CFP - Proud to be one of the sponsors of this year's Lettings Agency of the Year Awards

CFP Software, the leading lettings software provider, was very proud to be one of the sponsors of the Times/Sunday Times Lettings Agency of the Year Awards, which were held at the Lancaster London Hotel, near Hyde Park, as part of Lettings Live 2011.

The day really got started once Lettings Live got underway, with Peter Knight’s delivery of The Property Academy’s recent survey of around 1500 landlords. This gave a truly fascinating insight into the market, revealing:

• Two thirds of landlords are ‘reluctant’ landlords. i.e. they did not set out to have a rental portfolio or an investment property and just ended up as a landlord due to market and/or personal factors

• Two thirds of landlords have had their rental property or properties for five years or more

• On average landlords live 40 miles or more away from their rental property or properties

• 99% of landlords will use a lettings agent to find a tenant (good news for our customers)

• Only 25% of landlords will use a lettings agent to manage their property once it is let (even though many landlords live over 40 miles away!)

• Landlords like to stick with the lettings agent they know and the tenant they know, in fact a rent increase of 20% would not tempt 12% of landlords into changing tenants!

• 70% of Landlords like to visit the letting agent’s office prior to instructing so High Street location is paramount

• 43% of landlords will only have a rental valuation from one agent

• Trust is much more important issue than lettings fees

• 75% of landlords think their lettings agent is good enough to recommend them to other landlords.

Other great insights came from Zoopla’s Commercial Director, Nick Leeming, MoneyPenny’s Rachel Clacher and Ben Harris delivered his ‘Top 20 Ideas’ on how to improve a lettings business before Dame Kelly Holmes took to the stage as the final speaker of the day.

The awards took place following the morning Lettings Live seminars, a drinks reception, exhibition and a gala lunch. Congratulations to all the following CFP customers who won awards!

• Best Small Lettings Agency of the Year (Gold) – Scott Fraser

• Best Single Lettings Agency of the Year (Gold) – W A Ellis

• Outstanding Contribution to Lettings – Lucy Morton, W A Ellis

• Best Small Lettings Agency of the Year, Central (Gold) – Scott Fraser

• Best Single Lettings Office of the Year, Central (Silver) – Homefinders

• Best Single Lettings Office of the Year, Central (Shortlisted) – Maxine Lester

• Best Medium Lettings Agency of the Year, London (Gold) – Marsh & Parsons

• Best Single Lettings Office of the Year, London (Gold) – W A Ellis

• Best Small Lettings Agency of the Year, Midlands (Gold) – Martin & Co

• Best Small Lettings Agency of the Year, Midlands (Shortlisted) – Nock Deighton

• Best Medium Lettings Agency of the Year, Northern (Silver) – Jordan Fishwick
• Best Small Lettings Agency of the Year, Northern (Gold) – Sarah Mains

• Best Single Lettings Office of the Year, Northern (Gold) – Sheffield Residential

• Best Single Lettings Office of the Year, Northern (Silver) – Karl Tatler

• Best Small Lettings Agency of the Year, Scotland (Gold) – Rettie & Co

• Best Small Lettings Agency of the Year, South East (Silver) – Fitz-Gibbon

• Best Small Lettings Agency of the Year, South East (Shortlisted) – Aston Mead

• Best Small Lettings Agency of the Year, South East (Shortlisted) – Streets Ahead

• Best Small Lettings Agency of the Year, Wales (Gold) – Cavendish Rentals

• Best Single Lettings Office of the Year, Wales (Gold) – Williams & Goodwin Property People

• Specialist Winners – Block Management (Gold) – The Ringley Group

• Specialist Winners – Block Management (Shortlisted) – Nock Deighton

• Specialist Winners – Customer Service (Silver) – W A Ellis

• Specialist Winners – Customer Service (Bronze) – Streets Ahead

• Specialist Winners – Franchise (Silver) – Belvoir

• Specialist Winners – Luxury (Gold) – W A Ellis

• Specialist Winners – Marketing (Bronze) – Streets Ahead

• Specialist Winners – Newcomer (Gold) – Winchester White

• Specialist Winners – Property Management (Silver) – W A Ellis

• Specialist Winners – Student (Shortlisted) – North Oxford Property Services

• Specialist Winners – Technology & Online (Gold) – Scott Fraser

• Specialist Winners – Training & Development (Bronze) – Streets Ahead