Peter James Court, Astonfields Road, Stafford

Castle Estates (Staffordshire) Ltd commenced trading from shared offices in the first quarter of 2000. We moved to Marston Rd in 2002 and we moved again in 2007 to larger premises close to our original offices in Marston Road.

Our numbers have continued to swell year upon year and now we employ many more full time staff with more planned during the next financial year.

We are very proud of the growth we have achieved and we believe that this growth vindicates the manner and philosophy with which we approach the Residential Lettings Market.

We have managed to diversify in too other markets having developed a large Block Management Division, which cares for many local sites and is now being employed by major National Builders and develop working and professional relationships with many local companies. This includes Major Employers and Professional trades linked to the Housing Market, such as Solicitors, Estate Agents and Insurance companies.

Through our contacts, we are also developing a specialty service for large accommodation blocks where a residential Warden is provided as part of the overall requirement.

We continue to benefit from a Franchise organization, which believes in employing the best people within their field of expertise, ensuring that we are always in a position to offer the best advice on a whole range of questions and subjects involved in this ever developing market of ours. We are also proud to confirm that our office in Stafford is now used as a training ground for new Franchisees as they commence work.

It is because of this that we describe Castle Estates as the 'National Company with the Local Office' a phrase that rings true so many times, as we continue to develop personal relationships with our customers, but in the knowledge that our information comes from a company operating at the forefront of the industry.

Residential Lettings, and all associated areas of operation, are becoming more and more professional in outlook. With increased legislation bringing changes sometimes almost monthly! We welcome this and indeed embrace the changes that legislation is introducing.

Castle Estates (Staffordshire) is a residential letting agent based in the county town of Stafford.

At Stafford, we operate in several areas of Property Management, from our core business of Rental Property Management, to Leasehold Block Management and now Managing large Accommodation blocks which includes a service for one of the largest Employers in Staffordshire.

Our business involves us with multi-owner Landlords, Corporate Landlords and Individual owner Landlords, for whom we endeavour to offer a tailored service to meet individual needs and requirements. It is not our way to put customers in to slots; rather we listen to where the customers would wish to be.

The experience gathered over the last eight years has put us in to a position where we have become a major part of the Letting Industry in Stafford. During this period we have enjoyed success as the First ever winners of the Castle Estates Franchise of the year in 2004 and now our offices and staff assist in the training of new Franchisees as they start their practical work, on behalf of our umbrella organization.

Being part of a Franchise, continues to ensure that we are at the forefront of what has become a Highly Professional Industry as the changes bought about by The 2002 Commonhold and Leasehold reform act and the 2004 Housing Act continue to come in to effect. As a member company of ARLA (Association of Residential Letting Agents) we support the changes introduced by this legislation, with, as we their housing stock and of course, many private Landlords with portfolios from one Home to many Homes.

This housing has ranged from One bed Flats, to Country Houses, with many floors and bedrooms, all of which demand good management in their own right. We have developed a specialty in finding homes for people re-locating to the area and managing property for those re-locating from the area. Indeed we are pleased to report that we have achieved great success and have developed a reputation for successfully renting and Managing the larger more expensive homes. Our excellent knowledge of the industry, trained staff and excellent web-site have all played a major part in this success, but of course such services are available for all property, whatever the size, rented through Castle Estates.

We have been involved with well over 1000 properties, in both Individual management and Block Management. Our active property list currently stands at over 300 homes, with over 700 homes covered by our Block Management Division, spread over sixteen sites in Staffordshire.

We are confident that we can continue to offer a fully Professional and Competent service to all property owners and Management company Directors. It is our intention to become, or continue to be, the major company in Property Management in our area. If you wish to know about this Industry, we believe you should talk to us. We continue to plan for growth and continue to reach our long term goals.

We will not sit on our laurels and we know that our customers would expect nothing less of us. This is why we shall continue to look and listen at all elements of the market. We continue to assist people finding that investment property, ensuring it is viewed with a professional eye, before it is purchased.

We do not involve ourselves with Selling property, as we firmly believe that this is a clash of interest for the advice looked for by investment Landlords. By concentrating on Residential Lettings, we have committed ourselves to continue to learn about our own industry, by ensuring that we continue to seek and attend the best training possible, through our own Franchise organization as well as our professional body ARLA, to the best of our abilities. We will ensure that we continue to listen to our customer requirements and wherever possible adapt ourselves to meet those requirements. But above all, we will remain professional in our approach and always ensure that we continue to accept and act upon our duty of responsibility to our Landlords.