Edinburgh residential property investment and lettings specialist Cullen Property is finishing a busy lettings season on a high by adding two senior property managers to its team and achieving the company’s highest ever levels of customer satisfaction.

In a survey of current Cullen Property tenant clients, 85% said they would recommend the company to a friend. This number constitutes a 25% increase in customer satisfaction compared to 2019.

The survey also found improvements in relation to overall property quality, handling of maintenance issues and client communications. Cullen Property credits a proactive, customer-centred approach to property investment and lettings for its success despite a challenging economic environment.

At the centre of the company’s approach are unique ‘mini teams’ each consisting of a property manager, contracts manager and an accounts manager, who collectively manage a specific small portfolio of clients’ properties. This promotes a greater detailed knowledge of each property and a ‘customer relationship’ with the residing tenants.

To ensure a bespoke, personal service, in August Cullen Property has added two additional experienced property managers to its team. Both Daniel Warburton and Gary Ward bring a wealth of property industry and customer service experience to their new positions.

Cullen Property Managing Director Steve Coyle says: “In March we faced the challenge of reshaping a business based on direct customer contact into something that can be done virtually. Since then, our aim has been to keep our staff and clients safe whilst providing excellent customer service.”

To help mitigate the lack of face-to-face meetings, the company hired additional staff to allow teams more time to communicate directly with landlords and tenants. As a consequence, customer satisfaction and retention has been at the highest level since Cullen Property started monitoring.

Steve Coyle says: “Uncertainty in just about every aspect of life has been a major concern over these past six months. Being able to provide our clients – whether they are property investors, landlords or tenants – with timely and knowledgeable updates on their property has been hugely beneficial.’

Offering virtual property viewings became another cornerstone of Cullen Property’s approach this year. The practice has proven so popular, especially with current and prospective tenants of Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMO), that the Cullen Property team has already decided to continue  and develop the technology in the future.

Cullen Property specialises in managing properties in the HMO student and professional lettings markets and is one of Edinburgh’s leading letting agents, currently managing circa 400 properties in Edinburgh. The Cullen Property team also offers property investment sourcing, acquisition and refurbishment for clients looking to purchase in prime city centre locations. The company introduced virtual viewings in March 2020.