Romans Estate Agents Review

When it comes time to sell, buy, or let a property, you want the best estate agents on your side. The agency you choose should have extensive knowledge about the local area and market as well as the experience to deliver on their promises.

Romans is one such group of estate agents. If you live, rent, or are looking to relocate to the UK area, Romans can help facilitate your move from start to finish. Regardless of your need, budget, and location, Romans has a service for you.

Keep reading to learn more about this group of agents and why it may be the perfect fit for your next property endeavor. 

 

The History of Romans

To understand how Romans developed into the success it is today, we need to step back in time and take a look at where it all began. Started in 1987, Romans opened its first office in Bracknell with nothing but a Rolodex and a typewriter. Over the next several decades, Romans expanded and grew to become one of the largest and most well-known estate agency groups in South East England.

In 2016 Romans joined forces with the sister company Leaders and rebranded itself. Together, the two powerful groups developed over 215 letting and estate agencies across the UK. Whether you’re in the market to buy, sell, rent, or let, Romans can help. The group also offers surveying, mortgage advice, and town planning. 

One thing that sets Romans apart is that all of these services (and more) are offered under one roof. This helps keep costs down and gives customers direct access to expert advice regardless of their needs, requirements, or location.

Far from the new kid on the block online estate agents, Romans has a steeped long history in the property world, with focus remaining on the traditional high street estate agency model

 

Statistics About the Success of Romans

When it comes to results, the proof is in the numbers. Check out some of these impressive statistics and accomplishments Romans has achieved over the years. 

• 4.5 star rating on Google
• 1,800 new registered buyers monthly
• More than 25 network branches
• Nearly 2,500 sold with Romans last year
• 10,200 landlords let with Romans
• 29 local offices
• Nearly 350 rental valuations are conducted each month

 

Romans Reviews

If you’re still on the fence about making your next move (literally) with Romans, check out what satisfied current and former customers have to say about their experience with this reputable and well-established agency. 

• The team was excellent throughout the sales process including organizing photos, scheduling viewings, and handling offers.

• Fantastic service that made the entire process stress-free.

• Excellent communication and explanation of every step in the process.

• Very professional service that were always ready and willing to help.

• Quickly filled rental properties with reliable tenants. 

 

Extensive Services Offered by Romans 

Now that you know a little bit about the Roman Group’s history, let’s talk about the types of services they offer and how they can help with your next property endeavor. 

Estate Agency 

As an estate agency with over 35 years of experience, Romans has helped customers buy and sell properties across the UK. This includes the areas of Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Bristol, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Greater London, Somerset, Surrey, and Wiltshire. 

Romans uses a wide range of virtual services to help sell properties including virtual tours and valuations. You can also choose to sell your property using the traditional route of hosting viewings and open houses or through online auctions. Both approaches of their own unique benefits and an experienced Romans’ agent will help you decide which one is best.

Romans’ 9-step process for selling your home includes:

1. Requesting a property valuation
2. Figuring out your finances
3. Advertising your property
4. Offering virtual viewings
5. Scheduling in-person viewings
6. Negotiating the best price
7. Finding and working with a conveyancer
8. Signing and exchanging contracts once you accept an offer
9. Completing the sale

As an estate agency, Romans also offers services for buyers and property investors. You can view property listings online, attend online auctions, and view investment properties directly from the website. 

Similar to the sales process, Romans also implements a simple 8-step process for buying your next property. 

1. Set a spending budget
2. Start searching for your next dream home
3. Schedule viewings for your favorite properties
4. Choose and hire a conveyancer 
5. Make a reasonable offer
6. Schedule a property survey
7. Finalize your finances and mortgage
8. Complete the sale by signing and exchanging contracts

Lettings

Whether you’re a first-time landlord or have years of experience, Romans offers services to help support the letting process from start to finish. You can also select as few or as many services as you want. For example, hands-on landlords may only need help with referencing tenants and rent collection, whereas accidental landlords or newcomers may choose to invest in fully managed services until they get the hang of things.

To date, Romans’ letting team has supported over 10,800 landlords and delivered top-notch customer care throughout the entire process. Romans’ letting agents remain up-to-date on current and changing market trends while also minimizing rental voids. All properties are protected under the ARLA to guarantee compliance.

Romans letting fees aren’t the cheapest, however that is reflected in their service levels being extremely high

Romans’ letting services include let-only, rent collection, fully managed services, and even executive rooms (letting out a spare room in your house). Roman’s 10-step process for letting out a property is as follows.

1. Request a rental valuation to determine the rental amount
2. Decide how involved you want to be in the process
3. Find and reference suitable tenants
4. Schedule viewings for prospective tenants
5. Negotiate an offer
6. Perform reference and credit checks on potential tenants
7. Sign a tenancy agreement 
8. Take inventory of the items inside the property
9. Secure the deposit
10. Get ready for moving day!

Romans also offers support and services for tenants. By matching the right tenant with the right vacancy, everybody wins! If you’re a renter looking for a new home, you can take advantage of Romans’ deposit-free renting, free legal advice, and access to qualified mortgage advisors. 

Here are 10 steps of the rental process for tenants as detailed by Romans.

1. Set a budget
2. Start your home search on Romans’ website
3. Schedule viewings of your favorite properties
4. Act quickly when you find the rental property you want
5. Undergo necessary credit and reference checks
6. Pay the required deposit
7. Sign the tenancy agreement 
8. Get ready for moving day

During your tenancy agreement, expect routine visits from members of Romans’ property management team. Once your agreement is up, you can choose to move out or renew your lease. 

Surveys and Valuers

Romans’ team of surveyors and valuers have been advising both residential and commercial clients in the UK for over 35 years. The team currently works in London, Portsmouth, Guildford, Southampton, Reading, and Wokingham. 

A survey helps buyers, renters, and property investors determine the condition of a property before they commit. This helps prevent costly repairs in the future or investing in a property that needs more renovations and upgrades than expected. An experienced valuer guarantees that sellers don’t settle for less than their property is worth and that buyers or investors don’t overpay.

Commercial Property Services

Romans’ clients are just residential property owners or investors. The group deals with numerous commercial clients as well. The group offers commercial services both locally and nationally, with experts trained in providing support and guidance on a range of topics including marketing, pricing, purchasing, and terms and conditions. 

New Construction

If you can’t find the home of your dreams, why not build it? Romans can help homeowners and property investors design and build the perfect residence. By working closely with UK’s top house builders and developers, you can choose from a wide range of beautiful new homes for sale. These include homes in the Government’s Help to Buy schemes that are move-in ready!

Land Opportunities

Some clients need the perfect piece of land to build on. Romans can help with this, too. The group’s team of experienced land agents find and evaluate local development sites to find the perfect canvas for your next build. Romans prides itself on discovering hidden gems through rigorous research.

Design and Development 

The Roman Group also works closely with Boyer, a multi-skilled national planning consultancy. Boyer offers specialized services in the design and development sector including development economics, heritage planning, town centers, and environmental impacts. 

 

ESG Responsibilities

Romans takes environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) very seriously. As part of the Leaders Romans Group, the agency prides itself on being transparent with clients. Here are some of Romans’ philosophies on the above-mentioned initiatives.

Environmental

The Romans group is heavily invested in achieving sustainability and reducing its impact on the environment. For this reason, they’ve pledged to become carbon neutral by the year 2030. Romans plans to achieve this goal by implementing practical changes like transferring their offices to renewable energy, using recycle sale and let boards, going paperless, and encouraging staff members to work remotely when and where it’s feasible.

Social

Romans invests equally in its clients and staff members. To ensure that all employees feel supported, appreciated, and safe, Romans offers well-being webinars, mental health first aiders, meditation sessions, and assistance programs. 

Equality, diversity, and inclusion are at the forefront of Romans’ values. The company provides staff training courses and offers all employees the same level of opportunity. All staff members are treated fairly and equally and are encouraged to speak up immediately if they witness or experience any level of discrimination. 

Romans invests in its staff members so that employees invest in their future at the company. This includes in-house training courses and a clear framework that details exactly what’s expected from every job position. It also includes information about what’s required for promotion to the next level. 

Romans shows its appreciation by announcing promotions and achievements in the CEO’s weekly newsletter. The company also gives out quarterly awards to celebrate staff and company-wide achievements. 

Romans’ efforts extend beyond the immediate staff by supporting the greater community. Many of the company’s branches donate to local charities, while the head office makes a large donation to a local food bank every year. As of this writing, Romans’ chosen charity is Macmillan Cancer Support. The company hosts several fundraisers throughout the year to help raise money for these causes. 

Governance

Romans has special plans and procedures in place to ensure that business is never disrupted and that clients receive top-notch service day in and day out. Romans also takes a proactive approach to risk management by continually checking for potential risks and investing in cyber security measures. 

Romans goes to great extents to protect customer information and data using thorough protection policies. The Group also has a data protection team headed by an in-house Data Protection Officer dedicated to securing clients’ sensitive information.

As regulations and laws in the property industry are constantly changing, Romans works to stay ahead of the curve. Having a pulse on the changing requirements and industry trends lets Romans remain compliant, prepare for upcoming changes, and keep clients informed.

 

Romans Has a Service for Everyone

When you work with Romans, you’re not only getting access to a highly-qualified and experienced team of professional estate agents, but also legal advice, mortgage lenders, home builders, surveyors, and more. Romans has services for all types of buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants regardless of their budget or where they are in the process.

With over 35 years of experience and a diverse team of professionals, Romans has a service to fit every client’s needs and budget.