Letting agency moves into Sevenoaks

Leaders, the independent letting chain, has settled in Sevenoaks, following the acquisition of Oaklets at 67 London Road.

Leaders was first established in Brighton 28 years ago by the co-founder of ARLA (Association of Residential Letting Agents) Neville Lee, and has expanded to cover towns and cities in Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and most recently South London, Kent and East Anglia. They now have 54 branches across the South.

Despite their growth, Leaders remain a family business - run by the founder's son-in-law, Paul Weller and Sevenoaks is being run by branch manager, Jill Hatch.

She said: "I have specialised in lettings in Sevenoaks for 15 years and the rental market here has always been buoyant, but in the last 12 months demand has risen higher than ever as more people turn to the private rented sector for their accommodation.

"Demand is currently very strong for good quality two bedroom houses and flats and small terraced houses within walking distance of Sevenoaks station. There is a general shortage of these and they are letting very quickly when they become available. We have a number of prospective tenants registered with us looking for good quality properties of this kind, many of whom are looking to rent for 12 months or more.

"We are also seeing interest in letting from people who have been unable to sell their home but need to move. For them, letting is often a good solution, allowing them to move now and sell later when the market improves. The idea of becoming a landlord can seem daunting but with the right advice and support it could be a very successful move, both in financial and practical terms.

"All in all, the lettings market looks very positive in Sevenoaks and this shows no signs of changing as we move into the autumn."