insideKENT Magazine Issue 39 - June 2015 | Page 173

PROPERTY

Silver Award for rapidly growing Ashford business
An Ashford-based estate agency that has grown
from one office to four in just over five years has
picked up a major award for customer service.
Andrew Neal, who set up Andrew & Co at the
end of 2009 as a one-man operation, opened
his fourth office in Cheriton this April, but took
time out of a busy schedule to pick up an ESTAS
award at a glittering ceremony in London’s Hilton
Hotel, Park Lane.
TV's property expert, Phil Spencer, presented
Andrew with the silver award in the Kent section
of the Estate and Letting Agent Awards 2015 –
a competition that is based purely on customer
feedback.
“We invite our clients to go online and tell the
organisers what they think of our service, and
the awards are based solely on what they say,”
Andrew explained. “We won the silver award for
Kent after picking up a positive feedback rating
of 96%.”
As well as feeding into the annual awards
ceremony, the ESTAS awards are designed to
help estate agents deliver a better service by
providing information and feedback on the way
firms are operating.
After starting up in Ashford, Andrew & Co opened
an office in New Romney and a third in Charing
before moving the Ashford operation to new
premises in Middle Row a year ago. The launch
of the Cheriton office will take the number of staff

Sales Manager, Chris Payne; Managing Director, Andrew Neal; TV Property Expert, Phil Spencer; and Director, Matthew Skipper

employed by the new business to 14 and cement
Andrew & Co’s position as the fastest-growing
estate agency in the area.

day people like a high street presence because
it means they can come in, sit down and talk to
someone face to face.

Andrew, who paid tribute to the support of fellow
director, Matthew Skipper, puts the firm’s success
down to having the right team around him and
to “being honest and doing what we say we will
do”.

“I am proud of what we do and it’s good that
our customers like the way we do it. This award
is particularly rewarding because it is purely based
on customer feedback.”
www.andrewandco.co.uk

He added: “Clearly we are facing a lot of challenge
from online estate agents, but at the end of the

Boys & Maughan crowned
National Conveyancing Firm of the year
Conveyancing partner, Richard
Durrant, said: “Winning when we
were up against some very big
names in the industry is a wonderful
testament to everybody’s efforts
and speaks volumes for how well
we are delivering.
“I think what sets us apart is the
level of personal service we provide
– everything we do is client focused.
We have helped over 3,000 families
and individuals move home in the
last 12 months and our customers
consistently tell us in our surveys
that they are more than happy to
recommend us to friends and family
and use us again.”

Allen Cox and Samantha Manning from Boys & Maughan (centre) receive the trophy from
Rory Bremner and John Pickford, Managing Director of SearchFlow.

Thanet and Canterbury solicitors, Boys & Maughan, were named the
best law firm for conveyancing in the country at the Property Forum Awards
this April.

The expert judges on the panel were
Jonathan Smithers (vice president
of the Law Society); Mark
Witherspoon (Zoopla Property

The firm was given the award for medium-to-large conveyancing firms (51
or more staff), in recognition of its expertise, client care and achievements
over the past 12 months.

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Group); Sheila Kumar (chief
executive, CLC); Rhonda Hales
(Legal Eye); and Rob Hailstone
(founder, Bold Legal Group).
The judges commented: “99% of
clients said they’d recommend Boys
& Maughan – you can’t argue with
that. Top marks all round for a firm
that has a clear strategic vision and
who are improving performance
year on year. We are seriously
impressed with the standard Boys
& Maughan have set.”
Boys & Maughan were one of seven
finalists and the winners were
announced by comedian, Rory
Bremner, at a black tie gala dinner
at the Cumberland Hotel in London
on 23rd April.
www.boysandmaughan.co.uk