The deal

Our Corporate Finance team has advised Finders Keepers Limited and shareholders on the sale of the company to Countrywide PLC, the UK’s largest estate agency and property services group.

The team acted as lead adviser to the owners, completing a thorough marketing and sales process which attracted the attention of both industry and potential private equity buyers. Once Countrywide PLC had been awarded exclusivity the team structured the deal and project managed the process through to a successful completion in just two months. The competitive sale process run  enabled the shareholders to achieve a substantial increase in the consideration.

Founded in 1972 by Mary Channer, and now led by her son, Managing Director Dan Channer, Finders Keepers Limited is a family-run, independent property letting and management agent with eight offices across Oxfordshire. Originally set up as an acquisition service, Finders Keepers soon became Oxford’s leading lettings agent. Now employing 118 people and with over 3800 live tenancies, the company has won various awards based on its founding principles of professionalism, integrity, quality and value.

Household name Countrywide PLC is the UK’s largest property services group, serving customers in 1,500 locations across more than 50 brands. With unparalleled coverage of the UK property market, Countrywide PLC specialise in both the residential and commercial property markets and employs more than 12,000 people who are passionate about property and work hard to deliver the best outcome for their customers.

Countrywide PLC are currently completing various acquisitions in order to expand their lettings offering across the UK. Finders Keepers Limited is an ideal addition to their corporate family and will establish them as the largest lettings provider in Oxford.

“Clive and Bilal ran an incredibly professional process which laid the foundation for the successful outcome. When issues arose – as inevitably they will when you sell a business – The team rolled their sleeves up and tackled the problems with an impressive blend of tact, toughness and lateral thinking.” Dan Channer, Managing Director, Finders Keepers Limited.

“You only sell your business once. For me this is my life’s work and I needed people I could trust and who would command respect from the marketplace. We chose well when we chose Clive and Bilal and I thank them for a job very well done.” Finders Keepers Founder Mary Channer.