those agents who want to take on more managed properties but do not have staff capacity, resources or office space and those seeking to reduce their property management costs without compromising on service to their clients.

Crucially ARPM has no conflicting front-office lettings function ensuring that all the company’s customer agents do not feel threatened by a possible loss of business to the outsourced specialist.

Simon Duce is adamant that ARPM must be seen as offering an opportunity and not a potential threat to any partner agent: “Every agent is rightly protective of the customer base they have built up. By not offering any front-office function of our own we can guarantee our agency partners that we are just that – long term mutually benefiting partners. However good our service to the landlords and tenants we provide no future threat to the business of our agents.

“ARPM clients – from established independents to the multi branch estate agents and franchised networks – rely on our seamless back office solutions to provide a professional lettings department, whether for a single agency or a national network. It’s the service everyone can count on.”

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Sponsored by

The award for Best Property Managment

GOLD Hamptons International Hamptons’ property management proposition is excellent. A recent innovation has seen the team produce bespoke guides to every aspect of lettings. Not only are these informative but they clearly took a lot of time and dedication to compile and have been produced to a very high standard indeed.

This approach is indicative of the care and attention Hamptons take to everything it does. Another innovation is its bespoke software programme, “HamLet”, which has been designed exclusively based on capturing any and all information the team wish to understand about their clients. The clever name is also suggestive of the fun attitude which the team strive to bring to their brand. The property managers are allocated dependent on their own area of residence which facilitates detailed and effective monitoring of systems, relationships and maintenance issues. Communication is very confident and the team obviously understand the key to providing exceptional customer service and property management.

SILVER W.A. Ellis W.A. Ellis sets the bar high with its property management offering and the team were very clear about what they do, why they do it and how results are achieved. This honesty and integrity is a trait which runs like a thread through the W.A. Ellis proposition. There is extremely low staff turnover which allows rapport to be nurtured and provides continuity for all. Property managers are involved in pitches made to landlords and developers which ensures that the service and standards provided is apparent from day one and relationships are therefore established very early on. The systems and processes are excellent - clear, concise and very well established however the team is always looking for ways to improve – impressive when one considers how high the standards already are. ‘Quietly outstanding’ is obviously a mantra this organisation stands by.

BRONZE Your Move Your Move operates a high standard of property management services which are split across two definitive branches; the core service for the letting branches and the hub network which is centrally based. The property inspection model is extremely thorough and one to aspire to; there is clear evidence that this standard directly correlates to the high levels of both tenant and landlord renewals and communication. For such a large agency, the consistency of standards nationwide is first rate – a cascade scheme filters the information through to all branch managers ensuring brand values are followed as well as ensuring transparency and compliance. Your Move also harnesses its size to negotiate great deals on maintenance contracts and then passes these savings directly to clients which can only be a good thing. This also means it can monitor and control service levels and response times for repairs with the majority of issues attended to immediately. A great example of a national business using its size to its advantage whilst offering a personal service.

Shortlisted: Chesterton Humberts; MyLondonHome

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cloud computing since

2004 users

with

2000 across

350 branches

managing

over140,000

properties accounting for

£2.3 billion of rent on

1

lettings software system

LetMC.com

®

lettings software

www.letmc.com

02920 367 960

WINNER

BEST ESTATE& LETTINGS MANAGEMENT SOLUTION PPS AWARDS 2011

enquiries@letmc.com

Sponsored by

The award for Best Innovation

GOLD Finders Keepers Finders Keepers implemented a truly innovative and new idea with spectacular results. Following a detailed survey of its tenants and enquiries, Finders Keepers found that families with school age children occupied over 85% of its properties with a higher rental yield, despite only representing 20% of tenants overall. Keen to harness more tenants of a similar demographic, Finders Keepers recognised the importance of school location in the decision making process of renting families.

With this in mind the team plotted the precise catchment areas of all state and fee paying schools in their areas of operation (down to exact boundaries including taking into account exactly where on the roads the boundaries end should the line fall in the middle of the street). This information was then added as a search option to their website. Feedback from existing tenants is positive and Finders Keepers has seen an increase in web traffic and enquiry levels which has led to higher instruction levels. Impressive.

SILVER Young London Young London deserve the silver for its inventive approach to customer care. Well aware that repeat business is the key to business growth and a healthy profit margin, the team spent time dividing their lettings process into simple steps, then looked at each part independently to ensure that at every stage their offering was slick, consistent and of a very high standard. From the first minute one encounters this agency, there is a clear differentiation between it and its local competitors. The team set out to make a difference to their service with clear results in mind, which they have measured through direct feedback of every client and by measuring the increase in instructions, (particularly via recommendation) and profits. By employing people who understand about service they drown beneath flattering feedback from grateful clients and happy tenants. Well done.

BRONZE Milton Ashbury Imagine having implemented a system which has not only delivered fantastic profits straight to your bottom line in its own right but also one which you are now able to sell to your competitors.

Recognised by the industry as being one of the best systems in its field, ‘Landlord Assist’ provides cost effective and reliable tenant referencing. Working on the premise of, ‘Easier, Cheaper, Better’, this system adheres to this notion in every way as a pioneering and simple version of a system which many agencies use off line already by doing away with faxes, scanning of documents and emails. Partnering with insurance companies to provide a guarantee against the cost of evictions is only the icing on the cake. Milton Ashbury’s aim is to process 1500 reference applications per month by the end of May 11.

Great result for an idea launched only 12 months ago.

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setting the standard

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When it comes to lettings and property management software, we’ve set the standard.

Scan the code with your smart phone

For more information, or to arrange a demonstration in your office, please telephone 08446 626 459, email sales@cfp-software.co.uk or visit www.cfp-software.co.uk Disclaimer: The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales has accredited CFPwinMan v3.2, from CFP Software, under the terms of the ICAEW Accreditation Scheme. Purchasers should ensure that the software, its security features and related support meet their own specific requirements, as the Institute will not be liable for any damage whatsoever, incurred by any person, occasioned by the use of the software, or any related products or services howsoever caused.

Sponsored by

The award for Best Marketing

GOLD Romans Romans initiative bears all the hallmarks of great marketing; it attracted people, communicated the core values, was simple and straightforward and most importantly increased revenue and profit. Open House days were run all over the country as part of a fully integrated marketing campaign to communicate the benefit of group viewings to tenants and landlords. Whilst this idea is tried and tested, the team at Romans executed this campaign with flair and style and the judges like the innovations built in by the team. The Romans brand is built on the basis of authority, innovation, social proof and commitment and their Open House marketing demonstrated this in spades. Evidence showed the entire team bought into the idea and were enthused - not only did market share increase, renewals were up as were new instructions, surely the hallmark of a well executed and well received campaign.

SILVER Premier Places The campaign undertaken by Premier Places was aimed at landlords and tenants in untapped markets such as first-time landlords and pet owners. Although the company was established in 1995, it was taken over in 2010 and the decision was made to embark on a brand awareness and re-branding exercise in order to promote Premier Places new ownership and the panel admired the level of detail in this campaign. It was well covered by local press and the new owners have worked hard to give this agency an easily recognised and fun image. The success of this venture was measured by analytics – turnover and profit has increased along with market share and this agency should be very proud of itself.

BRONZE Streets Ahead Streets Ahead took a long standing successful initiative of holding Landlord and Tenant weekends and cleverly took advantage of the Royal Wedding weekend to make this idea soar with spectacular results. Supporting materials were excellent and included a ‘mocked up’ invite to the parties being held at all offices on the wedding day. The commitment and enthusiasm of the team was exemplary and it was clear they were 100% behind this idea. A 35% sign up rate for new landlords and 40% for new tenants targeted is a fantastic result for a fun and committed business.

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Young London Young London’s campaign forms part of a five year business plan focusing on relationships with tenants and landlords and their dedication to this plan is outstanding. This agency has set out to build a community both within the team and in its areas of operation and is doing so admirably. Brand awareness with residents has improved and the agency is recognised locally for its good work. Based on the premise of reciprocity, Young London appointed a ‘Head of Fun’ to build a calendar of events for existing and potential clients from welcome drinks to wine tasting and from networking evenings to walking tours as well as information and education evenings on a variety of topics. There is clear evidence this approach is working.

Sponsored by

The award for Best Technology & Online

GOLD scottfraser scottfraser has a clear and methodic approach to technology. Its ethos is that its technology and online offering must complement rather than replace personal contact and the firm uses it appropriately to help clients whilst remaining determined to keep a human touch. The digital strategy includes usage of an iPhone App and mini-sites for individual properties and scottfraser appear to have the perfect balanced relationship with the portals. Robust and imaginative use of Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn along with useful and easy to read blogs and news items with commentary have proved invaluable for clients. Attention to detail and superb presentation demonstrates this is a business who clearly understand both the power as well as the pitfalls of technology and how to harness or avoid as appropriate to ensure the greatest benefit for its clients, the staff and ultimately the business.

SILVER Finders Keepers The judges felt Finders Keepers must have an ideas factory in one of their branches from which they dream up and deploy new technological solutions for problems which firms five times their size haven’t yet appreciated exist. From their use of QR Squares to their Landlord Club Card, and from text confirmations to PDA usage for the tenant helpline, this is a firm which seeks an advantage for its business in the simplest of new IT solutions. It has introduced 80 new pieces of functionality on its website over the past 12 months and over 1,000 FAQ’s can be accessed in 10 languages. 45% of Finders Keepers properties are let via the top three portals, and it was clear the company is aware of the value of its relationship with the portals, seeking to maintain a positive and productive relationship with them. The approach is proven to work and they deserve the silver.

BRONZE MyLondonHome Founded in 2002 this firm could give most lettings firms in London a run for their money with its technical know-how and execution. It uses 'Live Chat' with clients and prospective tenants, deploys microsites for buildings and developments, has its own iPhone app and an efficient electronic telephone system. Its clever usage of the portals shows a staggering ROI and the idea to upload the tube station logos with each property ensure their ads are eye catching and informative whilst providing an important search option. Simple and effective use of technology has helped propel this firm to the top of the leader board and we should expect to see more of them as they build their empire from Parliament Square.

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Sponsored by

The award for Best Block Management

GOLD Ringley Chartered Surveyors A transparent, knowledgeable and approachable attitude means Ringley Chartered Surveyors stood out as gold winners. This company has clear vision from the top and the entire team act accordingly to ensure they are all headed in the right direction. The number of services on offer is excellent and each service can be fully tailored to adapt to the size of the site being managed, completely necessary when one considers the range of properties managed runs from 3 units to 350 units. The back office systems for budget, maintenance and accounting have been developed and designed by Ringley and as such, the fully bespoke system is totally efficient and captures exactly the information needed for a slick and straightforward operation. The MD is passionate about IT and using this appropriately to minimise procedure whilst maintaining standards, leaving the team more time to focus on the personal touch. The website is fully comprehensive and any information one might need with regard to block management is covered including templates of useful forms and downloads. The team are all highly qualified and expert and it is clear they view block management as a collaborative effort between themselves, the freeholders and the tenants – an attitude which can only reap reward for all.

SILVER Chainbow Chainbow’s mantra is to take an issue, find a solution and deliver it and the judges found clear evidence it acts on this philosophy. It prides itself on its communication levels – clients are offered a guarantee they will always be able to speak to someone and there is a no voicemail policy during the day and an out of hours service. Started in 1989, it has an impressive record and it was clear clients benefit from the experience and knowledge available from the long standing team. Staff retention was impressive meaning clients can form a relationship with the block managers and the communication levels are excellent. It partners with some well established and expert companies to offer solutions across both the residential and commercial sectors and is recognised as an expert in its field not only within the industry but also by the business community at large. The MD seeks to innovate and revolutionise block management and the judges found Chainbow has excellent foundations on which to do this.

Shortlisted: Alexandre Boyes; Nock Deighton

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Sponsored by

The award for Best Customer Service

GOLD Gibbs Gillespie The fact that the last year has been the most profitable ever for the lettings department at Gibbs Gillespie is an affirmation of its strong customer service standards. After a complete review of the internal systems and processes, customer care has been integrated into performance management alongside determined focus on CRM and applicant qualification. A new database to target lost landlords has been successful and a tenancy management department was set up solely for renewals.

A comprehensive quarterly newsletter aids communication between the offices, landlords and tenants with the added benefit of highlighting the team’s local and legislative knowledge. Another nice touch is regular investment bulletins sent to landlords with available sales properties complete with potential rental yields. Its opening hours are longer than competitors meaning it enjoys the greatest market share from commuter footfall enquiries. Training and communication internally is also impressive.

SILVER W.A. Ellis This agency continues to impress for a second year. As the largest letting agency in London with the entire team under one roof, the staff retention levels are aspirational to say the least – the partners have 88 years combined industry experience, 69 of which have been spent at W.A. Ellis and it is clear this loyalty and dedication filters down through the entire team and through them to the customers.

Customer service at W.A. Ellis is very personal; they offer advice on interior design to help maximise appeal and rental yields and offer excellent meet and greet and mediation sessions between the newer landlords and tenants to strengthen relationships. The huge focus on training is crucial to the business ethos and there has not been a single complaint over the past 12 months. Working on the understanding that the future of the business centres around current customers and their continued loyalty, the team work hard to maintain the outstanding reputation of this small agency.

BRONZE MyLondonHome The clue is in the name of this agency and they really take their local knowledge seriously. From the start, tenants and landlords are left in no doubt as to the expertise and dedication of all the team. The welcome pack for new tenants is excellent with well thought out information and perfect for those who are new to London. New tenants are also given personal guided tours of their new location should they need one whereby they can find local stations, supermarkets as well as recommendations for their social life! All the team are originally from customer service backgrounds rather than traditional lettings which shows and the business has been allowed to grow organically from scratch with no investors or bank loans.

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Streets Ahead This agency impressed the panel with its amazing energy and belief from the team that they really are the best in their area. The pride in their work was palpable and it was clear that they constantly strive to improve on their already high standards. The partners consciously seek to employ staff from companies renowned for their excellent customer service such as Virgin and Nationwide and appointed a dedicated customer relationship manager from a service background seven months ago with the remit of improving the already high standards and helping the business to soar. The judges found much evidence that this approach is reaping excellent rewards.

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The award for Best Newcomer

GOLD Winchester White “Whatever we have to do� is the mission statement of Winchester White and it certainly adheres to this ethos. Opened nearly a year ago, the judges felt this was a company which has done its research and created a brand with fantastic foundations on which to grow. The plan for the business was to keep it simple and offer the best value for money but this in no way detracts from the professionalism and slick branding of the company; indeed the team use branded cars and enjoy the latest technology.

This extends to excellent awareness of online and the team harness the internet and portals with an enthusiasm and expertise that would be impressive in a much larger agency. The small size means they can offer a very personal service and the owner leads by example, working the recent bank holidays whilst giving the rest of the team the time off. We look forward to great things from Winchester White in future.

SILVER Habitat Residential The owners of Habitat Residential have built a good foundation for this company with lots of research and a good business plan. They are aware of the importance of a strong brand and have embraced this whilst also allowing their personalities to shine through resulting in a personable and fun approach to lettings. This method of combining character with competence and efficiency is apparent at every turn and they are determined and enthusiastic whilst at the same time showing a most professional manner towards the lettings industry. Much of their business comes from word of mouth recommendation and they are not only hitting the targets they have set themselves but are exceeding them, and most importantly making a profit. Their local knowledge is second to none and the judges believe this is a new agency with longevity. Well done.

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Our congratulations go to all the winners and shortlisted companies, from everyone at DPG. Supporting you in all the important ways.

Sponsored by

The award for Best Training & Development

GOLD Edmund Cude Leading from the top, the MD of Edmund Cude takes a hands on approach to training and is keen to innovate in order that the training programme excites the team and benefits the business. All staff have personal development plans backed up by quarterly individual coaching, a budget for external training and six monthly director-led reviews, which can lead to a bonus for good results. The entire team are also offered sponsorship should they wish to study for professional qualifications outside those they are required to undertake for their job. Further touches include external consultants and professional actors used for mystery shopping exercises and the fact that the Graduate Entry Scheme is 100 times oversubscribed speaks for itself. There is also a culture of reward and recognition via incentives and team outings and a published book sets them apart as experts in their field. With revenue and profit up 37% on last year this approach works and the judges were extremely impressed.

SILVER Gibbs Gillespie Gibbs Gillespie demonstrates an excellent approach to its training. Alongside external training consultants, it has developed a lettings development programme which can be adapted for all grades and roles and the spend per head on development is impressive. All managers have a two hour coaching session with their individual mentor on a monthly basis to discuss their individual development plan and are also required to undergo industry and bespoke skills sessions. Two awards are given out per quarter; one based on direct customer feedback and one based on personal development in professional qualifications, voluntary work and CSR or studies undertaken in own time which will benefit the business. The dedication to a comprehensive but enjoyable training programme is a definable difference that has enabled Gibbs Gillespie’s lettings department to implement a strategy of moving away from a lettings-only business to a property management business. This agency deserves the silver award.

BRONZE Hamptons International

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Following their comprehensive and impressive induction process, the ongoing training programme inspires as it is 100% tailored to the individual’s strengths and career aspirations. The programme is based on the idea of “Beyond Expectation” and teaches the team to go above and beyond in every undertaking for the benefit of the customer. This is backed up by the ‘Firm Foundations’ manual, a comprehensive guide which acts as the ‘golden thread’ running through all Training & Development procedures, providing the steps to success for employees career paths. It also acts as a company “bible” for daily activities ensuring consistent standards across the board, covering best practice, culture, procedure and history of this iconic brand.

Rewards range from financial incentives to car allowances and extra days off resulting in a 70% staff retention rate over 5 years.

Streets Ahead When induction training is personally facilitated by both MD’s, it can only lead to great things.

Taking the time to introduce new starters to all areas of the business, their passion and enthusiasm is clearly embraced by the rest of the team. They have invested heavily in daily, weekly and monthly coaching both internally and with external trainers, and this investment is backed up by an excellent buddy system to encourage teamwork and they are regularly mystery shopped. All KPIs are completed on a daily basis and reviewed on a weekly then monthly basis.

This approach has seen customer satisfaction improve from 85% to 96% and we are pleased to award them the bronze.

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Sponsored by

The award for Best Lettings Franchise

GOLD Xperience Bronze winners last year, Xperience has upped its offering and really impressed the panel who felt its franchise operation was committed to giving a quality service supported by excellent back office systems. As one of the largest franchises in the country, the brand names are well known and the team realise that this recognition must be reinforced by excellent support for the franchise owners as the only way they can ensure local reputation and build on customer loyalty. The systems employed are notable as are the standards required of the franchisee. All owners must be full members of ARLA and strict compliance is a must. The business model is extremely well thought out and it works in a practical sense. Investment in training, technology and marketing is impressive not least as it is provided centrally without compromising the autonomy of the business owners. It was clear from their entry and evidence that this is a company which aspire to lead the lettings franchise offering across the country and the leap from bronze to gold is testimony to this.

SILVER Belvoir Belvoir’s franchise offering continues to impress this year and the judges are pleased to recognise the maintaining of the high standards shown previously. Over 15 years of trading this lettings-only agency has established an exceptional brand demonstrating professionalism and high standards at every level. With offices throughout the UK, Belvoir is committed to building on their reputation centrally whilst helping the franchise owners with the development of their individual offices and has increased investment accordingly. Communication across all levels is encouraged through networking groups, newsletters and regularly organised contact between the office owners and also head office, and it has recently developed its own iPhone App to help strengthen communication with tenants and landlords. Recent delivery of well attended Buy to Let seminars has helped establish the team as experts and not only have profits increased as a result but a strong and steady growth of franchise applicants reinforces the high regard in which this franchise business is held by agents themselves.

BRONZE Your Move The first thing that was apparent from Your Move’s entry was that their franchisees not only benefit from the large corporate structure and financial backing but also from the strong focus on good pastoral support for franchisees which is at the heart of their business model. Central marketing material which can be edited is distributed to all owners meaning the brand and values remain strong whilst enabling business decisions to be made with a degree of autonomy for the needs of that particular office. Your Move continues to show growth year on year not only in terms of their lettings portfolio but also on the bottom line and the successful integration of the Halifax lettings sector is impressive. The progressive thinking demonstrated is aspirational in a business of this size - it constantly seeks to adapt its franchise offering and back office systems for the benefit of the company and the franchisees and it shows.

Shortlisted: Medics on the Move

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Sponsored by

The award for Best Luxury Lettings

GOLD W.A. Ellis Congratulations must go to W.A. Ellis for winning the gold in this category for the second year running.

Its luxury lettings offering remains simply outstanding and the judges were impressed with the efforts made by the entire team to go even further in their customer service standards. The luxury lettings department is a niche division in the agency and the small team are all directly involved in every aspect of the daily running of this service. The expertise of the staff is impressive at this level and strong emphasis is placed on professional qualifications, communication and partner level involvement – with these caveats in mind, two partners inspect each property every time. Operating in the high end market which is London based luxury lettings, there is a vital understanding of overseas links and specialist services are offered to both overseas landlords and those tenants looking to immigrate as well as those who are home grown. Very, very impressive indeed.

Shortlisted: Hamptons International

To view the list of successful agents please visit the winners’ website at: www.lettingsawards.com 30

THE PLATFORM FOR HIGH-END PROPERTIES WORLDWIDE

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Sponsored by

The award for Best Student Lettings

GOLD Finders Keepers This agency really knows its market and such is the importance of its student lettings offering on its business there is a separate dedicated department solely for this demographic. The marketing is just brilliant and 100% geared towards the target market of students whilst reflecting an awareness of the importance parents play in influencing potential rental properties. Partnerships with local businesses have culminated in sponsorships and local discount cards which are part of the welcome pack. There was clear evidence of the strong relationship this agency has with local colleges and universities and a strong work experience programme develops early relationships with local youths resulting in loyalty at the time when they need to let for further education. An ethos of bulk-buying items which are regularly broken keeps costs down and ensures prompt attention to repairs in properties and, bearing in mind the online capabilities and preferences of their tenants, Finders Keepers has developed excellent online systems for fault reporting, emergencies and useful information. The number of students who continue to let through this agency after completing their studies is indicative of an excellent offering.

SILVER College and County College and Country is highly professional and an expert in the field of student lettings. Throughout the written submission and telephone interview, there were plenty of examples of the proactive attitude of the team and the judges felt they strived at all times to innovate and exceed expectation.

The communication to student tenants is exemplary, particularly the clever use of social networking sites and they place a high value on social media and use it accordingly with great results. A strong interest and participation in local community has strengthened bonds with students and they employ a respectable number of students to assist with admin which boosts loyalty and repeat business through friend recommendations. Loyalty cards are given to tenants for local discounts and the introduction of a programme called “Livin’ Out�, run with nearby further education institutes has proved popular and of value to the business. College and County was seen to be a friendly and enthusiastic agency which is excellent at what it seeks to achieve.

Shortlisted: North Oxford Property Services

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Sponsored by

The award for Outstanding Contribution to Lettings

Lucy Morton With a career spanning nearly 30 years, Lucy Morton is a deserving winner of this award and we are thrilled to honour her publicly, not only for her own personal achievements but also for the dedication, loyalty and diligence she has shown to our industry.

Having started as a lettings agent in 1983, Lucy established the lettings department for WA Ellis in 1990 and since then has built the department team into an award winning, market leader.

On record as saying, “[she] wanted to put something back into the industry that has served me so well for many years”, Lucy was elected to the board of NFOPP in 2007 and appointed President of ARLA in 2009 after 17 years as a Regional Council Member and subsequently a National Council Member.

During her year long term as President of ARLA, Lucy focused much of her time encouraging the government to regulate the industry as well as calling for clarity on proposed legislation to ensure transparency and understanding for both landlords and tenants. Under Lucy’s tenure, ARLA also launched their licensing scheme and to date have over 6,000 licensed members, the same number of which also signed up to The Property Ombudsman, results which speak for themselves as to the success of the campaign.

Lucy recognised that in order for the industry to change the perception of itself with the public, agents and agencies had to want to regulate themselves. Having spent much of her time as President travelling the country and meeting with ARLA members, she was able to speak to them directly about her vision for the future of industry standards; a view which she found was shared by many; all of whom were prepared to ‘put their money where their mouth is’ and open themselves up to regulation.

This desire amongst the industry itself to strive for higher and consistent standards can only mean great things for lettings agencies, landlords and tenants nationwide.

The work put in by Lucy, her colleagues at ARLA and the agencies to achieve this must not be underestimated.

Since completing her tenure as President of ARLA Lucy has not rested on her laurels and now sits on the boards of both the new Register of Property Agents and the Property Standards Board. She is also a Board Director of CLEA (Central London Estate Agents) as the representative for Lettings, a Director of Lonres, a subscription service for agents in London and a Trustee of EAF (Estate Agency Foundation), the industry charity which is dedicated to combating the causes of homelessness.

It is testimony to Lucy’s ongoing dedication to the industry she has served admirably over the past 28 years that despite the time she spends lobbying and sitting on various regulatory boards she remains as passionate about the grass roots of lettings as she ever was - her recent promotion to senior partner of WA Ellis reinforces this. Lucy Morton embodies everything which is excellent about our industry and her passion and vision is aspirational.

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With thanks to all of our sponsors and supporters:

Organised by: Estate Agency Events Ltd The Chapel, Reigate Road, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 8RA 01372 370837 info@estateagencyevents.com www.estateagencyevents.com