Rental Union to Have Impact

The Chas Everitt International property group and Lighthouse property group have now joined forces under the national Chas Everitt Property Rentals banner. Lighthouse converted its sales team to Chas Everitt a while back, and now its letting and commercial divisions will also be part of the group.

However, while the name on the door will change, the people behind the highly successful Lighthouse group remain the same, with founder and CEO Greg Harris now also taking up the role nationally as CEO of Chas Everitt Property Rentals.

And he is excited about the national footprint that this new company will enjoy as part of the Chas Everitt International brand. When asked why, as an existing leader in the KZN property rentals market, he would choose to partner with Chas Everitt as opposed to any other of the major property specialists in SA, he had this to say:  “The idea first arose when we noticed that our operations were very similar in terms of vision, values and commitment to ethical business practices. With Lighthouse being the largest non-franchised estate agency in Umhlanga we have been approached by many big brands over the years. But Chas Everitt just stood out. We are likeminded in our approach and also a family values-based business, so it wasn’t a difficult decision for us to make – seeing that Chas Everitt also has a strong, established SA network and an enviable reputation to match.”

Meanwhile franchising director of the Chas Everitt International property group, Barry Davies,says this is a “best of breed” merger, combining the collective insight, experience and expertise of Chas Everitt and Lighthouse into one powerful national brand under the Chas Everitt Property Rentals banner, to the benefit of landlords and tenants across SA.

“We have always held that we would need specialists, hands on expertise and a solid systemised franchise model to deal with the intricacies of rentals professionally, if we were to enter this sector of the market. Greg and his team at Lighthouse have built a great company over the years, with a first-rate reputation in KZN and Gauteng. They ticked all the right boxes, and Greg also has the requisite expertise and coal-face experience to lead the new rentals group. This is an exciting new chapter in our history.”

Positive spinoffs

There will be several positive spinoffs from the merger, including service delivery and growth of the new rentals company beyond the ordinary scope of the separate entities, Harris says.

“With the strength of Chas Everitt in Johannesburg where majority of our investors and tenants reside, and in the Western Cape, there will be benefits not only to our partnership, but also to landlords, tenants and other stakeholders.”

The new group’s holiday letting manager in Umhlanga, Nicolas Dekker, is equally optimistic. “I’m very excited about being able to reaching the larger market that Chas Everitt opens to us with its high visibility in Gauteng, as this is our major tenant base. Not only do I see positive growth with regards to more holiday tenants, but also a greater possibility of property referrals being added to our portfolio.”

Paula Harding, longstanding client services manager for Lighthouse, also strongly favours the move. "Having worked closely with the management team from Chas Everitt over the past 18 months or so, they are extremely professional and we share the same values. These are the qualities we as Lighthouse have held dear over the years, and so I fully support Greg in his decision to bring us into the fold with the Chas Everitt Property Rentals group.

“This merger will extend our influence outside of KZN and bring us the additional exposure from the 100-plus national Chas Everitt franchise and license network. We look forward to an exciting future together.”

The rentals manager for Lighthouse’s Umhlanga branch, Julie Pillay, is equally positive about the merger. Having been with the company for well over a decade, she has been instrumental in formalising many of the group’s systems. "The merger with Chas Everitt has brought with it a tremendous potential for growth and development both in systems and procedures as well as in enhancing the customer experience.

“Our focus is on ensuring that our improved paperwork, our EverRent© software, our add-on products and the entire package - coupled with the same staff clients have become familiar with - will continue to deliver the best service possible. Challenging but exciting times are ahead and I welcome the opportunity to embark on this journey under the Chas Everitt banner."

Merger benefits to clients and other stakeholders

The new rental company will continue to make clients’ needs its top priority, and they will benefit from Chas Everitt’s national footprint and decades of experience. At the same time, the success of Lighthouse in the Durban, Umhlanga and Ballito rental markets will now be incorporated into the DNA of Chas Everitt Property Rentals, allowing for the market at large to benefit this expertise.

As the Chas Everitt and Lighthouse brands join forces, the resulting Chas Everitt Property Rentals group will be underpinned by the same people who have already earned the respect of the market for a number of years. The dynamic and hard-working teams are proud to work together and share a common vision.

For more information contact Greg Harris at Chas Everitt Umhlanga on +27 31 561 2515