One of the best known and most respected figures in the lettings industry, John Hards, is retiring after 45 years.
However, he plans to keep his hand in with some consultancy work.
Hards has spent most of that time – 35 years – at Countrywide, where he has been managing director of Countrywide Residential Lettings for 25 years.
He has also been a director of ARLA, NFoPP and the Tenancy Deposit Scheme.
During his time at Countrywide, he has been instrumental in growing the lettings side of the business – both organically and through acquisitions – from an insignificant part of the organisation to the giant it has become today.
In the early days, lettings was not regarded as important because it was outside the company’s business model whereby sales branches acted as a distribution network for financial services.
Hards’ last day at Countrywide is on April 7, and after a short break he plans to work as a consultant to the industry, trading as Ask John Hards.
His customers will include Countrywide, providing support on various projects including the proposed ban on tenant fees.
He will also continue as a non-executive of the group’s property fund.
Hards, who now lives in Cornwall, said that his retirement “with so many friends, has not been an easy decision to make”.
But he added: “I do however live in a wonderful location and would love to have more time to enjoy it and my family.”
He told EYE that he is looking forward to his consultancy, saying: “I am keen to carry on for a bit longer and would like to help bring regulation to the industry.”
Without John Hards Countrywide would never have built such a big lettings business. John started his career at a time when Estate Agents ruled the roost and lettings was a marginal activity best carried out in basements and attics. John was talking 20 years ago when I first met him about the future potential of the private rented sector and he should feel completely vindicated in his assessment that lettings would be where the transaction volumes and revenue growth would spring from to keep the property industry in profit. He will be sadly missed. He has a shrewd eye as a property developer and will now enjoy one of the best houses in Cornwall in his retirement.
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John, is one of the industries good guys, and lettings is a better place for having him in it. Especially his work in the early days with ARLA, to try and get the industry to be regulated 20 years ago was visionary – just a shame successive governments didn’t adopt his thinking early on, as if they had we may not be where we are now.
Good luck in your retirement John.
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Aside from wishing John well I think the most newsworthy thing about this story is that someone with huge experience and competence in the field of agency has survived long enough to gracefully retire from CW. Rather than finding himself unexpectedly pursuing ‘exciting new opportunities’.
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Looks like you’ve landed yourself a trusty ‘Disliker’, AgencyInsider.
Welcome to the Club!
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Johnnie Ginger is leaving the building! A vast amount of knowledge and ability leaves with him. A tremendous loss (although not recognised I suspect) to CWD and a huge opportunity to those who engage his consultancy services!
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