Arun Estates

Arun Estates, an independent estate agency in the Southeast of England

Arun Estates presents itself as the largest independent estate agency in the Southeast of England. Its activities cover residential sales and lettings, mortgage brokerage, new homes and land development. The company operates through a network of over 100 branches across four brands and states it has over three decades of experience in the sector.

Estate agency and financial services

Arun Estates' range of services includes residential sales, residential lettings, property management for lettings, financial services, mortgages, insurance, new homes, land opportunities and property development. The company also offers conveyancing services through arrangements with external law firms.

The company has an in-house team of mortgage experts, Mortgage Matters Direct, which advises clients on taking out mortgages. It also has a dedicated land and new homes department, Arun Land & New Homes, focused on land and new home development in the Southeast.

Brands and geographic coverage

Arun Estates brings together four estate agency brands, each with a defined geographic presence:

• Cubitt & West: residential sales and lettings in Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire.
• Douglas Allen: residential sales and lettings in London and Essex.
• Pittis: residential sales and lettings on the Isle of Wight.
• Wards: residential sales and lettings in Kent.

In addition, Mortgage Matters markets mortgage and insurance products across the whole of the UK, and Arun Land & New Homes focuses its activity on the Southeast of England.

History and group structure

The history of Arun Estates dates back to 1981, when Paul Rooney founded Rooney & Co in Sussex. In 1991, Rooney acquired the Southeast region of Prudential Property Services and established Arun Estates with the brands Cubitt & West, Pittis and Wards. In 1993, Douglas Allen Spiro Holding Ltd was incorporated, completing today's group. In 1996, the lettings department opened and in 2000 the in-house mortgage team Mortgage Matters Direct was created. In 2005, David Lench took over as group Managing Director, succeeding Paul Rooney. In 2021, Aldo Sotgiu became group Managing Director.

The company has maintained its head office in Horsham, West Sussex, and operates as a limited company, Arun Estate Agencies Limited, with registered number 2597969 in England.

Training and professional development

Arun Estates provides accredited training to its agents in estate agency, lettings and mortgages. In 2009, Mortgage Matters Direct opened its own training department for staff professional development. The company also has a call centre, Biz-e, staffed by trained estate agents to answer property enquiries.

Community commitment

The company states it has raised over £16 million for charities and local communities. Its founder Paul Rooney and his wife Clare also established the Rooney Family Foundation, which has donated millions of pounds, mainly to children's causes, through individual and collective grants in the Southeast of England.

Location and contact

St. Leonard's House, North Street, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1RJ