The Orchard & Shipman Group is launching what it calls a ‘hybrid’ lettings service which – in its words – “brings together the best of an online letting service with a superior, full property management service, backed by the firm’s local network.”

The new letting service, known as Orchard & Shipman Residential, is based on a hybrid business model designed after consultation with 3,000 landlords across the UK.

The new service provides landlords with three different options, including a fully managed service; rent collection; and a let-only service available through the firm’s branches and online, via a new website, www.os-residential.com. 

“Until now, landlords have had only two options. Either a traditional and expensive High Street letting agent, or cheap no frills let-only packages, offered by the plethora of online agents” claims Shane Spiers, chief executive officer of Orchard & Shipman Residential. 

The Orchard & Shipman Group has its headquarters in Slough with offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Brighton, but the new lettings service applies across the UK.

“We recognise the letting market is changing rapidly and that the days are numbered for most traditional high street letting agents. We are offering landlords a superior service, finding the right calibre of tenants and managing the whole letting process, from rent collection to property maintenance and inventories” says Spiers. 

“All this is backed by more economical pricing at 9.5 per cent of the let income and highly experienced local teams, who can deliver a range of property management services.”