Sheffield proptech firm expands business creating new jobs for region

A family-run estate agent in Sheffield is celebrating the success of its low-cost tenant referencing app, Vouch.

The firm is also expanding with the creation of up to 10 new jobs across sales, service and web development, within the next year.

Developed by sisters, Jaime Tillyer and Lynsey Gaskell, and their husbands Simon and Kevin, Vouch was initially created to manage and simplify the tenant application process within their own business, Shefflets, based on Ecclesall Road.

Vouch is now headquartered in an historic building in Broomhall Road, a mile from Sheffield’s city centre.

Simon Tillyer, director of Vouch and a graduate of Sheffield Hallam University, said: “We are delighted with this early success and feedback from agents and landlords has been very positive.

“Our research shows that many agents are seeing our referencing platform, together with our insurance and utility packages, as a financial solution to the upcoming ban on letting agent fees.

“For agencies like mine, the fee ban poses a serious threat to our viability. Industry experts have estimated it could lead to up to 4,000 jobs being lost from the industry.

“Higher costs may end up being passed onto tenants through higher rents and in the worst-case scenario, others could be forced out of the business, deepening the housing crisis.

“However, we believe there is another way. Other industries have been much quicker to take up new technology as a means of streamlining processes, cutting overheads and delivering smarter services to their customers and the property industry is catching up.”

Since its launch 10 months ago, Vouch has grown by 460 per cent, with supposed demand from letting agents and landlords, including multiple branches of Belvoir and Northwood, Morgan Randall, Regal Lettings, Lenwell and Sotheby’s Realty.

The company has suggested it has saved letting agents and landlords an estimated £1m on tenant reference checks.

Vouch automates much of the referencing process and estimates savings of up to 85 per cent against the cost of a typical reference.

Simon added: “Over the next 12-18 months, we are looking to expand the business and aim to work with over 2,500 agents. We will continue to invest and develop the system to offer the newest and best product in the market.”