PropTech company growing thanks to "brilliant" range of support

A forward-thinking micro business is expanding its premises and workforce after receiving "brilliant" support from Warwickshire County Council and the Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub.

Henley-in-Arden-based LettingaProperty.com was formed in 2008 by Jonathan Daines when he spotted a gap in the market to exclusively service private landlords using a digital platform.

Jonathan, who was soon joined in the business by brother Matthew, was way ahead of the game. Ten years on the PropTech sector is a growing industry and, LettingaProperty.com, armed with knowledge and an established client-base which others are only now trying to assemble, are leading the way.

The problem was they had literally outgrown their quaint, cottage-type office. If they didn't move, they couldn't grow.

But that problem is solved after Jon Bass at the Growth Hub referred the brothers to the county council’s business and inward investment team. Now the business will soon occupy larger premises, still in Henley, and increase its workforce to ten, including eight full-
time.

"We were confident in our business and knew we had a proven model," said Jonathan. "We spotted how the letting process was evolving. A few years ago, to book a holiday you had to go to a high street travel agency but now most people do it online - it can be exactly the same for finding tenants for landlords.

"The business has gone really well with more than 7,500 properties let but to expand our operation we needed more space. Jon was great and directed us to Steph Williams and Jagdish Soor at the county council and they seemed to produce the perfect property out of nowhere.

"We don't know how they did it but as soon as we saw it, just down the road, we knew it was ideal. Within a week we had agreed terms and a small business grant from the council will help us equip the new premises to not only be more comfortable but also look so much more professional.

"The grant also enabled us to increase our workforce and here too we received invaluable advice from the county council. Their business skills advisor Fay Winterburn helped us tailor our job adverts to attract exactly the right talent, one of whom we have already appointed.

"Fay gave us loads of good advice and was very impressive. We thought about offering her a job but apparently she's happy with the one she's got!"

Jonathan and Matthew were also put in touch with Tech Central, a Warwickshire-based cluster formed to support creative and tech industries to collaborate and share ideas.

"We can't thank the county council and Growth Hub enough," said Matthew. "Running a PropTech start-up has its pressures and challenges, but we have felt supported every step of the way. The whole suite of services from the council has been brilliant."

• The Access to Finance advice for the company was delivered as part of the Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support
  Programme, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and Warwickshire County Council
• To find out more about the range of support available to grow your business, please contact the Growth Hub on 0300 060
  3747.