Commercial Property News
Major expansion plans at Cheffins
Cheffins have acquired Cambridge based property management firm Derek Catlin and Co as a major springboard to expansion of services for landlords.
Regional surveyors, Cheffins, have acquired Cambridge-based property management firm Derek Catlin and Co as a major springboard to expansion. This move will add nearly 200 properties to Cheffins' existing commercial and residential portfolio.
With the addition of three widely experienced property specialists who are transferring, this lays the foundation for a significant increase in Cheffins market position, says Cheffins' chairman, Michael Hamilton.
This is the second major acquisition by Cheffins in the past 12 months. This time last year they acquired the farm consultancy business of Anderson East, giving the firm a major presence with an office in Norfolk as well as additional clients across the UK.
Derek Catlin and Co was set up in 1991 by Derek Catlin FRICS, a well-known local surveyor and former National Director of Professional Services for GA (the estate agency side of the insurance giant General Accident). He has now become a consultant to Cheffins.
Derek Catlin said: "I chose Cheffins to acquire my business as they have a wide range of commercial, residential and rural property services. Other firms that had approached me tended to have a narrow range of skills which would not have suited my client base."
Michael Hamilton said: "Cheffins has grown very significantly in the past five years, through acquisitions and organically. With our regional focus and our emphasis on providing a traditional personal service backed by modern technology, we have created a distinctive brand. It has been clear to us for some time that there is considerable scope to expand our residential property management activities. Acquiring the Derek Catlin business provides the springboard for this, while at the same time boosting our existing portfolio of residential and commercial property clients."