LSL, the parent company of Reeds Rains and Your Move, has significantly increased activity across its Estate Agency Franchising (EAF) division in 2025, with franchisees completing a higher number of lettings-book acquisitions and opening new branches, the company announced this morning.

In an update to the City this morning, LSL reflected on its annual Estate Agency Franchise conference, which was held last week, engaging with its franchise partners and drawing on the widespread knowledge of in-house experts and invited industry experts, shared insights on growth and business improvement opportunities through innovation and collaboration. 

A key aspect of LSL’s strategy for growing its Estate Agency Franchising (“EAF”) division continues to be the assisted acquisition programme.  LSL supports franchise partners in the acquisition of lettings books, helping to source and execute deals and provide financing, typically via loans. During 2025, franchisees have made 10 lettings book acquisitions, compared with three in 2024, a significant step-up in activity which demonstrates the successful execution of a key growth lever for the division.

LSL benefits from additional royalties on increased franchise lettings activity.  One of the incremental advantages of supporting franchisee partners with the lettings books acquisitions is that it may lead to the opening of new estate agency branches, increasing market footprint. During 2025 three new branches have been opened on the back of lettings book acquisitions, in Torquay, Oundle and Jesmond.  A further three new branches have been opened during the year, including both new franchisee and expansion by existing franchisees making six new branches in 2025.

LSL has provided £3.2m of loans to franchisees in its assisted acquisition programme in 2025.  As of the date of this announcement the Group had 293 estate agent branches and 37,500 lettings portfolio.

Adam Castleton, CEO of LSL, said: “Supporting the expansion of our EAF franchisees is an important growth driver for LSL.  Our aim is to support our franchisees with our expertise and to help grow their footprint, improving their positions in their markets and creating capital light ROI for LSL.

“The assisted acquisition programme is one of several services through which we support franchisees, who are operating in a dynamic and fast-changing environment with increasingly significant regulatory requirements, such as the proposed Renters Rights Bill.”