Meet the Founder – Howsy, Making Renting Higher for Everybody

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Calum Brannan, founding father of Howsy, has been obsessed with tech since he was a teen, having designed his first social community on the age of 15 and bought software program to the police and banking sectors by 19. 

Howsy, the serviced market for renting, is his latest enterprise. Got down to revolutionise the best way landlords and tenants work together, Howsy is making the renting course of easier, simpler and higher for all concerned.

Right here’s what the corporate is all about.

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What’s Howsy’s imaginative and prescient?

Our core perception is that we have now a duty to make renting higher for everybody. While landlords could also be paying the payments, with out tenants there could be no sector!

How is Howsy bringing one thing new to the market?

Howsy pioneered zero charges for renters again in 2016, we launched zero deposit choices and assured hire for landlords in 2019 and constructed a buyer expertise that’s miles away from the normal mannequin. However Howsy isn’t constructed on intelligent know-how alone. Intelligent information evaluation and intuitive tech assist easy the lettings journey, however we additionally perceive {that a} key a part of our finish product means having the right staff accessible to supply actual life help – we provide this help to our clients 24/7.

How does Howsy remedy issues for renters and landlords?

We’ve been landlords and tenants ourselves, so, we perceive that lettings by no means stands nonetheless, and are regularly working with our landlords and tenants, listening to their suggestions and dealing on new product and tech growth to maintain up with the rental rollercoaster! When new laws is launched, like {the electrical} security checks final month for instance, we sprung into motion to develop a product appropriate for all of our landlords. They’ll depend on us to maintain them legally compliant, on the click on of a button. That is landlording made straightforward!

What has been probably the most important progress spotlight to this point?

There have been some actually important years within the historical past of Howsy! 

December 2016, only a yr after the concept for Howsy was born, we celebrated our first seed funding, the opening of the London workplace a whopping fairness crowdfund of £600okay, elevating in simply 78 hours. 

Our Coventry workplace opened its doorways in 2017, with growth into Manila in 2018. A rebrand in 2018 noticed us transfer from No Agent to Howsy. 

There’s been no let-up in 2019/20 for the staff both, with two important sector acquisitions – first City.co.uk in November 2019 adopted swiftly by Upad in January 2020. Howsy now holds one of many largest databases for landlords and renters in UK – over 2 million of them.

What latest awards/accolades have you ever gained?

We’re delighted to have been topped Finest On-line Company 2019 on the Landlord Funding Present awards final yr, an actual honour! 

We had been additionally shortlisted for an Amazon Rising Enterprise Award in 2017, and Calum Brannan was shortlisted for Begin-up Director of the 12 months on the Institute of Administrators in 2018. 

What new partnerships/product developments do you may have upcoming?

We’re all the time connecting with different organisations inside the trade to discover how we are able to present probably the most rounded service to our shoppers. From working with authorized companions to delivering bespoke furnishings choices, we’re working with the perfect within the trade to ship probably the most finish to finish service, all below one roof. 

What would be the biggest problem going ahead?

Maintaining with the demand! All through the Covid-19 disaster, we have now been vastly fortunate. As a web-based organisation we have now weathered the storm pretty simply, with all of our staff capable of work remotely and proceed servicing our landlords and tenants virtually as regular. With no employees furloughed, and the market naturally slowed, we have now been in a position to make use of this time to develop new plans for the latter half of 2020, and have our fingers crossed that we will get cracking on delivering them quickly. 

What’s the major income stream for the enterprise?

Primarily, we need to make sure that tenants are capable of finding their dream property, and landlords are capable of finding their dream tenants – as soon as they’ve discovered one another, we need to assist that relationship run and not using a hitch, holding on prime of all upkeep and dealing with any hiccups. We cost a easy fastened payment for landlords, nobody likes tough percentages.

Because the market adjustments, there may be all the time the potential to maneuver the Howsy mannequin into completely different areas of the market. We’re centered at offering our service to personal landlords and personal tenants, nevertheless, following the Covid-19 outbreak, we anticipate to see a major shift in property patterns. With extra individuals turning to the rental marketplace for their housing choices, we might anticipate to see extra important buyers shopping for giant complexes and requiring block administration, extra homes of a number of occupation and extra native authority lets. Howsy’s product is ideal for all of those choices. 

How would you describe your organization tradition?

We’re actually happy with the tradition we have now constructed at Howsy, which is centred throughout 4 key values: by no means settle, be collectively, be true and work arduous however benefit from the experience. 

We recognise that in a younger firm, tradition is an ever-changing entity, that units the usual for the way persons are rewarded or questioned, so while we would like it to evolve, we really feel that the beliefs of the corporate should be completely understood by each worker. We imagine in what we imagine in, not as a result of it’s stylish or as a result of having a powerful tradition is a buzzword, however as a result of it makes us stronger and extra linked with our individuals, and it’ll lead us to an additional success. 

What would be the major makes use of of proceeds from this spherical?

Howsy will proceed to drive progress by investing in our confirmed advertising channels and constructing extra know-how to make sure Howsy stays head and shoulders above our competitors, while driving margin enhancements. 

What are you doing if you’re not working?

On a Saturday morning you’ll most likely discover me chasing round my French Bulldog Henry across the grounds of Kenilworth citadel within the city the place I stay.

What’s one factor you search for in a property if you hire?

For me, it’s all about discovering a impartial house that you may put your stamp on with furnishings, rugs, artwork or throws. I all the time attempt to persuade landlords to not be tempted to depart an excessive amount of of a private stamp on properties. It’s essential that renters could make their mark on their dwelling with out having to color partitions or take a look at wallpaper that provides them a headache.

What’s your prime tip for surviving lockdown?

I believe it’s actually essential to try to carve out a while alone daily. Whether or not that’s a stroll across the block or simply shutting out the world with a podcast, everybody wants a break. 

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To search out out extra about Howsy, take a look at the pitch.