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Graduate careers launched
RICS registered surveyors
Valuation every 25 seconds
million turnover in 2019
The e.surv story
The e.surv story began in 1989 when, as GA Valuations, we formed a subsidiary of general insurance provider, General Accident.
In 1992, the valuation business was separated from the company’s estate agency division and in 1999, on the cusp of a new millennium, we rebranded as e.surv Chartered Surveyors.
General Accident (then known as CGU) merged with Norwich Union in 2000 – the same year that we took our first valuation booking over the internet. We’ve been tracking and reporting everything online ever since.
Of course, what seemed like futuristic technology back then now forms part of daily life, but that hasn’t stopped us from trying to find new and better ways of doing the things that make a difference to our customers.
It wasn’t until 2004 that e.surv and our sister company, Your Move, left Norwich Union, and LSL Property Services PLC was formed. The Group continued its expansion through the acquisition of Reeds Rains Estate Agency, Homefast Property Lawyers, St Trinity Asset Management (formerly Halifax Corporate Services) and Templeton LPA.
In 2006, LSL Property Services plc was listed on the UK Stock Exchange in a £220m flotation and today, it remains one of the country’s leading providers of residential property services.
And e.surv? We’ve remained profitable despite experiencing some of the worst conditions in the UK housing market for over 25 years and have gone on to win award after award within our industry.
We’re very proud of the award-winning business we’ve built, and of the people we call clients and colleagues. Given our success to date, imagine what we can achieve together in the future…
Our people
Steve Goodall
Managing Director
Steve joined e.surv in January 2021 and brings a wealth of industry experience to our business. Prior to his role as Chief Executive of ULS Technology PLC, Steve was Managing Director of Legal & General Surveying Services (“LGSS”). At ULS, Steve was instrumental in increasing the Group’s intermediary users of its conveyancing marketplace platform, while developing and implementing its transformative DigitalMove technology. At LGSS, Steve delivered a ten-fold increase in business, conceiving, developing, and delivering its property risk management proposition. In recognition of his contribution to the property industry, Steve was awarded an honorary RICS Fellowship in 2012.
Russ Hewitt
Operations Director
Russ joined e.surv as Operations Director in 2014 and is responsible for service delivery to clients of the business. Russ has wide-ranging experience of leading large transformational change programmes in multiple sectors having previously worked in senior roles in the banking, telecoms, utilities and business services sectors.
Richard Sexton
Business Development Director
Richard is the longest-serving member of the e.surv Board, having joined the LSL Property Services Group in 1991. Following a career in sales, Richard has held a number of management positions in the Group’s property services, asset management, and valuation divisions. Widely recognised as, ‘the face of e.surv’, Richard is a respected media commentator in both mainstream and trade press.
Richard Smith
Risk and Governance Director
Richard joined e.surv in December 2020 as Interim Risk and Governance Director. A qualified accountant, Richard has held a number of senior roles and brings to e.surv a wealth of experience of different challenges and organisational cultures. Specialising in the design, implementation and management of risk and governance frameworks, Richard has prior experience of managing a wide range of risk management activities, including financial crime, GDPR and Data Protection, Cyber Security, Business Continuity and Resilience, Compliance Monitoring and Advisory.
Greig Barker
Finance Director
With over 17 years’ experience in the property services industry, Greig joined e.surv as Finance Director in November 2019 from his role as Operations and Finance Director with LSLi Estate Agency. Between 1995 and 1999, Greig worked in the Accounts team with GA Valuation Services, the predecessor of e.surv, before undertaking a range of international roles within Procter & Gamble. In 2007, Greig re-joined LSL to help set up the Corporate division of the LSL Group.
Bridget Charlton
Head of H.R.
Bridget began her career in 1992 as an HR Systems Graduate with GA Property Services. Having achieved the CIPD qualification in 1995 and following a series of HR roles within the LSL Group, Bridget was promoted to Head of HR LSL Corporate Services and in 2013, joined e.surv as Head of HR Surveying. With extensive experience of all HR matters, including employee relations, TUPE and Organisational Design, Bridget is the HR advisor to the e.surv Senior Management Team, and has a senior role within the LSL Group Corporate HR Team.
Emma Short
Head of Communications
With over 20 years’ experience in corporate communication, Emma joined e.surv in 2015, having previous held senior communications positions with global design, engineering and project management consultancy, Atkins, and Irish food manufacturing giant, Kerry Foods. Formerly a freelance copywriter, she’s experienced life on both sides of the corporate and agency divide and brings her passion for value-driven brand marketing to our internal and external communications.
Justin Twomey
Propositions Director
A Chartered Building Surveyor with a master’s degree in project management, Justin re-joined e.surv in 2010 from a role in commercial surveying. Originally an operational surveyor with e.surv, Justin's previous roles include Head of Property Development for the Youth Hostel Association and Design Manager at Atkins - working on Government construction projects. Justin re-joined e.surv as a Senior Surveying Quality Manager in our Risk and Governance function and played a fundamental role in the development and launch of the Remote Valuation solution. In 2018, he was appointed to the role of Account Manager for Lloyds Banking Group and then Propositions Director in 2020.
Our awards and accreditations
2019
Equity Release Awards: Best Surveyor
Mortgage Finance Gazette Awards: Best Surveying Firm
2020
Mortgage Strategy Awards: Winner – Best Surveyor / Valuer
Mortgage Finance Gazette Awards: Highly Commended – Best Surveying Firm
What Mortgage Awards: Highly Commended – Best Survey Provider
ISO 45001: Occupational Health and Safety
ISO 9001: Quality Management (re-accreditation)
2021
ISO 22301: International Standard for Business Continuity
Our purpose, vision and values
PURPOSE
VISION
VALUES
We deliver what we promise, when we promise it
We know that for each homebuyer, a survey is a very personal matter. For that reason, we don’t think of our services as simple transactions – we think of them as promises. We apply our passion for property to every case, placing our customers at the heart of every decision we make, every product we design and every process we introduce.
We put our customers – and their needs – first
We build trusted and valued relationships with our clients and partners, most of whom we’ve worked with for many years. Our approach to customer service delivery and innovative product development reflects the needs and values of our clients. And by employing the best people in the market who share our passion, we continue to meet – and exceed – the needs of the market and deliver an efficient and cost-effective service.
We take an honest approach to business
As a regulated business, we have a responsibility to operate legally, ethically and transparently, maintain professionalism at all times, and test everything we do against the standards that matter to both us and our customers.
We listen, learn, and find better ways to make a difference
Our ability to meet our customers’ needs relies on our people being confident and competent in delivering an excellent service. We’re driven by feedback from our clients, customers and colleagues, and we’re specialists in turning opinions and ideas into positive action.
Our environment
We’re committed to working in a way that both respects and protects our environment and reduces carbon emissions. That’s why we always email our reports to you (although you can request a paper copy at an additional cost) and when we produce printed literature, we use paper from sustainable forests.
And, as we’re conscious of all the miles our surveyors rack up as they travel around the UK, the carbon emissions of our main car fleet are capped at 130g/km.
Our corporate charity
We’ve spent almost 30 years helping customers to purchase their dream home. So when it came to nominating a good cause to support, Coming Home was an obvious choice. Coming Home is the Haig Housing Trust’s fundraising campaign to provide specially adapted homes for severely wounded ex-service personnel.