Less than two months since its first agency acquisition spanning several UK regions, the Lomond Group has bolstered its national rental portfolio by almost 600 properties following its purchase of the Leeds-based, buy-to-let specialists ERE Lettings.

The management of the properties, as well as the team, is being shared between three of the group’s long-established High Street brands, Linley & Simpson, John Shepherd and Thornley Groves.

ERE Lettings was part of ERE Property, an investment company with offices in Leeds and Hong Kong which specialises in sourcing buy-to-let properties in high-growth areas in the UK. As part of the deal, ERE Propexty will link up with the Lomond Group and place its future pipeline of properties under the management of its nationwide network of letting agencies.

Will Linley, Managing Director of the Lomond Group, said: “We are thrilled with the location and the quality of the properties we now manage. We are also excited by the prospect of more to come, as ERE Property strengthens its presence in Hong Kong and now Dubai to meet the growing needs of overseas investors with an appetite for UK rental property.”

Through its fast-expanding Thornley Groves brand, it has also bought Matthews of Chester – equipping it with a dedicated presence in the historic Cathedral city for the first time. The deal sees Matthews’ rental portfolio of 380 properties, a growing residential sales arm, plus a team of more than 12 people, all transfer to Thornley Groves.

CEO, Jason Watkin, said: “We are thrilled to gain such a strong foothold in this thriving city.”