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Student housing directors feature in prestigious business awards

Student housing directors feature in prestigious business awards

Two young entrepreneurial property professionals have been recognised in a prestigious business awards scheme.

Harry Conti (26) and Marcus Askam Yates (28), directors of Student Housing, a specialist lettings agency and property management company, have both made it into Lincolnshire's first-ever '30 Under 30' awards.

Organised by news website, The Lincolnite, '30 Under 30' celebrates the achievements of the county's rising business stars.

Harry and Marcus decided to leave their studies at the University of Lincoln in 2015 to start Student Housing. The company has doubled its turnover every year since and this month celebrated its best-ever start to an academic year, working with over 300 landlords, managing more 500 properties, which are home to 1,223 University of Lincoln students. The company opened its Nottingham office in May this year, where it is already managing 20 properties.

"We started the business because we were appalled with the standard of privately let student accommodation that was available to us," says Harry. "We knew there was a gap in the market for a young agency that would put the needs of the students first. We wanted to live in properties that were decorated like homes and not filled with poor quality furniture. So, we decided to launch Student Housing and only work with landlords whose properties that felt like a home and that were nicely decorated and had the features that students wanted, such as high-speed broadband."

Harry and Marcus started the business with just £500.

"Today, our team of 15 people look after and manage over £30m worth of property in Lincoln alone, which is incredibly satisfying!" adds Marcus. "Our experience of studying at university has helped us enormously as we know first hand what students want. That's why we're the only agency in Lincoln with a dedicated and free maintenance team and why we provide a range of exclusive tenant perks like discounts at nightclubs and on food and drink. We stage an annual Halloween party for our tenants and regularly run competitions offering free pizza for the entire year and Christmas Tree deliveries."

Student Housing has the highest tenant retention rates in Lincoln and the highest deposit return rate of any agency last year, with 97% of tenants receiving their deposits back in full.

As well as creating a successful and profitable business, Marcus and Harry have implemented several charitable initiatives, including raising over £1,000 for Trussell Trust Food Banks.

For more information about Student Housing, visit www.studenthousinglincoln.co.uk or www.studenthousingnottingham.co.uk.

 


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