Lending Solutions, also known as LSL, is the parent company of both Your Move and Reeds Rains, and forms the second-largest Estate Agent chain in the United Kingdom.[1] Formed in 2005 following its buy-out of northern-England based franchise Reeds Rains, the company also includes smaller subsidiaries such as Home Inspectors, Linear Mortgage Network, Homefast, Barnwoods, Chancellors Associates and Linear Financial Services.
In January 2010 LSL purchased Halifax Estate Agents made up of a network of 218 offices including 93 franchise operations based throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and was the country's fifth-largest estate agent chain. LSL is now the country's second largest chain, leapfrogging Connells, which is owned by Skipton Building Society.
Reeds Rains is an estate agent established in the North of England since 1868, with branches operated in a franchise format.[2] The company was founded by Samuel Rains, and currently operates 140 branches in most cities northern England and the Midlands.[3] It was bought out by the owners of Estate Agents Your Move in 2005, who formed the parent company LSL.[4] Reeds Rains form part of the fourth-largest chains of Estate Agents in the United Kingdom by number of offices.[1] The 2008 credit crisis has taken its toll on the parent company of Reeds Rains, with LSL reported to have closed 12 offices between January and May 2008,[5] in contrast to 2006, when house prices were on the rise and individual franchises in the chain were faring better.[6]