Linley & Simpson consolidates Sheffield presence with New acquisition

31st Jan 2023

One of the North’s leading residential letting agents has expanded its Sheffield operations just six months after launching in the Steel City, following the sealing of yet another acquisition deal.

Linley & Simpson has taken over the rental portfolio of independent agency Cactus Living, based in the riverside urban village of Kelham Island. The deal sees the total number of Sheffield rental properties managed by Linley & Simpson swell by about a third.

It also paves the way for the agency to relocate its Sheffield base from Queen Street into the bigger and more prominent offices formerly occupied by Cactus on Green Lane.

The Cactus team of staff will all transfer to Linley & Simpson, alongside its founder Howard Wade. He founded Cactus Living in 2008 as one of Kelham Island’s first lettings and property management companies, before branching out into Sheffield city centre and the suburbs of the South West.

“We are delighted to welcome Cactus Living’s clients and all its team members into the Linley & Simpson family,” said CEO of Linley & Simpson, Nick Simpson.

“This is a great opportunity for us, allowing us to extend our footprint in Sheffield and further progress our ambition of being the number one agency in the district. It is a great people fit too, as we welcome a team brimming with the same local Sheffield knowledge, industry insight, and high customer service standards on which we pride ourselves.”

He added: “Between both agencies, we pool almost 40 years of Yorkshire expertise in meeting the needs of tenants and landlords, sellers and buyers. This creates a strong platform on which to innovate and strengthen our customer service, as well as expand further through more acquisitions in and around the city.

“As lockdown restrictions begin to ease, this acquisition is a timely signal of our continued confidence in Sheffield and its all-year-round appeal as a place to live, work and study. With an ambitious programme of new build, a growing population of well over 550,000 people, an economy worth an estimated £12bn, and world-leading businesses, hospitals and universities, Sheffield is very much on an upward curve.”

Linley & Simpson opened its doors in Sheffield for the first time in December, after acquiring two independent agencies in England’s fourth largest city – the long-established pair of Lewis Wadsworth and Sheffield Residential".

Its Sheffield branch, which will continue to be managed by Kelly Boot, is one of 22 High Street branches across Yorkshire and the Humber. Founded by Will Linley and fellow director Nick Simpson in Yorkshire 1997, Linley & Simpson has grown from just two offices and a handful of staff into a team of more than 300 people. 

Having joined forces with Edinburgh-based Lomond at the turn of the year, it is now part of Lomond's residential letting and sales agencies across England and Scotland.