Countrywide has revealed that it has acquired 30 lettings businesses in the past year alone, expanding the firm’s rental sector headcount by 600 and increasing the firm’s footprint across the UK. 

Letting Agent Today has already reported that  programme in future, and last year’s include Property Links in Plymouth, the full service lettings agency JK Lettings in Cornwall, plus Wyse Lettings in Torquay.

HE Lettings and Ian Peat in Lincoln and the large portfolio of Woods Estate Agents in Bristol and North Somerset were also snapped up, as was Vanet Property Asset Management in Docklands and Canary Wharf, Letters of Distinction and Bulmers Letting in Yorkshire, QMH in Croydon, and JP & Brimelow Ltd in Didsbury, Witherington and Chorlton.

The largest acquisition of the past year is thought to have been John Francis, one of Wales’s largest property agent networks. 

Since 2007, Countrywide has acquired over 130 residential retail businesses throughout England and Scotland, including those handling sales and property management. 

“The businesses that we bought  in 2015 fit perfectly within our selective acquisitions retail strategy, which focuses on expanding our regional footprint across the UK. In 2014, Countrywide acquired 29 retail businesses and I am delighted that during 2015 we surpassed this challenging figure” says Countrywide’s Retail managing director Sam Tyrer.