Century 21 UK has been named as the number one estate agency franchise as part of independent research by major franchised-based businesses.

Every year, Franchise Direct publishes its list of the Top 100 Franchises in the UK based on research into key areas of business performance, including stability and growth, revenue, market expansion and social responsibility.

Century 21 UK ranked at number 18 in the 2021 league table, jumping 33 places from 2020. The top three firms were McDonald’s, Autosmart and Domino’s.

In the past 12 months, Century 21 UK has launched three new business models.

The Solo model is designed to allow self-employed agents to work from home and share territories with other Century 21 agents.

Flex caters for franchisees wanting a better work life balance by setting their own working hours without the fixed cost of a high-street office.

Finally, Century 21 Max follows the more traditional model of high-street estate agency franchising.

Reflecting on the Top 100 ranking, Chris Summers, head of franchising at Century 21 UK, said: “This is a great achievement in what has been a challenging 12-months for the industry as a whole. It’s testament to an entire team effort.

“As a business, we have been quick to react to the changing needs of both franchisees and their customers, introducing three new models that offer greater flexibility. Our 2021 ranking reflects the success of that and cements our position as one of the UK’s leading estate agency franchises.”