Connells Limited,[1] trading as Connells Group,[2] is a British estate agency[3] and property services company headquartered in Leighton Buzzard, and a subsidiary of Skipton Building Society.
 | |
| Company type | Limited company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Real estate |
| Founded | 1936 (Luton) |
| Headquarters | Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire |
Key people | Richard Twigg (Interim Chief Executive) |
| Parent | Skipton Building Society |
| Website | connellsgroup |
History
editIn 1936 the first Connells estate agency branch was opened in Luton, Bedfordshire.[4]
Connells acquired Sequence estate agency in 2003',[5] increasing its estate agency network to around 500 branches. In the same year, Connells acquired estate agency Sharman Quinney.[6]
In 2008 Connells Group sold its remaining 18% stake in Rightmove plc.[7]
In 2010 Skipton Building Society acquired nearly 100% of Connells Group. In the same year, Connells Group acquired a major shareholding in Vibrant Energy Matters.[8]
In 2011 Connells Group acquired a shareholding in the conveyancing and remortgaging panel management services provider LMS Group.[9] In the same year, Connells acquired independent estate agency Burchell Edwards including conveyancing firm Be Legal.[10]
In 2012 Connells acquired a 25% strategic stake in residential property fund manager, Hearthstone Investments plc.[11]
In 2014 Connells Group acquired the Peter Alan chain, which operates in south Wales, from the Principality Building Society for £16.4m.[12]
In 2015 Connells group acquired the Liverpool business of Farrell Heyworth an independent Estate Agent, based in the North West of England.[13]
In 2015 Connells Group acquired Gascoigne Halman estate agency, based in the North West of England.[14]
In 2015 Connells Group acquired Gilbert & Thomas, based in Rutland.[15]
In 2016 Connells Group acquired Rook Matthews Sayer estate agency, based in Newcastle upon Tyne.[16]
In 2016 Connells Group acquired Paul Dubberley, based in the West Midlands.[17]
In 2016 Connells Group acquired Touchstone Residential, operating in Kent, Buckinghamshire and the west country.[18]
In 2021, the group purchased Countrywide, with branches across the UK.[19]
Criticism
editConnells Estate Agents have faced criticism on a number occasions of hard selling and pressuring clients to use the groups in-house mortgage services using tactics such as not allowing viewings or to place offers on properties before signing up to the in-house service.[20][21][22][23][24][25]
In February 2016 Connells appeared on a list of 92 companies which had in at least one instance been found to have failed to pay the minimum wage to employees.[26] In April 2018 Connells Survey and Valuation business was named in the top 10 of UK companies with the highest gender pay gap.[27]
References
edit- ^ "CONNELLS LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
- ^ "CONNELLS GROUP LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
- ^ "CONNELLS ESTATE AGENTS LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
- ^ "Celebrating 80 years in estate agency!". The Negotiator. 16 April 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ^ "Connells buys Sequence – Mortgage Strategy". 22 October 2003. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
- ^ "PROPERTY: Major stakehold sold to Connells". peterboroughtoday.co.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
- ^ "Bombshell as Connells sells Rightmove holding..." Estate Agent Today. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
- ^ "Connells snap up national energy assessor firm..." Estate Agent Today. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
- ^ "LMS strengthened by acquisition by leading estate agents – Today's Conveyancer". 17 July 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
- ^ "Connells snaps up 16-branch independent chain..." Estate Agent Today. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
- ^ "Connells acquires stake in buy-to-let investment fund..." Letting Agent Today. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
- ^ "Connells snaps up Peter Alan agency for £16.4m". 31 July 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
- ^ "Connells firm Sequence snaps up major city business". 20 May 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
- ^ Ltd, Insider Media. "Connells acquires Gascoigne Halman". Retrieved 27 July 2016.
- ^ Renshaw, Rosalind (1 December 2015). "Connells' firm Sharman Quinney snaps up independent agent". Property Industry Eye.
- ^ "Rook Matthews Sayer acquired by Connells Group | UNW". www.unw.co.uk. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
- ^ "Connells acquires Paul Dubberley". The Negotiator. 18 May 2016.
- ^ Norwood, Graham (9 May 2016). "Another lettings acquisition for fast-growing Connells Group". Letting Agent Today.
- ^ Lewis, Nigel (8 March 2021). "Connells purchase of Countrywide officially completes". The Negotiator. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ Renshaw, Rosalind (13 March 2017). "Connells accused of hard-sell tactics to get buyers to use mortgage services". Property Industry Eye.
- ^ "Connells under fire for 'strong arm' mortgage tactics..." Estate Agent Today.
- ^ "Consumers pressured to use in-house mortgage staff by estate agents". 20 March 2018.
- ^ Willis, Amy (10 March 2017). "The great mortgage fix: How estate agents are tricking buyers into spending more".
- ^ Renshaw, Rosalind (15 June 2015). "Pair claim they lost chance to buy home after refusing mortgage service". Property Industry Eye.
- ^ "Dodgy estate agency practices put under spotlight in ..." Estate Agent Today.
- ^ Jones, Alan; Rampen, Julia (5 February 2016). "Is your boss on the list? 92 employers named for denying workers minimum wage". mirror.
- ^ "The worst gender pay gap offenders in each sector have been revealed". The Independent. 9 April 2018.