We’re delighted to share that Preferential Properties has been named the 2025–2026 Gold Winner for Letting Agent in Sutton Coldfield at the British Property Awards. On top of that, we’ve also been recognised as the Regional Bronze Winner for Letting Agent in the West Midlands (Staffordshire & Warwickshire). Both awards were earned through an extensive, independently run judging process focused entirely on customer service, and we’re proud of every member of the team who made this possible.
What the British Property Awards Are
The British Property Awards are one of the most widely participated industry recognition schemes in the UK. What sets them apart from many other awards is straightforward: agents don’t pay to enter. There are no nomination fees, no submission packages, and no shortlisting costs. This open approach means the scheme typically judges over 90% of agents that meet its minimum criteria at a local level, making the results genuinely representative of the market.
Judging is carried out through mystery shopping, with each agent assessed against a strict 25-point criteria. Crucially, this isn’t a snapshot. The process runs over a prolonged period, which means agents can’t perform well on one occasion and coast through the rest of the time. Consistent, high-quality service is what gets recognised, and that’s what the award is designed to measure.
Agents are assessed on a town-by-town basis. If no agent in a given town meets the required standard, no award is given at all. That makes a Gold win in Sutton Coldfield a meaningful result, not a participation trophy.
What the Judging Looked At
The 25-point mystery shopping criteria covers a range of scenarios, communication channels, and time periods. Assessors look at how enquiries are handled, how quickly and clearly agents respond, and whether the service delivered matches what’s promised. The process is designed to reflect the experience of a real landlord or tenant going through the process of letting a property, from the first contact right through to follow-up.
The areas assessed include:
- Speed and quality of responses to initial enquiries
- Knowledge and accuracy of information provided
- Professionalism across different communication methods
- Consistency of service across multiple contact points
- How agents handle more complex or detailed questions
Because the judging runs across different scenarios and time periods, there’s no way to game it. The only way to score well is to deliver a reliably good service, every time.
What This Means for Our Clients
A recent poll found that just 25% of consumers trust estate agents, making it one of the least trusted professions in the UK (British Property Awards, 2025). That’s a challenging backdrop for any agent, and it’s one reason we believe independent recognition of this kind matters. It gives landlords, tenants, and sellers an external, evidence-based reason to feel confident in the agent they’re working with.
For landlords considering letting their property through us, or tenants looking for a reliable point of contact, this award reflects the standard of service you can expect. Not because we say so, but because an independent body spent months testing it.
The Regional Bronze recognition at West Midlands level adds further context. Sutton Coldfield sits within a competitive regional field covering Staffordshire and Warwickshire, and being recognised at that level confirms the Gold win wasn’t simply a result of a weaker local field.
National Shortlisting
Following the local and regional results, Preferential Properties has now been shortlisted for a number of national awards as part of the British Property Awards programme. The national stage draws from the strongest performers across every town and region judged throughout the scheme, so reaching this point is a further mark of how the team performed during the judging period. The national results will be announced shortly.
A Note on Our Team
Awards like this don’t happen because of one person or one good week. The judging period is extended specifically to test whether high standards are maintained over time, and that requires every member of the team to show up consistently. We’re grateful to our staff, and equally to the landlords and tenants who’ve trusted us with their properties and their moves. The relationships we build locally are what make this kind of recognition possible.
Preferential Properties has been based in Sutton Coldfield since our incorporation in 1999. More than two decades of local experience shapes how we handle every instruction, and we think that depth of knowledge shows in the results.
If you’re a landlord looking for a letting agent you can rely on, or a tenant in search of a straightforward, professional service, we’d be glad to talk through how we can help. Get in touch with the team at Preferential Properties to find out more.
