flatfair is delighted to announce our new partnership with Sowerbys, a leading independent Norfolk estate agent. With eight offices in Norwich, Burnham Market, Holt, Dereham, King’s Lynn, Hunstanton, Wells-next-the Sea and Watton, Sowerbys will now be offering the many benefits of deposit-free renting to tenants and landlords across the county. flatfair’s growth continues across the UK!
Sowerbys’ fully bespoke Lettings & Property Management Team takes care of a wide range of properties, from one bedroomed studios overlooking the sea to large country estates. Through their partnership with flatfair, Sowerby’s landlords and tenants can now enjoy a simple, safe and affordable alternative to tenancy deposits.
flatfair advantages for tenants
Private tenants now make up more than 21% of British households (due to rise to 24% by 2021) and the average deposit has soared to £1,254 (and £2,128 in London!) These are fairly hefty figures for the average person looking to rent, so it’s no wonder that hundreds of thousands of 18 to 34-year-olds believe that renting a house and saving for a deposit is “impossible”.
At flatfair, we aim to change all that by providing a zero deposit scheme to tenants. Instead of paying the large upfront expense of a deposit, flatfair tenants simply pay a one-off membership fee of just one week’s rent + VAT (split evenly across the household), and not a penny more. Of course, accidents happen, but tenants don’t have to worry about covering the cost of any damages until the end of their tenancy.
This ‘pay as you leave’ policy is fairer and much more transparent, because tenants can see exactly what they’re being charged for and why.
Landlords benefit too
At the same time, flatfair helps landlords out too. Between January and April 2018, 35% of UK landlords experienced a void period – 2% more than the three months before. This can be alarming and costly to landlords, but with flatfair’s faster payouts and double protection (‘double’ as in twice the amount offered by a six-week deposit) landlords can enjoy peace of mind and swifter lettings.
As Ed Tyman, Sowerbys’ Group Lettings Manager, explained: “It’s clear the current deposit system needed a fresh approach and aligning with developing tenant and landlord expectations. The private rental sector continues to grow and evolve rapidly and the need for innovative technology based solutions to streamline the customer experience has never been greater.
After a lot of research it quickly became clear that flatfair provided key benefits for both landlords, tenants and agents alike, not often seen or achieved in the industry. Our landlords now have access to a range of benefits including twelve weeks protection rather than the traditional, soon to be capped six weeks.
At Sowerbys we also recognise that moving can be a financially stressful time for tenants. Flatfair provides choice, transparency, quicker resolution and cash flow; we are delighted to be able to support renters across Norfolk, whilst providing our landlords with even more piece of mind”.
Could you be next?
We’re thrilled that established independent agencies like Sowerbys are embracing innovation in the lettings space. Daniel Jeczmien, founder of flatfair, says:
“It’s great to be working in partnership with Sowerbys. They’re a popular and trusted estate agent and they have an outstanding reputation with their customers. Hopefully we can help them strengthen those relationships even further.”
If you’re interested in renting a property through Sowerbys, take a look at their website https://www.sowerbys.com. Equally, if you’d like to find out more about how flatfair works, or how we could partner with your agency to bring a deposit-free alternative to your tenants and landlords, do get in touch at support@flatfair.co.uk or visit our website www.flatfair.co.uk
On the news:
https://www.edp24.co.uk/edp-property/sowerbys-launches-new-deposit-free-tenancy-scheme-1-5559365
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