Local property lettings specialist, Belvoir has struck gold again after winning a top honour in the 2012 Lettings Agency Of The Year Awards. Belvoir Lettings, which has offices in Northwich & Congleton, run by Steve & Ann Whalley, has scooped Gold after being named Best Lettings Agency Franchise 2012.
The event, run in association with the Sunday Times and The Times, was held at the Lancaster London Hotel and was attended by the UK’s top lettings agents. Awards were judged by industry experts and chaired by The Property Ombudsman with the backing of the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA).
Belvoir has demonstrated consistent success at these highly prestigious industry awards, winning Gold for Best Lettings Agency Franchise in 2010 and Silver in 2011.
Accepting the Award from Ex-Olympian Sir Matthew Pinsent, Belvoir Chief Executive Officer Dorian Gonsalves, said: “The Sunday Times and The Times are extremely high profile newspapers and I am proud and delighted to accept this award from them on behalf of the entire Belvoir network.
“The award for Best Lettings Franchise recognises that our business is the best in a highly competitive market. It also shows that focusing on our core principles of customer service, professionalism and specialism has made all the difference and set us apart from the competition.
James Whalley of Belvoir Northwich & Congleton said ” My team and I are delighted to be sharing in this latest recognition of our professional standards. It confirms that Belvoir’s franchise owners are not only striving for excellence but are also intent on doing things properly within a self-regulating industry.”
In making the award to Belvoir, the judging panel noted: “Belvoir’s customer service proposition is at the core of its business proposition, along with professionalism and lettings specialism. This is ensured through a robust selection process for new franchisees, unique territory research, a good induction process, innovative marketing and good development of new business opportunities.
Business development teams visit offices to ensure brand guidelines are adhered to and processes complied with, and strengthened centralised audit systems and processes optimise credit control.”
The judges praised the network’s strong brand investment, online PR, and its novel creation of a premises coordinator. The panel also commended the quarterly regional franchisee meetings, BTL seminar support, which the network has continued to run despite being busy with its flotation on the Alternative Investment Market at the start of the year.
Dorian Gonsalves said: “Belvoir currently has over 140 offices and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the entire Belvoir network for their hard work in what is proving to be a very exciting year for the group. Belvoir successfully floated on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange in February and we are currently focusing on an ambitious expansion acquisition programme. Winning a national award of this calibre for the third consecutive year will enable our offices to build and maintain their reputation as the UK’s Lettings Agency of choice.”
