The UK’s No.1 letting agent has launched “Martin & Co Student Homes”. This new Student Homes brand has been created as part of the award winning agent’s strategy to offer its service in every sector of the UK residential lettings market.

 

“Student lettings are big business with nearly 1.5 million students requiring housing from the private rented sector each year [*1], but the service on offer to landlords, students and their parents is often very poor. Our plan is simple; we already have offices close to many campus sites and we have a strong web presence, and in student lettings this online presence is even more important,” commented Managing Director Ian Wilson.

 

If the step into the student market seems a logical and obvious one, why has it taken so long?

“Our strength has been that we focus exclusively on the residential lettings market. We are not a high street estate agent who also dabbles in lettings. Getting the offer right for student’s has taken a number of months of careful planning and investment in our business systems, including the training of many offices involved in this new brand and, our website.

 

The biggest investment has been made in the Martin & Co website. The whole site has been revamped and re-designed as part of a further £50,000 investment by Martin & Co’s head office. “We spent £50,000 on the site in 2009 and we are repeating that investment in 2010. A major addition is the dedicated Student Homes part of the site www.martinco.com/students , that allows students to search by university and campus – a feature that students said they would find convenient but which even the large property portals and specialist student lettings websites aren’t offering at the moment!”

 

“In the property industry having a market leading website is essential. We have worked with students to find out what they want from their letting agent. Our website is the highest ranked [82] of any UK lettings specialist and the student homes area allows us to reach out to a new audience. We’re asking landlords the question – “How hard is your current agent trying to reach student tenants?”

 

Wilson’s enthusiasm is understandable, the brand have really done their homework, no pun intended. If Martin & Co’s success in the residential sector is anything to go by then the student market is set for a real shake up!

 

Sources: