Case study

How Lease for Life elevated its business presence and processes

Lease for Life is a new type of lettings agency, the missing link between council housing and the private rental sector in the London area - and uses Goodlord to help it deliver that service.

Operating across
Branches

1

Staff members

2-10

3

Admin hires saved

Number of new hires saved through Goodlord

Lease for Life provides affordable housing through long-term leases, working with key-workers and often low-income households to help give them more security of tenure. It aims to help staff businesses that need professionals, often overlooked because they're on zero-hour contracts or are simply low paid.

The six-person team works closely with landlords to help them "meet and see human beings", says Karen Bain, Mentor Development, Lease for Life. This approach helps landlords take confidence in their investment when working with these low-income tenants - a win-win for all. 

"Having worked pan-London with local authorities and various insurance companies looking to solve the problem of housing, we've finally found the magic mix, helping give landlords more options help them see that tenants often on low incomes are strong candidates for their rental properties," says Karen.

The problem to solve: Accessible and flexible suppliers

As a small and human-focused business just starting out, Lease for Life needed its suppliers to be easily accessible.

"We wanted to know that our contacts were in house - a call centre doesn't give a sense of connection between the team members like an in-house team," says Karen. "With an in-house team, like at Goodlord, we feel we receive a much better service."

It also needed an insurance product that could help it protect its landlords, taking into account their low-income tenants - something that Goodlord could provide. 

With Goodlord, it's like having a fantastic team of people next to you, in your own office.

Lisa Pirie

Director, Lease for Life

Changing mindset for a technology-based approach

Setting up this business with a small team meant looking for more efficient ways of working from day one, but the decision to use a technology like Goodlord was a big change in mindset.

"I initially had reservations about using technology and automations, thinking that we'd lose control of the business," says Lisa Pirie, Director.

"Goodlord made me realise that, as a business owner, you don't have to have control over everything. You can control what you want and need to control - and use the rest of your time more wisely."

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The result: Elevated processes

Now, technology is firmly embedded in the business. "I need my life to be simple - the KISS approach. Keep it simple and straightforward," says Karen. "I love the automation of Goodlord because it just goes from start to finish and there's no room for error in the middle."

Goodlord can help take care of compliance - a vital part of the lettings process - and offers a range of products and services to support across the entire rental journey.

"What we wanted to build was quite unique in the market - and we've been able to grow it and evolve thanks to Goodlord," says Karen. "We're just elevating ourselves all the time and that's key. The platform really elevates our presence and processes."

Product spotlight: Rent Protection

With the low-income tenants that Lease for Life works with, finding the right Rent Protection provider was essential, to give the agency's landlords peace of mind.

Rather than charge landlords a lump sum upfront in agency fees, Lease for Life chooses to charge a percentage at the end of each month - and that includes rent protection.

"Do you know how many times we've taken insurance and then found out there's been a tiny little exclusion for this, that or the other?" asks Karen.

The in-house insurance team at Goodlord has been on hand to talk through any concerns and queries with Lease for Life.

"Goodlord looked into our particular case to make sure that we would be able to claim, if we needed to, rather than simply take our money. I've worked in insurance for many years - and for someone to be so upfront is incredible."

Lease for Life adds value with:

Tenant referencing

Lease for Life uses Goodlord to reference its tenants quickly and comprehensively.

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Tenant services

Lease for Life helps get its tenants move-in ready while creating a new revenue stream for its business.

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Rent Protection & Legal Expenses Insurance

Lease for Life protects its landlords and reduces its admin - all while getting rewarded for offering more - with Goodlord's Rent Protection Insurance.

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Tenants contents & liability insurance

Lease for Life offers its tenants a complete package and reduces deposit disputes for its landlords.

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Want to see how Goodlord could help your agency? Book a demo now

Thanks for your interest in Goodlord. We don't provide services directly to landlords but we work directly with letting agents up and down the country who utilise our additional products, such as insurance, to create the best renting experience in the world. If you'd like us to put you in touch with a Goodlord agent in your area, please use this form to help us pair you up with an agent that meets your needs.

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