Brookland Estates Lettings: tenth acquisition in six years

Six years of dealmaking reached double figures in February 2024, when My Property Box acquired Brookland Estates Lettings, a Teesside firm specialising in lettings and property investment. The price was not disclosed, and the purchase was the group's tenth.

Brookland was a young business that had travelled fast. Matthew Alder set it up in 2020 and by the time of the sale it looked after almost 200 homes across the Tees Valley. Alder's reason for selling was straightforward: he wanted more time for his property sourcing venture. Lettings work stopped at the company's Stockton-on-Tees base and the portfolio transferred over.

The two firms had a good deal in common, each pairing lettings with property investment and property management, and Brookland's Tees Valley coverage complemented a group already working across the North East and North Yorkshire from offices in Darlington and Newcastle. The previous additions had been the 2022 purchases of Newcastle estate agency Acorn Properties and South Shields firm KIS Lettings.

By 2024 the group's services extended well beyond sales and lettings. Landlords could use an investment service covering everything from finding a property to managing the tenancy, and the previous September had seen the launch of an accredited financial services arm handling residential and buy-to-let mortgage advice, buildings and contents insurance, life cover, income protection and critical illness cover.

Managing director Ben Quaintrell, who started the company in 2012, was pleased with the match: "This latest acquisition is a perfect fit for this business, which continues to look for growth opportunities not just within the North East and North Yorkshire, but further afield."

He had praise for what Alder had achieved: "Brookland Estates Lettings has grown relatively quickly and has earned a reputation for delivering an excellent service to tenants and landlords alike – something that will continue under My Property Box."

Technology, he suggested, would be the most obvious gain for incoming clients: "We have invested heavily in digital technology over the years, which allows us to sell, let and manage properties more effectively and efficiently. This is both user-friendly and offers value for money, something I'm sure our new Brooklands clients will greatly appreciate."

Longevity is not a requirement. A four-year-old lettings book can be every bit as attractive as one built over four decades, so whether you are winding down or changing direction, we would welcome a private conversation.