Purplebricks lettings operations director Howard Russell has joined Accommodation, which describes itself as a “next generation” lettings agency.
He becomes Accomodation’s head of lettings, after working for Purplebricks for five years. In his new role, Russell will be looking after Accommodation’s network of Local Lettings Consultants.
Accommodation’s founder Aaron Short said: “His industry knowledge and experience is unrivalled, so it’s an honour to have him on board.
“Our service launched just two months ago and already a number of high profile industry professionals from some of the most well known lettings and sales companies in the UK are choosing to work with us.
“This is a real testament to our service and the work we’re doing in the lettings industry. Our aim is to become the UK’s largest and most loved lettings agency, and with Howard’s input, I’m positive that this will become a reality.”
Russell said he was excited to have joined a “truly hybrid” business.
His role at Purplebricks is being managed by Paul Jardine.
Comments (14)
Howard is a really good guy, he was just taken advantage of at PB the same as LPEs. He had no support from management and no spend for advertising or proper staff. Good luck to him I say.
Short is supposed to be a marketing guru of sort yet his company name is accommodation.co.uk, not very well thought out on that one, most people fail to even spell it. Google search and 100 pages in, best of luck with that one
Okay…
According to an article earlier this year,
“Joining the proptech revolution, Aaron Short wants to make life easier for landlords and the people renting their properties”
In order to make those lives easier, he needs to make his site findable.
Just typed “accommodation” into Google. No sign whatsoever in the first 100 results.
That’s TEN PAGES of a normal search. Most folk would give up long before that.
If your actual name isn’t giving Google the relevance to find you, then you’ve got trouble…
…regardless of how many “high profile industry professionals” you’ve got under that feather-fluffed wing.
This raises the question who are Accommodation? No listings within the industry as lettings services, the only claim to fame is the other co-director has dissolved two previous companies. Isn’t the hype these days that to claim “Next generation” is to infer better? So far they are very noticeable by their absence within the industry and ‘hybrid’ has a tendency to leave a sour taste of “trying to fool people they have reinvented the wheel”.
Now “the man” has just joined them to help with the local network of letting consultants, are we about to see the spin on what is claimed “local”?
Maybe we will one day hear who these ‘number of high profile industry professionals from some of the most well known lettings and sales companies in the UK are choosing to work with us’ because at this moment in time they seem to be hiding under a rock.
Howard is actually a great guy and will be no doubt be successful at whatever he does
Sadly he had to work under Richard Jacques for a while who couldn’t run a bath, let alone a business!
Best of luck Howard
“Howard is actually a great guy…”
He may well be.
“…and will be no doubt be successful at whatever he does”
He may well do.
But he ain’t the bird that his feathers are being fluffed up to portray.
So what.
Have you nothing better to do? I know Howard well and wanted to wish him luck after seeing a lot of sarcastic comments.
I would have thought you had better things to do you sad man
“So what.”
Says a lot for your moral fibre that gross exaggerations and false claims give you so little issue.
“I know Howard well and wanted to wish him luck after seeing a lot of sarcastic comments.”
I cannot find a single comment on this thread having a go at Mr Russell personally, so your argument is split-hair thin.
“I would have thought you had better things to do you sad man”
You’d better think again, then.
Problem there being thinking just doesn’t seem to be your strong point.
“His industry knowledge and experience is unrivalled…”
Allow me to finish that sentence, Mr Short.
“…in this company.”
That’s more like it. Because out there in the wider world – the REAL world and not the distant internet planet you lot inhabit – there are hundreds if not thousands who have forgotten more about the lettings industry than your shiny new toy will probably ever know about it.
But never mind. It’s good PR and some might even swallow it.
You’ll be saying it all the way to the bank when numptyfunding, no doubt.
“Don’t stop believing”, as the song says…
Prey tell, who are these ” High Profile Industry Professionals” you talk of joining you?
Ex LPE’s.
Going from a ‘Disruptor’ to a ‘Next Generation’ enterprise. Is that a step up, down, or sideways? I think we should be told.
Its better than being unemployed. PB has a track record of not being able to keep successful people, why is that? Who jumps ship when you are doing so well! Sounds more like a job opportunity, than being a success where you are(were). At age 24yrs Aaron needs as much help as he can get.
“His industry knowledge and experience is unrivalled, so it’s an honour to have him on board.”
Perhaps so but the Lettings side has failed to turn a trick at Bricks .
Quickly following in the steps of Richard Jacques the Lettings Director who left in August this year to start up a new venture Investerge (good luck with that one)
So much so Bricks dont even bother to flag up the Lettings side of the business in their high profileTV and marketing campaigns.
Today with a paltry 351 properties to let nationwide this has gained little traction from the get go . The complaints from tenants features highly in their unfavourable reviews
Guess its probably better they chance their arms elsewhere
Unrivalled … I haven’t stopped laughing. There are so many lettings agents in this country that rival anything he has done and they still have a job.