TheNews EXCLUSIVE


Bushells to allow clients to set fees


B


ushells is to allow clients to decide how much they pay for the sale or let of their property, as part of a new marketing strategy for the launch of its


new Docklands office later this month. Clients will be able to decide on the level of


fee they pay the South London agent, based on the level of service they receive. Bushells’ managing director, Eric Walker,


says, “The client decides how much they think we’re worth. It can’t be less than nothing, which is the alternative with a 0 per cent strategy.” He adds, “I wanted something a little bit


different. The idea is I don’t want to copy Foxtons’ 0 per cent strategy, and I want people to talk.” The strategy will apply to sales and lettings only. As The Negotiator revealed last month,


Bushells is to open a Docklands office on Wapping High Street, staffed with a manager, two negotiators and an administrator. It boosts the firm’s office network to eight premises, spanning Acton, Clapham, Battersea and Hammersmith and Fulham.


RECRUITMENT Fine to launch recruitment drive to double network size


Chris Charlton


Upmarket agency brand, Fine, is to launch a major recruitment drive as part of its three-year growth plan designed to


double its number of offices across the country. The search is on for both


local and regional staff across


the network of 20 branches, which managing director, Chris Charlton (pictured), plans to double to 40 by 2015. Business acquisitions in a


number of locations around the country are also in the plan. Charlton says, “Fine has


enjoyed an extremely successful 2011, making considerable strides in terms of growth and market penetration, in spite of the tough market conditions.


“It is forecasting an equally


successfully 2012 with a strong pipeline of new instructions and anticipated high business levels. “To help facilitate this growth,


we are planning to appoint staff at all levels to not only support the work within our existing branches but those Fine branches that are likely to come online in the wake of our proposed acquisitions.”


BANKS Santander reports increased support for SMEs


Santander UK has revealed a 25 per cent year-on-year increase in Small and Medium Enterprise lending as part of its full year results for 2011. The UK arm of Spanish banking giant Banco Santander attributes the surge to the


6 l March 2012 l TheNegotiator


relaunch of its Business Banking proposition, for which it has earmarked a £200m 'Breakthrough' programme for fast-growth small businesses. However, the bank's prime


focus remains mortgage lending, with home loans representing 85


per cent of the UK arm's customer loans in 2011.


The bank plans to continue


growing its business banking proposition in 2012, with a shift of focus to customers rather than products. It believes a £490m investment in its IT platform,


together with the acquisition of Royal Bank of Scotland's retail and corporate banking businesses, will help achieve these goals. Overall, the group reported a 35 per cent slump in net profit for 2011 to E5.35bn (£4.43bn).


www.the-negotiator.co.uk


Ian McKenzie


EXCLUSIVE Countrywide appoints MD for the Solent


Countrywide has appointed Iain McKenzie as managing director of its Estate Agency business in the Solent region. McKenzie


(pictured) joins from Enfields, where he was a partner after selling his own agency in Winchester. He has 23 years’ experience in the property industry, having begun his career at Countrywide subsidiary, Miller Countrywide in Devon. In his new role, McKenzie


will manage 44 offices across the South Coast of England, which operate under four brands – Morris Dibben, Austin & Wyatt, Mann Countrywide and Watson Bull & Porter on the Isle of Wight. Robert Scarff, managing


director of Countrywide Estate Agents says, “We’re delighted to have Iain on board to grow our existing presence and customer base in the South, a key region we have identified in our growth plans. “Iain has substantial


experience in the residential estate agency business and a great deal of success in letting and financial services too which is central to our all-round property services proposition. His broad experience will be a huge asset to the team.”


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