Blenkin & Co expands team with new hire

Blenkin & Co, an independent agency based in High Petergate, York, has hired recent graduate George Metcalfe.

Metcalfe has joined the company after graduating with a first-class honours degree in real estate and is in the process of becoming a chartered surveyor with one more year remaining to complete his qualification.

His role at Blenkin & Co focuses on further development of the business within the city of York and the new homes sector across the wider region.

“Following a record year of trading throughout 2020 and into the first quarter of 2021 I have made the decision to recruit and expand the business’, said Blenkin & Co managing director, Edward Hartshorne.

Luke Bradnick joins Worth Recruiting

Former estate agent Luke Bradnick has joined Worth Recruiting.

Bradnick, who previously worked for Lords Estate Agents and Cairds in the Kingston upon Thames and Epsom areas, joins his wife Emily, who already works for Worth Recruiting.

He will be working in a 360-degree recruitment role, looking after clients and candidates across London and the South East.

“I know the area and the people who work in it, and I hope that my considerable estate agency experience and work ethic will be of value to Guy and the team,” said Bradnick. “Worth Recruiting is a company recognised throughout the industry for excellence in Estate Agency and Property recruitment and I am looking forward to being a part of the Worth family.”

Worth Recruiting is headed up by Guy Hodge, who was an estate agent for more than 35 years; initially becoming a regional director at GA Property Services (now Your Move) and then setting up his own Estate Agency, Lords Estate Agents in Kingston upon Thames which he eventually sold in 2014 after almost 25 years.

Hodge added: “Luke will make a great addition to our team at Worth Recruiting and will enable us to provide an even better and more attentive service to our clients. He is hard-working, proactive and dependable and has a reputation for providing exceptional customer service. He was one of my top staff at Lords and it is great to have him back in my team again.”

Jeremy Duncombe becomes IMLA chairman

Accord Mortgages’ managing director, Jeremy Duncombe, has replaced Louisa Sedgwick as chairman at the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA).

It comes following Sedgwick’s decision to leave her position as MD to Tandem Bank in October.

According to IMLA, the bank has applied to become a member of the trade association since Sedgwick accepted the position as its managing director of mortgages.

Duncombe, who is managing director at Accord, was previously deputy chairman of the trade association.

He said: “We’re all sad to see Louisa step down and we look forward to welcoming her back as soon as possible.

“She has made great strides in her time as chair, and I look forward to picking up where she left off, working hard to support IMLA’s membership over the coming months.”

Kate Davies, executive director of IMLA, commented: “[Louisa] has been pivotal in adding value to our membership throughout an extremely challenging 14-month period, and it’s disappointing that she’s unable to continue in this role for the remainder of her term.

“We wish her every success in her new role and look forward to welcoming her back into our ranks later this year.

“In the meantime, we’re delighted that Jeremy, who has long been a trusted member of IMLA’s management committee, is to take over as chair.”