Which Plymouth firm has been named best in UK?
Which Plymouth firm has been named best in UK?
By WILLIAM TELFORD, Business Editor, @WTelfordHerald
WINNERS: Staff at Clever Student Lets in Plymouth
Plymouth’s Clever Student Lets has been named the UK’s best student lettings agency.
The North Hill headquartered firm triumphed in the student accommodation category at the national Lettings Agency of the Year Awards, in London.
This time it went one better, with Henry Hutchins, CSL chief executive, receiving the gold award from England’s rugby world cup winning coach Sir Clive Woodward.
“I’m thrilled and humbled that CSL has won against fierce competition from other companies across the UK.”
The ceremony was at the plush Lancaster London Hotel, compered by TV presenter Penny Smith (below).
Mr Hutchins added: “Every year the judging gets tougher and the competition gets keener.
“So to win gold in such a highly competitive category – judged by a panel of highly-respected industry experts and overseen by the Property Ombudsman – is amazing.”
The Lettings Agency of the Year Awards is run in association with the Sunday Times and The Times and sponsored by property website Zoopla.
Thousands of UK businesses entered the awards, where a panel of experts assessed initial submissions, before conducting an extensive review of the entrants, with telephone interviews and mystery shopping exercises.
Judges described CSL as “a fantastic business which is doing great things for students”.
In 2016, CSL Expanded into rooms in the Sherwell Church (above), the only building on Plymouth University’s campus not owned by the seat of learning.
CSL is renting the space but spent £30,000 to revamp and redecorate four offices and created a staff kitchen.
CSL has also created a Chinese designated website that is drawing new business opportunities in the Far East.
After winning the award Mr Hutchins thanked Plymouth PR firm Dorcas Media for helping his company with its media relations.
Kevin Kelway, director of Dorcas Media, was delighted at CSL’s success and said: “Winning gold was well-deserved for the company, team, and especially all its partners across the city and region.”
(Publicity generated by Dorcas Media)