Blenkin & Co estate agents in York has launched a new letting service.

According to Edward Hartshorne, managing director of Blenkin & Co, the agency will be doing things differently.

He says that the agency will be reducing the time period from launch to letting by requiring the pre-qualification of tenants, while every landlord will receive their money within hours not days.

Hartshorne commented: “The game plan is to shake up the lettings industry by raising expectations of service and outcome. From Day One we are aligning the new lettings service with our high-end residential sales service upon which our reputation stands. In every corner of this historically discounted division of estate agency, we are raising the game.

“Given the economic turbulence that the UK is currently facing and its impact across the entire industry, this expansion into the lettings sector could prove to be both timely and propitious.

“We are now in a position to provide our high-end clients the flexibility to move between the two sectors. This is already happening with a number of valuations currently booked where clients have requested a co-ordinated sales and lettings evaluation of their property.

“This will enable clients to choose the most expedient route and possibly develop a strategy to transfer seamlessly from sales to lettings if the sales outcome fails to materialise.

“As an independent estate agent, Blenkin & Co is able to react swiftly to a volatile market. Our nimble-footed approach gives us a significant advantage over our unwieldy competitors.”

Letting manager Jennifer Marsden will be dividing her time between the Blenkin & Co office in York and her Mobile Command Centre, covering city, country and coast, and meeting homeowners who have high value properties that merit a high-end service. She will make herself reassuringly available outside normal office hours and contactable through a direct line.

“We are shaking things up, Blenkin & Co style,” Hartshorne added.