Savills has boosted its rental portfolio by more than £200m and added to its headcount with the acquisition of two north-west England agencies.

The agent has acquired Manchester-based firm Case McNair and the Knutsford branch of residential sales and lettings company, Meller Braggins.

Case McNair specialises in residential lettings and management throughout greater Manchester, letting and managing a rental portfolio worth in excess of £200m.

Its team of 15 will all join Savills, led by managing director John-Paul Case who will become head of northern metropolitan lettings.

Co-directors Alastair McNair and Maria Case have also moved to Savills.

The team from Case McNair will continue to operate out of their existing office on Bridge Street in Manchester before relocating to the Savills office on Booth Street in early 2019.

Jane Cronwright-Brown, head of the lettings division at Savills, said: “Case McNair has an excellent reputation in Manchester and internationally and this acquisition provides a strategic opportunity for us to expand the services we offer in the area, complementing our existing residential development sales business operating out of our Manchester office.”

Savills did not disclose what the rental portfolio of the Knutsford branch of Meller Braggins was worth.

It has taken over the former Meller Braggins office on Princess Street, which will be run by Charlie Kannreuther who has worked for the Savills residential business in Cheshire for six years.

Nigel Lammas, formerly managing director of Meller Braggins, and two colleagues have also moved to Savills.

Meller Braggins’ four other residential and lettings branches are unaffected by the acquisition.

Andrew Perratt, head of residential sales at Savills in the north, added: “Knutsford is a highly desirable part of the country, offering ease of access to both Manchester and London, and we have been looking for the right opportunity to provide us with a presence in the town to build on our established residential sales businesses based in Chester and Wilmslow.

“We look forward to welcoming clients of Meller Braggins Knutsford to Savills where they will continue to receive first class service.”