A new hybrid letting agency has launched in South Yorkshire, founded by experienced property professional Megan Lilley, formerly of Connells and Chestertons.
Her new venture, Lilley & Co Estates, will serve landlords and tenants across Rotherham, Worksop, Sheffield and the wider South Yorkshire area.
Breaking away from the traditional high-street model, the agency operates without a physical office, instead offering flexible, face-to-face appointments at clients’ homes, rental properties or local coffee shops – delivering what she describes as a more personal and convenient approach to lettings.
“I work remotely and meet landlords and tenants at their properties, home addresses or local venues,” Lilley told EYE. “The [hybrid] model keeps overheads lean, allowing me to offer a more competitive and transparent service and pricing while remaining hands on with every client.”
She continued: “Having previously worked with Connells and Chestertons for just shy of a decade. I wanted to create an agency where landlords and tenants deal with one consistent point of contact rather than being passed between departments. I’m not VAT registered at present, which also means landlords are not paying an additional 20% on management fees.
“The agency focuses purely on lettings and property management, with an emphasis on long term relationships rather than volume based targets. Aiming to support landlords through legislation changes and the upcoming Renters Rights Act.”
After years of working within large corporate agencies, Lilley believes that “scale can sometimes dilute accountability” – a view that has shaped her decision to build a more personal, hands-on service model.
“I wanted to build an agency where every landlord and tenant has one consistent point of contact and decisions aren’t driven by monthly targets,” she added. “There’s space in the market for a more personal, commercially sensible lettings model.”