Meet Aaron Priscott, Lettings Director & Business Owner of Winkworth Kensal Rise & Queen’s Park

As you may recall, we recently had the pleasure of chatting with Stewart Boyd, co-owner and director of Winkworths Kensal Rise & Queen’s Park Estate Agents. Hence, we were delighted to meet with Aaron Priscott, their Lettings Director & Business co-owner, completing the dynamic duo, so to speak.

Tell us a bit about yourself?

I’m from Somerset originally, from a farming family. I was always keen to get to London and get stuck into work so when friends moved here, I took the leap. I’ve been living in Willesden and Kensal for 10 years now and love it.

I’m also a keen rugby player, an ex-ski instructor, as well as an ex-motor home salesman! Of course, as a Somerset boy I’m also pretty good to have around during lambing season…

And Winkworth Kensal Rise & Queen’s Park?

A friend of mine who worked in the Winkworth Willesden office recommended it to me and it’s where I learned the ropes. I’ve been with the business for over 10 years, working my way up from lettings negotiator to lettings director, finally becoming one of the business owners recently.

I like the franchise model, it gives me the freedom to run things as I see fit and has provided great career progression, but we are backed by the Winkworth name which has great brand awareness, is a trusted name and has more than 100 offices across the UK. It’s the perfect balance of personal customer service combined with scale.

What’s important to me is building strong relationships with my clients. We have been in the area a long time and want to be in around for even longer, and we know it’s critical to go above and beyond for our clients to keep people coming back. A stat I’m really proud of is that 75% of our lettings business is repeat business in latest 12 months which I think speaks to our client satisfaction levels!

Equally, we have been the number 1 in lettings for over 6 years running and recently won gold at the British property awards, which is a real testament to the teams’ efforts which was great to see.

What’s happening in the market right now?

The 2023 lettings market is really buoyant. By mid-January, our office had received more than 100% higher applicant registrations compared to the end of 2022, with a total of 700+ registrations. Key trends I’d pick out

Overall in London, the demand for rentals has been particularly strong, with new lets seeing an average annual rent increase of 17%, according to reports from Rightmove and Zoopla.

As can be expected with the external landscape, landlords are currently under pressure to raise rents due to rising costs and the shift from lower fixed-rate mortgages to less favorable tracker mortgages. Many landlords are opting to wait for interest rates to decrease. Interestingly, we’ve observed that 90% of tenants in the core and prime price brackets are choosing to renew their contracts instead of moving. They prefer to avoid the uncertainties and costs associated with switching properties.

Landlords who have decided to remain in the rental market are investing in substantial long-term improvements, such as new windows, kitchens, and bathrooms, to maximize the value of their properties.

The most significant growth has been observed in family homes and two-bedroom apartments in the NW10 and NW6 areas, with rents soaring by as much as 30%.

NW6 remains the most desirable area within our coverage, thanks to the allure of Queen’s Park and the local amenities it offers. NW10 has also benefited from the opening of numerous new shops and restaurants on Chamberlayne Road and College Road.

What are your favourite haunts in the area?

Lonsdale road is one of the best in the area in my opinion, beers at Wolf pack, dinner at Carmel and cocktails at Milk beach. I also love the Parlour, it’s great at the weekend for brunch and bloody marys. We’re spoilt for choice in this area. A hidden gem I’ve been enjoying recently is a walk down the canal to the Grand junction arms for lunch and then on to Paddington basin. It’s a nice way to spend a Saturday.

Contacts:

Aaron Priscott
Lettings Director & Business Owner
+44 (0) 20 8960 4947

Stewart Boyd
Director & Business Owner
+44 (0) 20 8960 4947

Website: www.winkworth.co.uk/estate-agents/kensal-queens-park

tel:  020 8960 4947

Address: 2, Bridge House, Chamberlayne Rd, London NW10 3NR

Instagram : @winkworth_kensal_queenspark

Opening hours:
Monday – Friday: 9am-6pm
Saturday: 10am – 4pm
Sunday: closed