Rental Property Market Update Summer 2024
Rental Property Market Update Summer 2024
While house prices are experiencing modest growth, the rental market continues to see significant rises driven by the imbalance of high demand and limited supply.

We’re a specialist lettings agency built on trust and relationships. You can depend on us to take care of your most valuable asset, while maximising its potential in both the short and long term. It’s all we do, and we do it well.
Howard Morley & Sons have a legacy and a reputation for continuity, integrity, and exceptional service. Independent and owner-run, generations have depended on us for our knowledge, advice and guidance.
Your interests are paramount, so our experienced team work closely together to find you the very best tenant, not just the first. We’ll be open and transparent about our thinking, so you can have confidence in our recommendations. And while we’re polite and principled, we know that ours is a people business as much as a property business, so our warmth and good humour make working with us a pleasure.
Get a rental valuation
Find out how much your rental property is worth in the current market from a team who know everything there is to know about lettings.
Having heroically served as a Typhoon pilot in WWII, Howard embarked on a new mission in 1960. With determination, grit and a keen business acumen, he opened the doors to Howard Morley with the support of his sons, and later his granddaughter, to provide lettings services to landlords in Guildford.
Howard’s guiding principles of integrity, continuity, responsibility, authenticity, proactivity, and excellence were woven into the fabric of Howard Morley & Sons and still represent who we are today. His legacy survives through the everyday actions and decisions that define our company’s character.
As we carry forward his vision, we remain committed to upholding the principles he instilled, ensuring that the spirit of Howard Morley & Sons continues to thrive for generations to come.
These are Howard Morley & Sons values. They have been instilled in the business since we opened our doors more than 60 years ago. We believe this is what sets us apart and ensure we have meaningful, long-lasting relationships.
Integrity
Truthful, principled, with character;
we always try to do the right thing
Continuity
Consistency, longevity, loyalty;
we’re in this for the long haul
Responsibility
Commitment, conscientiousness, reliability;
we hold ourselves personally accountable
Authenticity
Genuine, legitimate, with candour;
we never pretend to be something we’re not
Pro-activity
Energetic, prepared, inventive;
we think ahead and take appropriate action
Excellence
Quality, over-delivery, class;
we hold ourselves to the highest standards
Being a lettings professional is a science and an art. On the one hand, we have the skills to market rental properties, attract the best tenants and negotiate on behalf of our clients. On the other hand, we’re meticulous at keeping up-to-date with changing legislation and the complexities that come with letting a property. We all work as a team too. So you’ll always benefit from our combined knowledge and expertise.
Nick Charnock
Managing Director
Following an early career in the Royal Engineers, where he attained the rank of Major, and armed with an MBA from Henley Business School, Nick has since navigated the business world for over two decades. With an entrepreneurial spirit, Nick has held senior positions on the board of renowned tech and property giants, spanning multinational corporations and SMEs. Determined and focused, Nick now channels his energy into nurturing client relationships and achieving exceptional results on behalf of the landlords he supports. Nick finds solace in family life, sharing the journey with his wife, Emma, and their two teenage daughters. To Nick, Howard Morley & Sons isn’t just a business, it’s a legacy he wishes to uphold with his family at his side.
Liz Gamlen
Lettings Director
Amiable, driven, and fiercely loyal, Liz has been in Lettings for nearly 15 years, exclusively with top independent agents. She provides bespoke services for landlords, excelling in marketing, tenant selection, and lettings compliance and legislation. Liz values long-term relationships, creative solutions, and the daily variety of her work. She thrives amidst the ever-changing landscape of Lettings, in which every day presents a new canvas of challenges and opportunities. Growing up in West Surrey, she adores exploring the Guildford area with walks, followed by a pub lunch, with The Crown in Chiddingfold as her top pick!
Hagar Hatchard
Property Manager
Methodical and organised, Hagar supports the running of the Howard Morley & Sons office with unwavering attention to detail. He has a genuine desire to assist and uplift others and always aims to go the extra mile. With 15 years working in the residential and commercial property industry, he now mentors emerging leaders of small businesses, in addition to helping landlords and tenants get the most from their tenancies. Whether swimming, skiing or diving, Hagar has an adventurous spirit, and finds solace in nature, relishing moments spent with his children.
Peter May
Associate Partner
Peter started work at Howard Morley & Sons in the early 90’s, after working as an area manager for a prominent local estate agent. Having worked with Howard Morley, and his sons and grandchildren, Peter has seen the business evolve over the years and helps to instil its values today. As a senior team member, Peter prides himself on taking a pragmatic approach to his clients and solving problems with an empathetic attitude. He is as active outside of work, as he is inside, playing squash to a high standard, fly-fishing, distance walking and completing a marathon on behalf of local charity, Chase, for which he raised £5,500.
Emma Charnock
Director
With a background in corporate events, Emma works as a freelance broadcast manager at major sporting events such as Wimbledon and has worked at multiple Olympic Games running the interviews at different sporting disciplines. In between her events schedule, she plays a vital role in keeping the Howard Morley & Sons office running smoothly. Emma has an energy and warmth that puts everyone at ease while helping to maintain office efficiency. With an inherent zest for life, Emma enjoys time with her daughters and their newest addition to the family – an energetic golden retriever – and together, they enjoy beautiful walks on Puttenham Common and Blackheath.
Join us
Everyone in our team works together to ensure we’re providing the best experience for our landlords and tenants. We hold ourselves to the highest standards, but like to have fun in between. If you’re interested in joining the team, we’d love to hear from you.
Join us
Everyone in our team works together to ensure we’re providing the best experience for our landlords and tenants. We hold ourselves to the highest standards, but like to have fun in between. If you’re interested in joining the team, we’d love to hear from you.
Excellent team at Howard Morley. Always helpful and prompt to respond.
Great team at Howard Morley & Sons....very attentive and helpful with any tenant issues. Highly recommended.
Nick and the team at Howard Morley & Sons have been thoroughly professional, supportive and pro-active with my house move. I highly recommend them as being a reliable and efficient. 10/10 thank you for everything.
Nick at Howard Morley has been excellent and totally professional dealing with my rental on many levels. Very efficient. I can highly recommend!
Had an amazing experience with Howard Morley & Sons. Was able to have a viewing on a Saturday which is amazing when you can't get off work. They are very quick to respond to emails and always helpful on a call. Highly recommend.
I rented a house through Howard Morley & Sons. They have been great agents, easily contactable and sort any issues quickly and efficiently. They negotiated the end of tenancy deposit return professionally and competently. I have dealt with a number of estate agents in recent years, Howard Morley have been the best.
Great service and attention to detail, as a tenant in a property managed by them I should know! Highly recommended.
A very professional organisation. First class communication throughout full term of our tenancy.
I had a very good experience with Howard Morley, who were very attentive and reactive to my needs to find a family home to rent for 3 years in quite a small search area. Nothing was too much trouble and the house was presented perfectly when we moved in.
We’ve rented a couple of properties over the years through Howard Morley & Sons so I like to think we got to know the team quite well. They respond quickly to emails and are easy to contact via telephone. They seem to have a good relationship with landlords and tenants alike.
Howard Morley and Sons excelled in their promptness, knowledge of the market, mindset, kindness and good energy when renting my house out. The property management department really made me feel that they truly cared when dealing with my property.
As a long-term landlord with Howard Morley & Sons, I am continually impressed with the speed at which they deal with any property issues and arrange for tradesmen to fix any problems for our tenants. The team have great communication with us and our tenants too.
Howard Morley has been my letting agent for the past 23 years. I would highly recommend this company for their polite, efficient and caring approach. They have found very good tenants.
We have used H Morley & Sons for many years to let our furnished apartment in the centre of Guildford. Every year they have always found us new tenants quickly and it has always been a pleasure to work with any of the team members.
Get a rental valuation
Find out how much your rental property is worth in the current market from a team who know everything there is to know about lettings.
We’re not a large, corporate agent, with a conveyor belt of properties. We care about each and every property and the people that live in them.
Experience
Our team is comprised of senior property professionals who really know their stuff – there’s not much they haven’t seen or handled before
Hands-on ownership
The owners of the business works in the business, so they’re motivated to ensure exceptional service every day, and can stay on top of the small stuff as well as the big decisions
Longevity
Over 60 years of business is built on loyalty and long-standing relationships – which in turn are the result of doing a consistently excellent job
Independence
We’re not part of a chain and not controlled by a remote board, so we’re free to make decisions that are in the best interests of our clients and our business, right here, right now
Recommendation
Don’t just take our word for it – 60% of our business comes from referrals, because our clients have no hesitation in recommending us to family, friends and colleagues
Being at the heart of our community is important to the team at Howard Morley & Sons. We make it our business to know each of our areas inside and out. Our work goes beyond delivering exceptional service; it also involves actively engaging with local initiatives that make a positive impact.
We are proud supporters of Shooting Star, who provide crucial support to families facing unimaginable challenges. Their children’s hospice in Guildford offers care from diagnosis and includes practical support, therapies, respite, family groups and events. Our support of their recent Ember Big Band event, raised over £11,000, which the organisers said our “generous contribution truly made a difference to the lives of our supported children and families.”
News and views
Rental Property Market Update Summer 2024
Rental Property Market Update Summer 2024
While house prices are experiencing modest growth, the rental market continues to see significant rises driven by the imbalance of high demand and limited supply.
A Landlord’s Guide to Letting Property with Howard Morley & Sons
A Landlord’s Guide to Letting Property with Howard Morley & Sons
Landlord guide to letting property. Everything you need to know to secure the best tenants in the market.