Howard de Walden Case Study 2020

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TH E H O WA RD DE WA LDE N E S TAT E : 2020 When The Howard De Walden Estate decided to offer optional furniture packages to residents of its rental properties in 2009, the company needed a business partner that could provide quality furniture, quick delivery, and high standards of service reflecting their own reputation.

Howard De Walden’s diverse residential portfolio of over 800 properties ranges from small studios to large luxury apartments and houses, in an area covering approximately 92 acres in Marylebone, central London.

The furniture rental service provided by Roomservice

by CORT is a cost-effective alternative to owning

and managing furniture. It is offered to customers directly by Howard De Walden and their network of approved letting agents.

To allow them to show prospective customers a range of furniture, Roomservice by CORT developed four furniture packages at various style and price points, suitable for the wide variety of customer needs and properties within the portfolio. The packages include everything needed to make a home, from sofas, beds, dining tables and chairs to soft furnishings such as cushions, throws and rugs. If customers want to add additional items such as TV’s, bed and bath linens, lighting and outdoor furniture, they can contact Roomservice by CORT directly.

Howard De Walden’s Senior Lettings Manager, Amelia Owen, explains:

“We wanted to offer prospective customers the choice of letting their property furnished or unfurnished. However, supplying furniture ourselves to over 800 properties of various sizes across a large area would be a major asset management issue for us.

We needed an innovative solution that worked for both our residents and our business.”

From its warehouses based on the outskirts of London, Roomservice by CORT can react quickly to any furniture requirements from Howard De Walden Estate’s agents or customers.

“When a customer wants to rent a property, they want to move in quickly, so waiting weeks for furniture to arrive could result in losing the customer to an agent offering a furnished apartment,” explains Amelia Owen. “Roomservice by CORT’s furnishing

rental solution has enabled us to respond quickly to customer requirements with a high-quality product, which is delivered and installed in just a few days.”

Roomservice by CORT’s uniformed installation teams deliver and install furniture and additional items within a day. To minimise disruption, they can collect keys so that furniture can be installed before the customer arrives, or while they are not at the property.

Ken Ebenezer, Managing Director, Roomservice by CORT, comments:

“Our in-house team manages all of the time-consuming aspects of the rental, such as quotation, delivery, set-up, collection at the end of the rental and any replacements needed. We aim to help agents by widening the appeal of their properties and provide a flexible end-to-end service for tenants that is tailored to their lifestyle.”

R O O MS ER VICE BY CORT’S SOLU TI ON To make it easy for customers to see the furnishings available, Roomservice by CORT provides The Howard De Walden Estate with ready to rent show apartments fitted with the standard furniture packages. However, if tenants prefer to choose their own furniture, they can select pieces directly from Roomservice by CORT’s website via a branded landing page and rent for as long as they wish.

The Result.

Howard De Walden’s Residential Director, Tracey Hartley concludes:

“With the solution provided by Roomservice by CORT, we are able to market all our properties to the widest range of potential customers, without having to spend capital on purchasing furniture, or incurring associated management costs. We have had an extremely productive working relationship with them for over ten years.”

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Key features:

Allows Howard De Walden Estate to offer furnished and unfurnished properties, widening potential market

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Exclusive furniture packages allow agents to respond quickly to enquiries

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Furniture is delivered and installed within a few days

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Fully-furnished ready-to-rent show units allow residents to see furniture on site

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TVs, household goods and soft furnishings help create a homely environment

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Dedicated branded landing page within Roomservice by CORT’s website

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OF F E R ING A F L E X IB L E F U R NIT U R E S OL U T IO N A L L OWS H OWA R D DE WA L DE N E S TAT E T O ME E T C U S T OMER NE E D S S P E E DILY A N D E F F IC IE NT LY.

Furniture is managed for the duration of the rental

rentals@roomservicebycort.com

020 8397 9344

roomservicebycort.com

About The Howard De Walden Estate

The Howard De Walden Estate is a property business that owns, manages and leases a large and diverse portfolio of property within Marylebone covering medical, office, retail and leisure, education and residential accommodation.

Marylebone Village is the area of Marylebone under The Howard De Walden Estate’s stewardship and contains everything that residents, workers or visitors could possibly need including homes, businesses, shops, restaurants, schools, cultural institutions, places of worship, health clubs, medical healthcare practices, and public spaces.

Howard De Walden has deep historic connections to Marylebone dating back to 1710. As a longterm landlord and steward, Howard De Walden is committed to sustaining the vibrant character of Marylebone Village to ensure that occupiers and visitors feel part of this broad community.