Agencies & People
News covering the businesses, activities, people and personalities in estate agency and letting agency and wider residential property industry.
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“Sexist” Marsh & Parsons ad to be withdrawn after complaints to ASA, and Twitter backlash
What was supposed to be 'tongue in cheek' ad goes awry for LSL-owned London agent.
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Expanding Belvoir group gathers for conference and awards at stately home.
Business is clearly doing well at franchise operation Belvoir. The company has just held a very posh conference and awards bash at a stately home in Oxfordshire, with 32 gongs up for grabs and a new Mini for the raffle winner. All companies need a little team building activity and arguably, franchised businesses need it more than others as they know they are part of something big – 300 offices across the UK – but running their own business within the group. This event obviously made everyone feel very much part of a team, with a full day conference with a range of key note speakers, Dorian Gonsalves, COO, said, “this year our keynote speakers were simply outstanding. “The theme was ‘What If’ and we chose this because we wanted to give our franchisees innovative and inspirational advice that will help them to provide their clients with world-class levels of customer service, which will really take their businesses forward to the next level.” The 2017 Belvoir Conference was held at Heythrop Park in Oxfordshire (pictured, below), followed by a black tie champagne dinner. Comedian and author Gyles Brandreth (pictured, left), provided after dinner entertainment and also hosted the awards. “The evening…
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SVA Property Auctions first 2017 sale
SVA Property Auctions, Scotland’s independent auction service, will put 21 lots under the hammer on 1st March at the Edinburgh Marriott Hotel, coming from as far north as Sutherland to Peebles in the south.
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Cheffins to auction major estate
The estate of Keith Leonard, a well-known character in the Ely and Soham area, is coming to the market in the first time in three generations.
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Auction House Beds & Bucks’ new website
Auction House Beds & Bucks has launched its new eye-catching website at www.auctionhousebb. co.uk.
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Martyn Gerrard laments “overreaction” to ad that ASA wants taken down
An estate agency asked to remove a poster advert from an Underground Station in north London by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) following a complaint from the public has hit out against the decision. David Smith (pictured, below), who is Marketing and Compliance Director at 14-branch Martyn Gerrard, says that although in the “strict interpretation of the rules” the ASA code means the complainant is technically correct, he wonders is this is “really the sort of image they had in mind when they devised their rules? I very much doubt it”. “We were quite surprised to receive the letter from the ASA,” he told The Negotiator. “This particular advert was on an underground station platform and had been up for over a year.” The ASA rules say an advert can’t condone or encourage an unsafe practice or show anything that will result in physical, mental or moral harm. The ASA wrote via email to Martyn Gerrard on 10th March and in his reply to them David agreed to take the advert down, as we reported yesterday, but highlighted his disappointment with the request. He wondered if the complaint may have come from a “vexatious competitor agent” rather than a concerned…
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SDL launches in the North West
SDL Auctions, one of the UK’s largest auction networks, is to hold auctions at Bolton’s Macron Stadium with the first date set as Thursday 30th March.
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Auction House London partners with Countrywide A new partnership deal means that Auction House London will now sell all future auction properties listed by Countrywide in the capital.
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Excellent start for Emson
Clive Emson has sold land and property worth more than £13 million at its first sale of 2017.
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High profile agent withdraws London Underground ad after complaint
Sales and letting agent Martyn Gerrard has withdrawn a London Underground poster ad after a complaint from a member of the public. The ad, pictured below, which to some people might seem like a feel-good and innocent piece of advertising creative, featured two children – a boy at the top of a flight of stairs and a girl sliding down the stairs in a washing basket while wearing a cycling helmet and swimming goggles. The strapline for the advert was “oMG…that was a good move…Making your next big move more enjoyable”. The north London agent, which has 14 branches and was established in 1964, re-branded recently and has been advertising in the capital to support this with a series of ads featuring goggle-wearing children enjoying ‘good moves’ – including a girl clutching a toy rocket. But the latest one clearly didn’t amuse one member of the public. Complaint They complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) that the poster ad was likely to “condone or encourage children to copy an unsafe practice and whether the ad was also likely to be responsible”. “We contacted the advertiser about the concerns raised and they agreed to remove the ad from circulation,” an…
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