LiFE Residential is celebrating its 20th year of trading: that’s two decades of serving residential property in the new-build development market. Leading up to 2nd of November, when, 20 years ago, we let our first flat, we’ll be running a series of articles about the LiFE journey, experienced by our staff and clients. Today, we sat down with our Head of Finance Peter Boon and Head of Client Accounts Teresa Duarte, to discuss how LiFE came to be 'not your typical high street estate agent'.  

From our beginning in 2000 to the present, LiFE prides itself on not being a typical high street estate agent. This is the fact that our Head of Client Accounts, Teresa Duarte, who has began her LiFE journey as a receptionist in 2010, is most proud of. 'We genuinly care about the tenants, it's their home; we genuinly care about the landlords, we know it's a major investment for them,' says Duarte. 

Listen to Teresa below by clicking on the video. 

Peter Boon, Head of Finance, also finds this to be a great strength of LiFE, having worked at the company since its conception in 2000. Boon has seen things change and grow at LiFE, but the unique aspect of LiFE relationships with its clients and partners has stayed the same. “LiFE Residential is synonymous with uniqueness,” he says.  

Listen to Peter below by clicking on the video. 

We believe in being where our clients are, so we're able to assist them with any aspect of their LiFE. That’s why many of LiFE branches are based on-site property developments across London. LiFE Residential’s first branch back in 2000 was located on-site at Parliament View in Lambeth, and was also the first development whose properties LiFE dealt with and still deals with, 20 years later. 

LiFE founders Jonathan Werth and Jason Dienaar with staff at the first LiFE Christmas party in 2000.

As our team grew, we moved on from our Parliament View office, but our proximity to our developments has stayed the same. With on-site branches like Royal Wharf, Greenwich and Nine Elms Riverside to name a few, our staff are best placed to let, manage and sell properties in the area and across the wider city.

During 20 years, we grew from just 3 staff at our first office at Parliament View, to almost a 100 staff at head office in West London, and 170 staff across London.

We believe that our clients are able to trust us, knowing that their asset is safe in the hands of a team who know the area and the properties inside out. We may not be based on the high street, but we’re better placed to take care of our clients and their properties with our 10 branch network across Zones 1-6. And taking care of our clients and properties, whether that be a tenant or landlord, buyer or seller, studio, apartment or house, is the most important thing to us, and what we’re here to do.