Harrison Murray strengthens lettings team

Harrison Murray is reporting an increase in lettings across Leicestershire, particularly among people using rented accommodation as a stepping stone to buying property of their own.

Demands on the service – which has notched up a record level of lettings in recent months – have been so great, that extra staff have joined the Leicester-based team and the service restructured.

The lettings team of the independent estate agents and valuers says the range of properties is also growing daily, as is the number of landlords – which in turn is boosting the number of new tenants.

Harrison Murray group lettings manager David Thorpe said: “We’re finding that the lettings market is going from strength to strength – not only in Leicestershire, but also in neighbouring Northamptonshire where we are expanding the service.

“People move into rented accommodation for a variety of reasons. Financial constraints is one of the main reasons, with people using rented property as a stepping stone to buying their own home.

“We are delighted to say that some of those tenants then progress to our residential sales market or go on to buy the accommodation they are renting.”

He added: “In spring, many couples are thinking about setting up their first home together. With the current climate sometimes proving challenging when it comes to getting a mortgage, they are unable to step straight onto the house buying ladder and so opt for rented in the interim.

“The student market is also thriving, with a high level of foreign exchange students coming to study at Leicestershire’s numerous colleges.”

Harrison Murray is a member of the Association of Residential Lettings Agents (ARLA) and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).