Another independent agency snapped up by large regional chain

Ambitious regional chain Linley & Simpson has opened a new branch in the Yorkshire market town of Pudsey after snapping up a long-standing local lettings firm. 

The purchase of Flemings, which has operated in the area for over half a century, increases the number of offices in Linley & Simpson’s network across West and North Yorkshire to 16, and propels its own portfolio of managed rental homes to almost 7,000.

Linley & Simpson is retaining all Flemings staff and the new ownership means there will also be a residential sales service at the office, too.

“For us, it is a bullseye location that’s a great geographical fit. It enables us to offer our services across the whole of North and West Leeds. It was a long courtship – we first approached Flemings eight years ago – yet we are delighted that when it was decided the time was right to sell, they still had our original letter close to hand” says chief executive Will Linley. 

“This represents our first acquisition of 2019 and we expect others to feature in the coming months. We have confidence in the potential of the Yorkshire market and an appetite to continue to invest in it.”

The vast majority of properties inherited from Flemings are located in Pudsey and its surrounding suburbs of Farsley, Stanningley, Bramley, and Tong. There are around 40 homes in the Wakefield and Pontefract areas, and these will transfer to Linley & Simpson’s branch at Northgate, Wakefield, to be managed more locally.

This marks the company’s ninth acquisition in just 12 months, as it accelerates its “buy and build” growth strategy in its Yorkshire heartland. It also takes founders Will Linley and Nick Simpson back close to their business roots, having launched their agency 21 years ago with two inaugural branches, including one in neighbouring Horsforth.

Now it employs a team of more than 230 staff across a network of 16 branches across West and North Yorkshire.