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Interview of Ben Hall
Written by the Landlord Today team
Ben Hall, Managing Director of LOFT

Who are you?

My name is Benjamin Hall and I’m the Founder and Managing Director of LOFT.

What services does LOFT provide?

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LOFT delivers value to property professionals, through service and design.

We provide a “one stop” furnishing solution, specialising in interior design, procurement, project management and replenishment - benefitting property developers and operators, landlords and investors, agents and property managers. 

LOFT operates nationwide, with expert advisors and distribution centres in London and Manchester. From a single apartment, to an entire development, LOFT has the scale and infrastructure to manage any size of project across the UK.

How do you help landlords and property investors?

LOFT helps landlords and investors maximise rental yields, minimise void periods and boost retention through intelligent interior design and quality furnishings. Quality furnishings often result in quality residents.

All our furniture comes delivered, fully assembled and installed, we also offer a removal, replacement and recycling solution for old, unwanted items. Our purpose is to add fluidity to the property management sector.

Does LOFT benefit tenants, too?

LOFT designs spaces that reflect modern life. We have a deep understanding of today’s transient lifestyle and the impact of design upon human behaviour. We are continually adapting, with community, co-living and human well-being at the heart of our philosophy.

Our “Next Day” replenishment service also ensures high quality customer service for residents, saving them time and money when purchasing and maintaining interiors themselves.

What is your greatest achievement in your current role and what made it so special?

I started the business in 2003 with a £15k student loan, so achieving £17.5m revenue in FY20 felt quite special. Our recent growth has seen LOFT become one of the fastest growing design-led interior specialists in the UK. It’s very exciting for everybody involved.

What is the most satisfying part of your job?

It’s two-fold and both of those things involve people.

Firstly, the LOFT team – I enjoy seeing people benefit from the platform we have created and watching them realise their true potential. Our focus is collaboration, bringing the right people together for the right project and making great things happen.

Secondly, our partners. We have a 17-year proven track record of maintaining excellent customer and supply chain relationships, with best-in-class operations and service. LOFT is a family business and we maintain family values when working alongside our employees, clients and suppliers. These relationships ensure we’re involved with projects from concept to completion. It’s very rewarding to be involved from the planning stage, helping to ensure our clients reflect their brand values through interior design upon completion. Our maintenance solution ensures this vision remains for long term.

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing landlords and property investors at the moment?

Landlords have had a rough time recently, the government must revisit current planning restrictions, mortgage interest tax relief, HMO licensing and stamp duty in order maintain the progressive development of the Private Rented Sector (PRS). 

It is likely that we’re entering another recession, which could result in a surplus of rental stock available in some towns and cities, and in-turn rents decreasing. 

Landlords must therefore ensure their property interiors are presented to the highest possible standard, in order to attract the right tenants and maintain a strong rental yield. 

What is your property prediction for the remainder of 2020?

An increase in renegotiating leases and the associated deficit in rental fees will mean that landlords will be seeking the best value when it comes to the furnishing and upkeep of their accommodation. They may feel that this has to be traded off against high quality interior design, but LOFT provides a healthy balance of both.

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