Who are you?

My name is Jason Harris-Cohen and I am the Managing Director of Open Property Group.

What is your company and what does it do?

Open Property Group is a professional cash buying company, buying any property in any condition in any location across England and Wales with our own funds. We’ve been operating since 2014 and have now made over 1,000 property transactions totalling more than £129 million. We have 150+ managed properties within our portfolio and an excellent satisfaction rating with our clients. We facilitate a guaranteed, fast and hassle-free sale off the open market.

How do you help landlords and investors?

As well as providing a property management service, we help landlords who want to easily offload any rental properties or portfolios, whatever the reason. We’ll purchase any buy-to-let for cash within a timeframe to suit the landlord and regardless of condition, tenant status and level of regulatory compliance.

How do you compare to other professional cash buying companies?

In an unregulated industry, we choose to be voluntary members of professional bodies like the National Association of Property and The Property Ombudsman.

We do not rely on finance to purchase property, making us one of the most reliable house buyers in the sector and able to exchange and complete in record time.  

We mandate no restrictive terms and conditions of sale either, never requiring our clients to sign any kind of exclusivity agreement. The only paperwork our clients need to sign is the contract of sale.

Finally, we are open, honest and transparent, encouraging our clients to meet the team – not necessarily in person, but certainly virtually to feel comfortable and reassured that we are real people who have knowledge and experience in the industry and who can be contacted easily.

How would you describe yourself?

If I had to choose one word, I would describe myself as tenacious. Some people think tenacity is a bad thing but my interpretation is that being tenacious is mostly positive. I always look for a solution to any problem, will never give up, even in the roughest of times – and there have been a few!

What’s been the biggest achievement of Open Property Group to date?

We recently reached a target which I never dreamed of achieving, completing our 1,000^th transaction since we established the company in 2014. We have also built a portfolio comprising more than 150 properties, creating much needed housing for tenants throughout England and Wales.

What is the most satisfying part of your job?

In addition to working with a happy team of over 15 employees, it must be seeing the relief and happiness of clients after the sale has completed. Selling a property or portfolio can be hugely stressful and when people need a fast sale, for whatever reason, this stress can be amplified, so its great to be part of the solution by offering an alternative method of sale.

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

The EPC changes planned for 2025 will require EPC ratings to be C for newly rented properties, further interest rate rises will result in reduced margins and increased costs for landlords as inflation continues to drive up everything from management fees to repairs and improvements. If we enter a recession, it is likely that we will see an increase in rent arrears too.

What is your prediction for the private rented sector over the next 12 months?

The Renters Reform Act will introduce some of the most significant changes that landlords have faced over the recent years. I expect that we will see further regulations, which will benefit larger corporate landlords and will create hassle for the ‘baby boomer’ landlords and accidental landlords. I anticipate we will see increased landlords sales as the cost of living crises escalates and landlords look for alternative ways to raise capital.

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Favourite room in your house?

Bedroom

Country house or city apartment?

Country house

Home, hybrid or office working?

Office

Favourite sport to play?

Golf

Favourite sport to watch?

Boxing

Homes Under the Hammer or Location, Location, Location?

Homes Under the Hammer