Great opportunities with Platinum Property Partners franchise

Simon and Anna Mackaness run a property investment franchise business from their home just outside Northampton, providing high-quality, all inclusive accommodation to working professionals.

Says Simon, a former insurance broking Director, "Platinum Property Partners is not a traditional franchise.  Unlike most others, we own the business assets (the properties), and because the buy to let property market has constantly changing financial and legal parameters, I think the regular workshops and support system are much more important than they might otherwise be."

Anna, who previously worked in customer service roles for various businesses, adds, "We're very much in partnership with our franchisor and are referred to as ‘franchise partners’, not ‘franchisees’.   PPP provides the initial mentoring, the systems, strategies and business models for us to follow and the ongoing business support, and we all contribute to improving the quality of the franchise - it's a two-way relationship."

On joining the franchise in mid-2007, Simon and Anna were mentored in their home town and taught how to source, acquire, refurbish, let and manage buy to let properties that they now operate as houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), renting individual rooms out to young working adults.  Anna explains: "The properties must have the capacity for decent living, cooking and washing facilities.  Five or six bedrooms, with two bathrooms, a kitchen and sitting room is our typical model, and it's very important to us that the communal areas are spacious.”

Simon and Anna have joined the Chamber of Commerce in Northampton, in order to meet companies who might need accommodation services for people relocating, working away from home Monday to Friday, or on 6 month contracts.  PPP provides corporate brochures, postcards and advert templates for local advertising, and the couple have very good rental occupancy figures.

With busy lives, two children and horses to manage, it’s important that Simon and Anna can run their business from home and that the hours are flexible.  Other than a rare emergency at one of their 6 HMOs, tenant viewings and other business functions can generally be carried out when it suits.  Another benefit to them – and one of the key reasons they chose PPP above other franchise options - is the fact that the business is highly cash-positive from the outset, meaning they have been able to draw significant income from it.

Through PPP the couple have also invested overseas and taken advantage of a loan scheme with one of the founders, which gives a significantly higher rate of return than they could get elsewhere, giving additional income.

“There are great opportunities for investors in the UK at the moment and we’re concentrating our efforts on acquiring more properties and continuing to raise the standard of the HMO market”, says Simon.  “There are still too many landlords out there not adhering to the correct regulations.  We are proud to be part of a franchise that promotes working closely with the local council, fire service and Department of Environmental Health, and believe we are helping satisfy a real need for more people to have better quality accommodation.”