BUILDING on the solid foundations of an established lettings agency in Northampton, it’s 10 years since the opportunity to expand into Daventry presented itself to Chelton Brown.
The acquisition of a Daventry business extended the offering of Chelton Brown and the past decade has seen the company consolidate that position with the ambition to become the leading agency in the town.
Now, in its anniversary year, the Daventry office has further expanded with the recent purchase of Property Rental Services (PRS) to make it the largest independent agency in the town.
Since those early days, Chelton Brown has added sales to its letting services and now provides a comprehensive service for tenants looking to rent and for landlords looking for new tenants, property management and help in identifying properties for sale to add to their portfolios.
Edward Chelton Brown, Manager of the Daventry branch, said: “We’ve grown steadily in Daventry over the past 10 years, creating a team of four full-time and three part-time staff, all of whom are ARLA qualified and know the area inside out, giving both tenants and landlords the best possible service.
“Living and working in the town means the team understands the area and how house prices are affected from one side of town to the other, not something online agents can necessarily say.
“Now Michelle Gyde has joined us from PRS, having worked in the town for the past 16 years, she brings a wealth of experience to the team. We’re excited about seeing the business expand in the town and taking Chelton Brown forward. The future looks bright.”
As its portfolio continues to expand, Chelton Brown is looking to grow further into the south of the county and towards Milton Keynes through any growth opportunities that present themselves.
Founded by Managing Director Sali Brown with offices in Northampton and Daventry, Chelton Brown has become one of the largest and best known lettings and sales agencies in the county.
Sali’s son, Edward Chelton Brown, is now a director of the company. He joined as a Saturday assistant when he was 15 and Sali is hopeful that he will one day replace her at the helm when she decides to step back.
“I’m very proud of the company and what we have achieved, and to think that Edward will one day be able to replace me when I decide to take a step back from the day-to-day running of the company is very reassuring,” said Sali.
“It’s very exciting for me that he has been able to work his way up in the company. He joined full time after he finished university with a first class degree in Business Management and Entrepreneurship and together we want to take the business forward.”
Chelton Brown’s service covers all aspects of residential property; from lettings and management to sales and buy-to-let investments.
The lettings division manages over 1,500 properties throughout the county, ranging from studio apartments to seven-bedroom listed mansions, and, in addition, has around 500 tenant-find only clients.
The firm is proud of its very high standards of quality and successfully caters to the needs of a very diverse clientele ranging from first time landlords to professional portfolio landlords and large landowners.
All members of staff are encouraged and sponsored to attain the Association of Residential Lettings Agents (ARLA) technical award.
ARLA Licensed letting agents have their accounts inspected regularly, carry professional indemnity insurance, are expected to understand and comply with legislative changes and best practice, undergo regular training and comply with the professional standards laid down by ARLA.
The technical award requires four to six months of dedication and consistent effort. The syllabus is considerably detailed and there are four units (exams) with a minimum passing grade of 70 per cent. The firm arranges study sessions for all candidates during work to allow them to prepare effectively.
Having been in the lettings industry for over 40 years, Chelton Brown possesses a wealth of experience, which is reflected in the systems, processes and policies by which it operates.
In addition, an in-depth understanding of the property industry means access to various vendors, applicants and investors, which gives the sales division considerable advantage and enables efficient sales negotiations, while a vast portfolio of managed properties allows the firm to offer some great buy-to-let opportunities to investors.
AWAY from the property world, Chelton Brown is keen to play a part in supporting as many good causes at it can, in terms of sponsorship and in practical help.
The firm sponsors the medals given to the riders completing the annual Cycle 4 Cynthia bike ride in aid of Cynthia Spencer Hospice and provides a team of volunteers each year to hand out the medals as the cyclists finish.
At the launch of this year’s event, which will take place at Althorp on Sunday, 23 September, it was announced that the fundraising total has now topped the £500,000 mark.
Chelton Brown will also be a headline sponsor of this year’s Strictly Northampton, which will take place on Saturday, 1 December at the Derngate, and will be sponsoring the Daventry Road Runners 10k Event on Sunday, 14 October.
Sali Brown said: “It’s important to us that we put something back into the county where we operate. We get great support from other local businesses, and we support them, particularly all the suppliers that we use for professional services and maintenance in relation to the properties we manage and their maintenance etc.
“Supporting good causes is so important and we all have a great deal of fun working with the charities who do so much to help those in need.”
Edward Chelton Brown: I am proud to be involved in my family’s company as a Director and excited about the future and where the firm is going. It has a very solid foundation, excellent staff and a loyal database of landlords who entrust us with their properties and we look forward to growing and developing in Northamptonshire, and possibly beyond, over the coming years.