Self-employed broker agency reveals plan for multiple franchisees

One of the first companies to promote the self-employed ‘broker’ business model has announced its first franchise agreement - and says there are four more to come in 2022.

Harding Green was set up to cover just the prime central London market back in late summer 2017. It was the brainchild of Nick Carter, a former Chestertons agent. 

Its commission structures for agents working under the brand - it calls them consultants -  range from 60 or 70 per cent, and extend to 80 per cent after a consultant has transacted over £120,000 in fees. 

Its first franchisee, with a separate office and to take on consultants, is Jack Graham-Lindsey who will be opening his branch in the first half of next year in London’s Little Venice, which also covers St Johns Wood and Maida Vale. 

In the 12 months since joining Harding Green as a self-employed consultant, the company claims Graham-Lindsey now has “an income well into six figures.”

Harding Green says it’s on the lookout for other industry figures wanting to have their own franchise: the company wants to have offices across the UK in areas such as Mayfair, East London, Surrey, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and Sussex. 

The agency claims to have one of the lowest overhead property franchise businesses in the UK, charging £5,000 to secure a location; it says it aims to have four more franchisees next year. 

A potential franchisee can initially start in their area as a self-employed consultant and convert their business into a franchise down the line.

“This will allow business owners to roll out the self-employed model to their local area” says a statement from the firm. 

Graham-Lindsey has been in the industry for over a decade, most of which has been with London-focussed agency Marsh & Parsons.

“I am delighted to have been given the chance to open the second Harding Green office, giving another base for consultants to work from. The brand is going from strength to strength throughout North West London, and this is the natural next step in both my own and Harding Green’s long-term growth plans.

“Since joining Harding Green I have been blown away by the commitment and attitude of everyone within the company from the support team through to the other consultants. For those agents who have the desire to make the move to self-employment, it is hard to know of another company that provides the same level of business support from day one. Something that has been instrumental in the growth of my own business to date.”

Harding Green Founder Nick Carter comments: “We are delighted to have Jack as our first Franchise business owner, this is the natural progression for top performers who want to physically own their own business, build equity and recruit a team. Jack is one of the best agents we have come across and has all the necessary attributes to make this new venture hugely successful. We have every confidence that Jack will recruit a team of ten plus agents by the end of next year to his new office.”