Dacre, Son & Hartley has continued its expansion in the lettings sector with the acquisition of long-established North Yorkshire firm Craven Homelet Services.
The Yorkshire agency has acquired the Settle-based business, which has been operating since 1988 and manages a substantial portfolio of rental properties across North Craven and Ribblesdale.
As part of the deal, owner Robert Senior will join Dacre, Son & Hartley and lead the firm’s lettings and property management operations in the Settle area.
The acquisition marks the latest step in Dacres’ growth strategy following the relaunch of its lettings division in early 2024. It also follows the firm’s acquisition of North Yorkshire estate agency and rural consultancy Lister Haigh last year, which added a sizeable managed portfolio to the business.
Dacres, which operates from 17 offices across North and West Yorkshire, says it has doubled the number of rental properties under management over the past 12 months. The latest acquisition further strengthens its presence in the region and expands its lettings and property management team to eight specialists.
Patrick McCutcheon, head of residential at Dacres, said: “This is another significant expansion for us in the residential lettings and property management arena and follows our successful acquisition of Lister Haigh last year. In addition, we’re enjoying strong organic growth, which has also seen us recruit two additional property managers last month.
“Craven Homelet has an excellent and well-respected track record, with almost four decades of knowledge, and manages an extensive and varied property portfolio throughout the local area, including Ribblesdale and the Three Peaks area of the Yorkshire Dales.
“Crucially, Robert is very well known in the rentals market, with a superb reputation among landlords and tenants. He is therefore a welcome addition to our team and will help us continue to provide a consistent, high-quality service to clients.”
Senior added: “This is an important time for the residential rentals market following the recent introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act, which has significantly increased legislative and compliance requirements. As a result, growing numbers of landlords require expert support at a time of exceptionally high tenant demand, making this the ideal time for Craven Homelet to join Dacres.
“Dacres has been operating for more than 200 years and has a vast marketing and digital reach across its 17 offices, as well as a large and well-established team. Combining our expertise creates one of the most professional and knowledgeable rentals teams in this part of North Yorkshire and further enhances the service we offer to landlord clients. We are now looking forward to embarking on the next chapter as part of Dacres’ team.”
