The man who led the sale of prominent lettings agency Finders Keepers to Countrywide has landed a new role as group managing director at Haslams Group.

Dan Channer spent 10 years at the Oxford-based Finders Keepers, overseeing the refurbishment of the business which twice won the Sunday Times Letting Agent of the Year award. The firm also won the Negotiator magazine’s Employer of the Year award and was given a National Training Award. 

Channer has also been a mentor at Cranfield School of Management and a contributor to trade publications on issues ranging from the importance of the brand in agency, to the need to decarbonise the private rental sector.

His new role is as group managing director at Haslams Group, which also includes the Michael Hardys brand. Haslams describes itself as “the leading agent for lettings, Build To Rent, residential and new homes in the Greater Reading area.” 

Channer says: “The Haslams Group is similar to what Finders Keepers was – held in huge respect, superb levels of talent and an entrepreneurial owner who has raised the bar in professionalism and innovation. I look forward to growing Haslams Estate Agents and Michael Hardys and nurturing what is the best agency environment to work in the market.”

Haslams Group was established 185 years ago and operates from Newbury through to Slough. It says that today, while it invests in marketing and PropTech, its core foundations are built upon providing a positive and progressive working environment.

“Dan has an impressive track record of growing businesses founded upon those same core principles and so the business is in safe hands as it moves forward” explains executive chairman Steve Woodford.

It was in March 2016 that Countrywide took over Finders Keepers, which at the time was 44 years old and had 100-plus staff and eight offices. 

Prior to Countrywide’s involvement it had over 2,400 properties on its books including those occupied by a substantial number of students, high-end academic and corporate tenants, and unusual renters including overseas racing drivers relocating to the UK to be near Silverstone. The agency was also unusual in having annual events for its landlords, ranging from social occasions and outings to seminars looking at residential issues.