Online agency recruits former Purplebricks director and LPE

An online letting agency which launched last month has announced the recruitment of two former Purplebricks staff.

Michael Booth, the hybrid agency's former academy director and Julie Findlater, the first Purplebricks lettings territory owners in Scotland, have joined Accommodation.co.uk.

Booth has been recruited to help recruit and train licensed business partners - known as Local Lettings Consultants and reminiscent of Local Property Experts - while Findlater will operate as a property manager.

The former Purplebricks director will lead the agency's recruitment drive alongside Clive Tomlinson, a former Belvoir business development manager.

"Well-known lettings agencies have focused too much on being online, neglecting to remember that what landlords and Generation Rent really want is efficiency, customer service and a high level of professionalism," says Booth.

"The unique service created by Accommodation.co.uk breathes life back into the rental market, and I firmly believe that we will ease the traditional burdens that other estate and lettings agencies have placed on their franchisees, landlords and subsequently, tenants."

The new agency has signed up several other recruits, Baktash Noori, formerly of Notamvis, as product owner and Matthew Pickup as marketing manager.

"We’ve steadily built a backend team based on the best talent, and now that we’ve launched it’s crucial that we continue to make the very best hires," says Aaron Short, Accommodation.co.uk's co-founder.

The national agency, which is headquartered in Manchester, is currently offering an early bird adopter packge with no startup fee. The cost will rise to £5,000 in 2020.  

Franchisees will get access to head office support from the agency's HQ as well as the opportunity to use its digital platform.

The platform allows tenants to find properties and arrange viewings, make offers and complete referencing in 10 minutes.

Successful tenants will be able to sign the tenancy agreement and make a deposit payment. After move in, tenants can access a dashboard where they can report maintenance problems and communicate with their landlord.

Landlords can opt for full property management or a let-only option.

Accommodation.co.uk's co-founders are property investor John Lomas, 58, and two former students of Lincoln University, Short, 24, and Matthew Meekins, 23.

The firm says it is aiming to create 50 new jobs in the next three years.