Howsy acquires Urban.co.uk and strengthens their position as the leading online rental and property management platform

September 13, 2019

Acquisition step changes growth and broadens Howsy’s product offering to landlords 

Howsy acquires Urban.co.uk

Howsy, the online property management platform has today announced that it has acquired Urban.co.uk, one of the UK’s leading online letting agents, for an undisclosed sum.  Howsy’s stated mission is to make renting better for everyone, by bringing innovation and greater customer focus to the lettings industry.  The acquisition of Urban will allow Howsy to grow substantially and offer broader services whilst maintaining a focus on customer service and delivering great value for landlords.

First acquisition move after recent funding

The acquisition of Urban marks Howsy’s first move after their recent announcement of a £5m investment led by Skybound Capital, enabling them to further advance in their shake-up of the UK letting sector.

Urban is a tenant find specialist

Urban concentrates on a quick, self-service online tenant find solution, and has built a reputation for excellent customer loyalty having successfully operated on a national scale for many years.

Combined businesses give landlords more choice

Howsy provides an end to end property management platform for UK landlords, from tenant find through to repairs management and renewals, combining technology and innovative insurance products to offer a low fixed-fee management cost, saving landlords thousands of pounds a year.

The deal combines Urban’s focus upon finding tenants with Howsy’s expertise in the use of smart technology to create a seamless property management experience at a significantly lower cost to let for UK landlords.

The combination of the businesses will make Howsy the leading online property management platform in the UK.

Founder and CEO of Howsy, Calum Brannan, commented:

“With so much focus in the property industry on the buying & selling market, the rental space is often overlooked. Howsy benefits from stable recurring revenue, mixed with cutting edge technology so we can reduce the costs to operate by up to 70% compared to high street agents.

Both businesses bring a different set of skills on which they’ve both built a great degree of success but by combining these, we are able to create a lettings powerhouse that will provide a complete and unrivaled offering to UK landlords.”

Properganda PR

National and local media coverage for property businesses. Journo quotes delivered in minutes.

You May Also Enjoy

Estate Agent Talk

How Technology is Changing the Prime Property Viewing Experience

The world of luxury real estate has always been about delivering a premium, personal experience. But in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, even the most traditional sectors are being reshaped by technology—and prime property viewings are no exception. From augmented reality to AI-driven virtual tours, the way buyers interact with high-end properties has changed dramatically.…
Read More →
Love or Hate Rightmove
Breaking News

Average two-year fixed mortgage rate for 60% LTV now cheaper than five-year rate

The average two-year fixed mortgage rate for those with a 40% deposit (60% LTV) is now cheaper than the average five-year fixed equivalent, the first time this has happened since the mini-Budget The average two-year fixed, 60% LTV mortgage rate is now 4.18%, while the five-year equivalent is 4.19% The gap between average two-year fixed…
Read More →
Overseas Property

How UK Property Investors Can Manage Exchange Rate Risk When Buying Off-Plan Overseas

Off-plan purchases are especially common in developing overseas property markets with a high proportion of international investors. In these less mature markets, a significant share of stock is sold directly by developers, making off-plan transactions a natural sales model. These opportunities appeal to international buyers because they typically require less upfront cash due to extended…
Read More →
Breaking News

Foxtons Lettings Market Index – March 2025

London rental market gains momentum as new rental listings surge, Foxtons data shows   March saw a 14% increase in new rental listings across London compared to February Applicant registrations rose by 11% month-on-month in March. Year on year, demand was stable, tracking just 2% below March 2024 levels The average rent in March stood…
Read More →
Breaking News

UK’s mid-market firms show improved business growth in March but economic uncertainty continues

Key findings: NatWest’s Mid-market Growth Tracker shows improved business growth in March, led by a strong service sector performance SMEs register a softer decline in output levels during March Market conditions remain challenging and we could see continued challenges in the coming months   Mid-market businesses continued to outperform the wider UK economy in March,…
Read More →
Breaking News

ONS Private rent and house prices UK – April 2025

The Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR) measures private rent inflation for new and existing tenancies. The UK House Price Index measures house price inflation. Main Headlines Average UK monthly private rents increased by 7.7%, to £1,332, in the 12 months to March 2025 (provisional estimate); this annual growth rate is down from 8.1% in…
Read More →