Talk:Reeds Rains

This page has already been deleted once today. Speedy, for the same reasons as now. Just for information. Dolive21 (talk) 19:16, 15 July 2008 (UTC)

The article in it's current format is not eligible for any speedy deletion criteria. - Toon⁰⁵ 19:21, 15 July 2008 (UTC)

COI edit request: update Reeds Rains article

I have a conflict of interest because I work for LSL Property Services, the parent company of Reeds Rains. I am therefore not editing the article directly and am requesting that an uninvolved editor review the proposed changes below.

Proposed change Please consider updating the Reeds Rains article to reflect the company’s current operating structure, services, ownership and corporate information.

Suggested replacement article text

Reeds Rains is a UK estate agency and lettings brand. It traces its origins to 1868, when Samuel Rains founded Samuel Rains & Sons in Manchester. The present Reeds Rains name was formed in 1982 through the merger of Samuel Rains & Sons and Reeds. The brand is owned by LSL Property Services and provides residential sales, lettings and property-management services across England, North Wales and Northern Ireland.

History

Samuel Rains & Sons was founded in Manchester in 1868 by Samuel Rains. After the Second World War, the firm relocated to The Crescent, Cheadle, in 1946. By its centenary in 1968, members of the Rains family remained involved in the business, which operated five branches. By the time of its merger with Reeds, the business had grown to around 25 offices. Reeds was founded in Preston in 1870 by George Wrightson and was later taken over by his assistant, Edward Reed. Following the First World War, Edward Reed’s sons Harold and George joined the business. The company was sold to Basil Crosley in 1956 and later expanded through a merger with Petty & Co in 1976. By 1982, it operated 16 branches. The two firms merged in 1982 to form Reeds Rains. In 1986, Reeds Rains was purchased by Prudential plc. The Reeds Rains name was revived following a management buy-out in 1991. The company later expanded through acquisitions, including the purchase of Britannia Building Society’s estate-agency network in 1998. In October 2005, Reeds Rains was acquired by LSL Property Services.

Operations

Reeds Rains operates as part of LSL Property Services’ Estate Agency Franchising division. In 2023, LSL Property Services converted its owned estate-agency branch network to a franchise model. Under this model, Reeds Rains branches are operated by independent franchisees under licence, while LSL provides support services including brand marketing, commercial support and IT support. The Reeds Rains branch network provides residential sales, lettings and property-management services across England, North Wales and Northern Ireland. Trade press has reported examples of Reeds Rains franchise activity, including the opening of a physical branch after an initial virtual launch.

Corporate information

Reeds Rains Limited is registered in England and Wales, company number 02568254. Its registered office is Howard House, 3 St Mary’s Court, Blossom Street, York, England, YO24 1AH.

See also

• LSL Property Services
• Your Move
• Estate agent
• Housing in the United Kingdom

External links

Official website

Suggested placement

This could replace the current article text, or alternatively the “Operations” and “Corporate information” sections could be added to the existing article while retaining the current history section.

Sources

LSL Property Services Annual Report and Accounts 2023: https://www.lslps.co.uk/uploads/media_file/Annual%20Report%202023.pdf?v=3045563

• Supports the statement that LSL converted its owned Estate Agency branch network to a franchise model in 2023 and provides services including brand marketing, commercial support and IT support to estate agency franchisees.

Companies House – Reeds Rains Limited: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/02568254

• Supports the company number, active company status and registered office address.

Reeds Rains official website: https://www.reedsrains.co.uk/

• Supports the statement that Reeds Rains provides estate agency and lettings services across England, North Wales and Northern Ireland.

Reeds Rains franchising history page: https://www.reedsrainsfranchising.co.uk/history

• Supports historical background about the origins of Reeds Rains. I recognise this is a company-operated source and have included it only for basic historical information.

Property Industry Eye – “Estate agency franchise opens new office eight months after virtual launch”: https://propertyindustryeye.com/estate-agency-franchise-opens-new-office-eight-month-after-virtual-launch/

• Supports the statement that trade press has reported Reeds Rains franchise activity, including the opening of a physical branch following an initial virtual launch.

Existing article references

• The current article already contains references supporting historical information including the Prudential purchase, the 1991 management buy-out, the Britannia Building Society estate-agency network acquisition and the 2005 acquisition by LSL Property Services.

Thank you for reviewing this request. CarlyCrawford (talk) 10:59, 10 June 2026 (UTC)

Sorry, but this looks largely promotional and removes information that is properly sourced. Also new information should be supported by sources which are independent: see WP:RS. We are not interested in material which has been sourced from the company. Are there any statements which are currently incorrect in the article as presently drafted? Dormskirk (talk) 11:33, 10 June 2026 (UTC)

I understand. Our main concern is that the current article is out of date, particularly since the business was franchised in 2023. Can I submit again, leaving the existing content as it is, but adding additional content related to the franchising of the business and how many branches there currently are? CarlyCrawford (talk) 11:43, 10 June 2026 (UTC)

Yes, but the additional material should be consise and drawn from an independent source or sources. Dormskirk (talk) 12:05, 10 June 2026 (UTC)

COI edit request: update Reeds Rains article

I have a conflict of interest because I work for LSL Property Services, the parent company of Reeds Rains. I am therefore not editing the article directly and am requesting that an uninvolved editor review the proposed changes below.

Proposed change Please consider updating the Reeds Rains article to reflect the company’s current business model.

Business model

In May 2023, Reeds Rains became part of LSL Property Services’ fully franchised estate agency network, after LSL announced that it would franchise all of its remaining owned estate agency branches."LSL franchises estate agency network". Investegate. LSL Property Services plc. 4 May 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2026. The change meant that Reeds Rains branches would operate as part of a franchise network, alongside Your Move and LSLi group brands, with franchisees running branches under long-term royalty agreements."EYE NEWSFLASH: LSL franchises entire estate agency network". Property Industry Eye. 4 May 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2026. Following the change, LSL said it would no longer own and manage estate agency branches directly, instead providing brand, technology, financial services, surveying and other support services to franchise operators. The wider franchised network comprised just over 300 branches operated by 62 franchisees under the Your Move, Reeds Rains and LSLi group brands. In February 2024, trade press reported that LSL had 61 estate agency franchisees operating in 306 territories.Hall, Robyn (1 February 2024). "No regrets for LSL as it powers ahead with franchise model". The Negotiator. Retrieved 10 June 2026.

Thank you for reviewing this request. CarlyCrawford (talk) 13:00, 10 June 2026 (UTC)

I have added a condensed version of this, without providing promotional detail on the expanding number of branches. Dormskirk (talk) 13:30, 10 June 2026 (UTC)

Thank you, but your condensed version is not quite factually correct. LSL already owned Reeds Rains as a brand. The change is that in May 2023 all branches of Reeds Rains, and all other estate agency branches of LSL became franchise owned. Can you please make is say the following:

"In May 2023 LSL Property Service franchised all estate agency branches across their brands, including all the Reeds Rains branches. As of July 2026 there are 26 Reeds Rains franchise partners with 102 branches across England and Northern Ireland." CarlyCrawford (talk) 07:54, 1 July 2026 (UTC)

I have reflected your first sentence. I cannot add your second sentence because the information as at July 2026 is not in the source cited (Property Eye). Dormskirk (talk) 08:48, 1 July 2026 (UTC)