Proptech business Symple is ramping up its expansion by doubling its pool of specialist contractors to 2,000 and investing £600,000 in technology to meet increasing demand for its services.
Symple is seeking to recruit 1,000 accredited and strictly vetted service providers – gas safety engineers, electricians and energy assessors – across the UK over the next 12 months.
The company, which was launched in May 2021, is an online platform for residential landlords, estate and letting agents and homeowners.
Symple, which operates nationwide from headquarters in Swinton, Greater Manchester and an office in north London, manages property certificates for single and multiple residential sites, including those for gas and electrical safety, boiler servicing, PAT testing and energy performance.
Its cloud-based platform is a one-stop shop which manages bookings for inspections and arranges for service providers to carry them out.
The recruitment drive for service providers follows continued strong growth for Symple, which now has a portfolio of 5,000 properties.
The company has also earmarked £600,000 for a software upgrade as it launches new services such as repairs and maintenance, taking the total investment in technology since its inception to £1.3m.
Founder and chief executive Simon Dresdner said: “Symple has seen continuous strong growth and now we are delighted to announce further significant investment across the business in line with our rapid expansion.
“We need to recruit 1,000 additional service providers to meet increasing demand and ensure inspections are picked up and completed quickly in all areas of the country.
“Our system is based on an Uber model, whereby service providers receive a text message or email about an inspection which has been booked with us, and can then respond if they are in the area and wish to attend.
“Our ease of operation, straightforward administrative process and prompt payment means it’s a very appealing proposition for those looking for an additional source of revenue.
“There is no sign-on fee, and contractors are free to make their own decisions about whether or not to carry out an inspection when it is notified to them.
“They love the model because they know exactly what they will be paid when they see the job come up, and that they will receive payment within seven days directly into their bank account.
“We support them throughout the process, ensuring they have all the information they need to get the job done quickly, with no need to raise invoices.”
He added: “Landlords, agents and homeowners also love the platform because it’s a one-click order system, there is no registration fee, and Symple manages the entire renewal process for certifications, including sending reminders when they are due and arranging inspections with key holders and service providers.
“We have a long list of services which they require, such as repairs and maintenance, cleaning, pest control and property valuations, which we are looking to add in the future.
“As the platform develops, it will be one that landlords will rely on to take care of any property-related service they need.
“To facilitate this expansion, we are developing our technology with a further investment of £600,000 as we increase the number of properties and contractors, and roll out new services to a growing client base.”
Symple is part of Kingsbury Holdings, the parent company of several service providers in the property and facilities management sectors.
The Kingsbury group includes Merco Facilities Services, a commercial cleaning business, and FCS Management Services, a business rates management company.