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The UK's leading estate agency franchise
 
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frequently asked questions

Q. Who are Bairstow Eves offering franchises to?
A.

Estate agency and lettings franchises are being offered to:
1. Investors and business people (with or without estate agency and lettings experience) who are interested in developing a start-up business and who are willing to recruit experienced estate and lettings agents to work with them.
2. Commercially minded entrepreneurs looking for a new business opportunity.
3. Estate and lettings agents with established businesses who are seeking a highly competitive advantage.
4. Experienced estate and lettings agents employees who are interested in starting up their own business.

Q. Will I be running my own estate agency & lettings business?
A.

Yes, as an independent owner and operator under the Bairstow Eves brand, you will have freedom to run and develop your own branch of Bairstow Eves, based on the systems, standards and procedures that have made us so successful to date.

With these solid foundations in place, your own flair, entrepreneurial skills, energy and commitment can be used to reap the full benefit of the franchise opportunity. How this works in practice will be made clear to you under a Confidentiality Agreement that will be provided before you contract to take a franchise.

Q. What are the selection criteria for franchisees?
A.

Bairstow Eves Franchising is looking to recruit estate & lettings agents and/or experienced business people with a good local reputation and a professional yet entrepreneurial approach to become franchisees. Whether you are already running an established business or looking for an exciting start-up opportunity, you should be ambitious and energetic with pride and commitment to service quality.

You will also believe in value for money through excellence in service, will be sales focused, attentive to detail and well organised; you will believe in supporting good people with good branch systems. You will have flair and an eye for quality of presentation, will be open minded and innovative, appreciative of the need to develop, reward and retain the loyalty of staff, focused on good practice as a means of building business levels and, above all, you will be ambitious to grow market share.

Q. What exactly is a franchise?
A.

A franchise is the licence to use a business system and its brand identity - its operating procedures, marketing methods, sales techniques, advertising, training programmes, support framework and the numerous elements which form an integral part of what sets a particular business system and brand apart from its competitors.

The franchisee's own flair, entrepreneurial skill, energy and commitment are then applied to reap the full benefit of the franchise.

Q. Is Bairstow Eves Franchising a member of the British Franchise Association (the bfa)?
A.

Bairstow Eves Franchising as part of Countrywide Franchising Limited is a full member of the British Franchise Association (bfa)and has been since 2004.

The bfa promotes 'ethical franchising' and full memebership means that Countrywide Franchising Limited is established and has:-

-met the BFA's four key criteria of viability, franchisability, ethical and disclosure.

-committed to abide by the Code of Practice.

- a proven trading and franchising record.

Q. Is membership of the Property Ombudsman (Estate Agents & Lettings) mandatory?
A.

Bairstow Eves franchisees are required to join and comply with the Property Ombudsman scheme for both estate agency and lettings.

By dealing with a member agent of the Property Ombudsman scheme the publcic will have confidence about the agent's approach in its dealings with buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants alike.

Q. How long does the franchise last?
A.

An initial franchise term of not less than five years is offered, with the franchisee having an option to renew for a further term at no extra cost.

Subsequent terms will be by negotiation. Please note that Bairstow Eves is not franchising its own network of existing branches.

Q. Will I be able to develop more than one branch?
A.

Yes, franchisees can grow organically by developing individual branches ideally adjacent to one another.

Further information is available upon request from your Regional Franchise Manager.

Q. Does the franchise have a territorial limit?
A.

We do not seek to set contractual geographical boundaries for our franchisees. Ambitious and entrepreneurial franchisees should be allowed within reason to extend their operation as far as their energy, skills and reputation can take them.

If franchisees wish to develop their business beyond their current sphere of influence by opening another branch, this will involve applying for a further franchise. We do, however, seek to establish sensible boundaries between adjacent Bairstow Eves branches for day-to-day operating and referral purposes, based on natural markets.

Q. Is a franchise Operations Manual provided?
A.

Yes, an extensive Operations Manual forms the core of the Bairstow Eves Franchise system. The bulk of the benefits of the franchise are derived from the tried, tested and proven methods set out in detail within the Manual.

Regular updates are provided via the Franchise 'Members Area' of this web site.

Q. Will franchisees and branch teams be given training?
A.

The ability to develop both management and staff is a critical part of the franchise proposition, so training will be a key aspect of the support that we will provide.

Our high-impact, interactive training programmes will play a vital role in unlocking the potential of your staff and maximising the real value of your business plan. Full details of our training programmes for Franchisees are available on application.

Q. Is bank funding available?
A.

Yes, we have established links with several leading UK clearing banks in order to develop business development packages for our franchisees, subject to the banks' usual criteria for approval. Please ask a member of the Franchise Team for further information.

Q. How will financial services operate in my business?
A.

Initially your business will become an Introducer to Countrywide Estate Agents Financial Services through its national call centre or to a nearby intermediary consultant who operates from a neighbouring branch. Your business will receive commissions in respect of business concluded by the call centre or nearby mortgage consultant.

Franchisees that have the requisite business volumes and expertise will be encouraged to apply to be appointed as Intermediary firms. Some franchisees may seek to be authorised personally as Intermediary consultants. In this scenario, your input will be invaluable when making a final decision on the recruitment/appointment of your consultant. However, Countrywide will retain responsibility for the all-important training and compliance management.

Q. What kind of ongoing support can franchisees expect?
A.

After successfully becoming a Bairstow Eves Franchisee, your Franchise Business Manager will assist you in the selection of suitable premises, and will give you guidance on size, location and planning applications for usage and signage.

Once you have secured the leasehold or freehold for your premises, ongoing support for franchisees is provided by a designated Franchise Business Manager who will assist you in all aspects of branch set up, from interviewing and recruiting staff to arranging refurbishment and fitting out of the branch.

Further assistance is provided right through to launch day and beyond with the planning and setting up of launch-related marketing material and with the hands-on installation of our franchise operating system.

Our support also includes major costs savings through franchisor and Countrywide purchasing deals, time-saving single-source supply facilities and third-party technical and IT support.

Q. Is the Bairstow Eves Lettings franchise available on its own?
A.

Yes, the Bairstow Eves lettings franchise can be purchased separately from the estate agency franchise.
The lettings business may be operated from either an approved serviced office or from a suitable High Street retail unit. The exception to this rule applies where the location already has an existing Bairstow Eves estate agency business in operation.

Please ask the Regional Franchise Manager for further information.

 
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