In 2003, an idea started to form about a new approach to lettings & property management, in fact, agency as a whole. A few months later, on 24th May 2004, we opened the doors of base property specialists and they have been open ever since.
An & Kristjan met at an agency that taught us so much, mainly a very long list of things we felt that agency should NOT be. An had started in lettings in 1997, whereas Kristjan had just started his career the year before (2002). Our shared values of honesty, integrity, transparency and quality meant we quickly bonded and led to us asking why these values were often 'missing' from the UK estate agency industry.
As both employees and renters, we felt that agency was broken. Landlords were short-changed with onerous terms, basic offerings, poor communications and little (if anything) resembling 'true service'. Tenants, meanwhile, were all too often treated as some sort of unavoidable 'inconvenience' whilst simultaneously being charged hundreds (if not thousands) of pounds in erroneous 'tenant fees'. Everyone deserved better- owners, residents and agents too- so we set about creating it.
And so, the idea of base was born. An agency that placed transparency, communication, expertise, fairness, equality, inclusivity and empathy at its very heart. An agency where owners (landlords) and residents (tenants) were treated with dignity, respect and equality. An agency where our only 'targets' are the joyful satisfaction of our customers. An agency that we would want to landlord with, rent through or join. That vision has since evolved to embrace technology and innovation, but the core values still underpin every aspect of the business as we continue to challenge what the very best of agency looks like.
Shoreditch established a strong reputation with innovators, disruptors, artists, creatives, designers and entrepreneurs in the 1990's. Some argue this started way before then with William Shakespeare and the birth of English theatre as we know it today! The blend of business, creativity, tech, transport and a rebellious attitude to go with it, made Shoreditch the obvious home for base. Shoreditch has created a lot of inspiration within base and has been a vital component in creating the agency you see today. We couldn't see base 'living' anywhere else.
