One of Britain’s most unusual and caring letting agents, Castledene, has won the Times and Sunday Times Letting Agent of the Year.
The firm, whose social conscience is a large part of what makes it so different, featured in a recent TV programe and operates in some of the poorest parts of the country.
Run by John Paul, the agency has a very high number of social housing benefit tenants who are treated with care and respect by Castledene staff working at the “coalface of social deprivation”.
Among the agent’s many initiatives is a charity aimed at helping to improve their tenants’ skills, confidence and motivation.
Staff also benefit from Castledene’s encouragement that they develop non-agency specific skills, and one negotiator is retraining as a social worker.
The new President of ARLA, Valerie Bannister, was recognised with the Outstanding Achievement award.
Judges described her as one of the most respected figures in the lettings industry.
The panel said Bannister, now head of lettings at Your Move, was an inspiration and had firmly established herself as the “go to” person for advice on anything and everything about the lettings industry.
Fixflo, whose innovative product allows tenants to report faults and when repairs are needed online using pictures and in a number of languages, was named Lettings Supplier of the Year.
Best individual lettings negotiator was Ed Cooper, of Sheffield Residential, with best lettings branch manager named as Ben Smith, of Sewell & Gardner, whose Reagan Bradley was also named as Best Lettings Property Manager.
Other notable winners included Foxtons, in the large lettings category, and other gold winners MyLondonHome, which won UK Single Office of the Year, and College & County, which won Best Small Agent.
Some 550 people attended the Zoopla-sponsored bash, part of Lettings LIVE, organised by Peter Knight’s Estate Agency Events.
The winners are here:
http://lettingsagencyoftheyear.com
The judges’ report – well worth reading – is here:
http://lettingsagencyoftheyear.com/judges_report/LAA_2014_Judges%20Report.pdf
It's not often you see such a great business run by a top bloke servicing some of the most challenging areas of the industry and it's refreshing to see Castledene getting the plaudits it deserves.
Well done John Paul and all your team.
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It makes you think, dosn't it.
A massive congratulations Castledene.
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Well done! – its not always about flash marketing and promises, Service does count!
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The bloke you personally love to denigrate has put 5 years pro bono work into a system that allows agents to cater for these tenants. The only thing that makes Castledenes' commendable efforts even more newsworthy notable is the appaling attitude most stakeholders, from DWP downwards, have towards social tenants.
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I take it you are referring to the one comment made about Robert May.
Difference is you do not see Castledenes banging a drum every single day about what they have done or planning to do. (also the aggressive pompous tone)
I do wonder why you have mentioned this "Benay"? are you connected is some way to the self promoting Robert May or are you in fact him?
It baffles me why you would bring up a comment made over two weeks ago?
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It's not often I find myself in awe of another agent, today is definitely an exception though. Very, very well done, everyone at Castledene.
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