Arden Property Management has completed the acquisition of Smart Property’s lettings division.

Smart Property’s director Kat Usher will join the Arden leadership team as a partner.

As part of the deal, Phil Nugent, who co-founded and led Smart Property alongside Usher for more than 25 years, will no longer be involved in day-to-day operations.

Catriona Smith, senior partner at Arden, said: “This is a big and exciting step for us – not just in terms of growth, but in how we can support our clients.

“Kat and I share a similar outlook when it comes to doing business: putting people first, being hands-on, and keeping standards high. It made complete sense to bring our teams together.”

Usher added: “I’ve known Catriona for many years and always admired the way she runs things, so the fit felt right from the start – our values align and we’re both passionate about delivering great service.”

The expanded agency will continue to operate under the Arden Property Management name, with no change to existing service.