Connells Group has acquired another letting agency – Touchstone Residential Lettings, which has nine offices in Kent, Buckinghamshire and the west country.

TRL’s 2,000 properties and 50 staff will continue until the Touchstone Residential Lettings brand at first but will be integrated into local Connells brands by the end of the year.

Connells Group has, on average, opened over three lettings branches per month since the beginning of 2012 and says its acquisition programme is “one of the expansion projects ever undertaken by a UK agent.”  

The group currently has 320 branches across the UK.

Matthew Hunt, TRL’s managing director, says Connells’ “clear focus on the development of a retail lettings business” will provide better opportunities for staff and customers. 

Meanwhile Touchstone is now set to continue its activities in the institutional investment market.