*Runners Up award for Martin & Co Sheffield - Press write-up*

Business partners Carl Doogan & Tony Deveney who together own and run the Sheffield North franchise of the UK’s leading specialist letting agent Martin & Co, have got plenty to celebrate this week after they were named winners of a top award at the compnay’s AGM.

Beating off stiff competition from across Martin & Co’s 130+ nationwide network, Carl & Tony were runners up in the category of Best Franchise Launch in recognition of the achievements in their first year of trading.

They were presented with the award by the company’s founder and chairman, Richard Martin, at a glittering award ceremony held at the luxury Bosworth Hall Hotel in Warwickshire.

Martin & Co Sheffield North first opened its doors for business in April 2007 – since which time it has enjoyed one of the best ever starts for a new office. In the first 8 months, Carl, Tony and their team were breaking records with in excess of 200 properties let – over 80% of them fully managed. And this success is continuing.

On receiving the award, a delighted Carl said: “This is a tribute to all the hard work that the entire Sheffield North team have put in over the past year, and an achievement everyone can be very proud of indeed. At heart, successful lettings is all about people, and this award proves that at Martin & Co in Sheffield we have some of the very best people in the business!”.

So, if you’re thinking of becoming a landlord, or you’re looking for a property to rent in Sheffield, your choice is an easy one. Come to Martin & Co, and you’ll be dealing with a successful business from day one.

Wednesday, 07 May 2008

*The recipe for success - Training and Experience*

Since first bursting onto the Sheffield housing scene less than a year ago, Martin & Co have firmly established themselves in the very forefront of the private rental sector in the city, with an unbeatable combination of local knowledge and expertise, coupled with the backing and support of the UK’s largest specialist lettings network. Business owners Carl Doogan and Tony Deveney opened their office in Hillsborough in April last year. Since then, their feet have hardly touched the ground, as they have presided over one of the most successful-ever launches of a Martin & Co franchise (of which there are more than 128 around the country). In just 10 months, they have let well in excess of 200 properties – over two thirds of them on a full management basis – and are already well on the way to establishing themselves as local market leaders. What is the secret of their phenomenal success? Carl is in no doubt. “In part, it’s down to our extensive first-hand knowledge and experience of the local lettings market. As landlords in the area ourselves, we know what people are really looking for in terms of quality service and support.” Then there is the great team of 6 full-time employees that he and Tony have put together; Property Manager Michelle Nesbit, who has over 5 years’ experience in both commercial and residential property management; Senior Property Consultant Aaron Brown, again over 5 years lettings and sales experience; Property Consultants Craig Humphreys and Kate lawley; Marketing consultant Gregg Dale who ensures every property gets the greatest exposure to potential tenants and is responsible for regular landlord feedback and Property Administrator Rob Agar who is responsible for all the referencing of tenants, ensuring the property is ready for move in’s and day to day administration of the office. Added to this are the business owners, Carl Doogan and Tony Deveney who have developed a substantial property portfolio of their own and have over 10 years senior executive management experience with a top FTSE 100 company. But on top of all that, Tony adds, is the incomparable level of expert training and support that only a powerful national company of the size and strength of Martin & Co can offer. “Martin & Co have full Investors In People accreditation – which means that they are 100% committed to ensuring that all their managers and staff are trained to the very highest professional standards,” he says. For landlords and tenants alike, the result is the same: friendly, efficient, expert service that’s really in a class of its own.

Sunday, 16 March 2008

Martinco.com – The Most Visited Lettings Website!

As part of an independent survey of 100 property websites published in a recent issue of the Estate Agency Times, it was revealed that Martin & Co, the national lettings and property management franchise, is the letting agent with the most visited website. In addition to being the top lettings and property management agent, the company’s website – www.martinco.com – also ranks as the eighth most visited site of all estate agents with 6.5 million hits per month!! Carl Doogan, Director of Martin & Co Sheffield, said: “With the internet becoming an ever more powerful tool in the search for rented accommodation, this survey makes interesting reading for any landlord wanting to know who to place their property with.” Tony Deveney, co-director at Martin & Co, added: “We take pride in offering a user-friendly, informative and highly-visual website, where prospective tenants can get a real feel for our properties before even leaving their homes.” As buy-to-let landlords themselves, and having worked with a number of agents across the UK, Carl and Tony set up the business with a mission to provide a truly professional, reliable and friendly service to the landlords and tenants of Sheffield. Since launching at the end of April they have taken Sheffield by storm offering a breath of fresh air to the lettings market; they have been instructed on a huge number of properties and have let a phenomenal amount of property, Carl added “We work extremely hard at letting a landlords property, we have let many properties within a matter of days that other agents have struggled to let for months. We are dedicated to lettings, not estate agents running a lettings business as a side line”.

Sunday, 16 March 2008

Standing up for standards

Martin & Co Sheffield North is an agent accredited by The National Approved Letting Scheme – a Government backed accreditation scheme which offers peace of mind to landlords and tenants through the knowledge that the agent they are dealing with offers clearly defined levels of customer service.

Sunday, 16 March 2008