A WHARFE Valley estate agency is celebrating after being crowned Horsforth’s best in the British Property Awards.

The sales and lettings service offered by the team at Linley & Simpson’s Station Road branch in the suburb scored highest when judged against 25 different criteria by a team of mystery shoppers.

Branch manager David Mear said: “There is no shortage of excellent agents in Leeds, so to scoop this award reflects a tremendous team achievement. It’s a fitting way to mark the 20th anniversary since we first opened our doors here in Horsforth back in 1997, helping many thousands of people move home since then.

“Linley & Simpson has a strong focus on customer service which is at the heart of everything we do. The awards were an ideal opportunity to put our approach to the sternest scrutiny from independent mystery shoppers over a period of months.”

The BPA’s Robert McLean said: “Where an agent has been attributed with one of our awards, it is simply down to the fantastic customer service levels that have been demonstrated across a prolonged period of time.

“Agents who go that extra mile, and have outstanding levels of customer service, are rewarded with our accolade. It acts as a beacon to highlight these attributes to their local marketplace.

“We judge agents on a town by town basis, ensuring that only those agents who meet a certain standard are awarded by our team. Should all agents within a given area like Horsforth fail to meet this, we make no award.”

“A recent poll suggested that just 25 per cent of consumers trust estate agents, making it the second least trusted profession. We passionately believe that agents who provide a fantastic service and go that extra mile for their clients, should be rewarded and highlighted for their endeavours.”

Linley & Simpson has a network of 11 branches across West and North Yorkshire and its offices in Harrogate and Wakefield also struck gold in their BPA judging areas.