Celebrating 10 Years of TLR today!
10 years today The Living Room Letting Agency in Cardiff was created! At milestones like this it causes time for reflection and an opportunity to say a big thank you to a lot of people.
So how did it all start?
As an investor myself I was working on a property while an agent was carrying out a viewing. Not only had they brought the wrong group size to the house but they also got the rent value wrong!
I thought there has got to be another way, Landlords have got to be able to leave their properties with people they trust. When I went to drop keys off to their office they wouldn't let me in as they thought I was a student and I felt like a second class citizen. Let's just say I didn't stay with them for long and it helped form some strong principles for The Living Room.
We opened The Living Room Cardiff in 2012 after waiting for over 8 months for the prestigious site on the corner of Cathays Terrace. With our mantra ‘We treat every property how we would want our homes to be treated’ and a lot of hard graft we began to grow and develop into who we are today.
It has been a ‘journey’ as they say, as we have continually pushed ourselves to think outside the box to ensure we are delivering the best service. We have seen 3 lettings software changes, huge advancements in our technology (from old fashioned window cards showcasing properties to video tours and online contract signing), multiple vehicles, office refurbishments, beloved staff moving on to pastures new, and a worldwide pandemic!
We could not have done any of this or had half as much fun without our amazing teammates over the years. We love it when they still pop in for a catch up and reminisce about old stories, such as tenants opening the door and standing in a foot of water, and finding a mystery poo in a bath on the first day of house inspection training… We really do see it all!
We always wanted to be the best, not the biggest, and we feel we have proved this over the years. We’re always proud to see the amount of new business that comes from word-of-mouth recommendations both at a landlord and student/tenant level. It really shows that we are doing something right here and that our business model is appreciated by all.
We are currently a strong team of 5 with Claire being with us for 9 years, Chris for 7 years, Polly for 5 years, Ollie having recently joined this year, and myself. With Chris joining me in leadership as a director in 2020.
A big thank you…
Firstly we want to say a huge thank you to our fantastic landlords, some of whom have been with us since the beginning. Your continued support and belief in the service we offer has been very moving.
Next to our amazing tenants who make us laugh and cry, who continue to stay with us as they progress from students to graduates to working professionals, and who keep us on our toes throughout their tenancies. It's a privilege to share the joy and excitement in finding people their new home.
And last but most certainly not least, to all the support from the contractors we have used over the years, helping us keep our managed properties looking top quality and maintained whenever something goes wrong. With a special mention to any who have taken our calls in the middle of the night! Our contractors are part of The Living Room’s DNA and we couldn't have done it without you.
We can honestly say that we love what we do and that is mainly down to the amazing people we get to work with. We can't wait for the next exciting 10 years ahead with you all!
