Leaders Romans Group (LRG) has acquired Stanley & Partners, a Sussex-based residential lettings business.

Stanley & Partners, founded in 1974, operates two lettings branches in Lewes and Burgess Hill.

The acquisition will strengthen the group’s presence in the Sussex region. The current Burgess Hill office will combine with the existing Leaders Burgess Hill office, while the Lewes office will be re-branded to Leaders.

James and Karen Stanley will step back from the business following a handover period, with all remaining staff transferring to LRG. This acquisition represents a further expansion of LRG into Sussex, with Lewes being one of the last remaining major towns in Sussex without a Leaders presence on the high street.

Matthew Light, group mergers and acquisitions director at LRG, said: “We are thrilled to complete our latest acquisition and look forward to welcoming the Stanley & Partners team to the LRG family. Following the acquisitions of Hose Rhodes Dickson, Acorn Group and Northfields last year, we continue to pursue our mergers and acquisitions strategy to strengthen our local high-street branch network. Stanley & Partners is a family business focusing on trust and knowledge that strives for exceptional service, which is a perfect fit for LRG.”

Michael Cook, group MD at LRG, commented: “We’re delighted to welcome this fantastic lettings business into the LRG family. Our five-year strategy to continue on the acquisition trail reflects our ambitious growth plans, with the objective of growing our presence across the UK.”

James Stanley, managing partner at Stanley & Partners, added: “I’d like to thank all of the team at Stanley & Partners for their dedication and passion, which has enabled us to grow to a successful two-branch business.

“LRG is a strong brand which combines a high street presence and excellent understanding of local markets with its national strength. This means access to the very best online customer portals, research capabilities and a great attitude towards sustainability.

“LRG’s team have been a pleasure to work with, and the whole process from start to finish has been very smooth. I’m confident that the Stanley & Partners team will thrive under new management; LRG are a perfect fit for the business and will, I have no doubt, continue to offer exceptional services to our customers and clients.”