Balancing Tradition with Innovation: How Sheldon Bosley Knight Lettings Leads in Modern Lettings

At flatfair we believe that great renting blends respect for local heritage with smarter, fairer technology. That’s why our partnership with the Sheldon Bosley Knight Lettings (SBK) feels like a perfect fit. SBK Lettings brings nearly two centuries of local expertise and community trust founded in 1843 and still very much rooted in town-centre service. They’re combining that heritage with bold, modern solutions to benefit both landlords and tenants.

In January 2025, SBK Lettings announced that landlords from multiple acquisitions that are now integrated into the SBK Lettings portfolio, will be offering flatfair’s “No Deposit” product across their UK branches. By doing so they are bringing real innovation into a market still dominated by traditional cash deposits. In fact, over 80% of our landlords are offering No Deposit to tenants as a choice.  

What makes SBK Lettings a leader in modern lettings is their people-first approach: letting directors and local teams actively exploring new tools, discussing policy and best practice with partners (see their podcast with us) — and then bringing those insights into their branches. This combination of deep local knowledge + smart new tech is exactly how the private rented sector should evolve. Today, with reported rents forecast to rise (5 % outside London, 3 % in London) the pressure is on to reduce upfront costs for tenants and risk for landlords alike.

Together we’re demonstrating that digital deposit alternatives don’t replace service - they amplify it. By combining SBK Lettings local market knowledge and customer focus with flatfair’s technology platform, we’re helping make renting fairer, faster and more resilient for communities across the UK.

If you’re a landlord or tenant looking to see how this works in practice, feel free to reach out.