A PROMINENT estate agency in West Devon has announced it is making five redundancies as part of ‘restructuring’ the company.

Mansbridge Balment, which has been trading for 50 years, says Tavistock sales staff are losing their jobs to give the business a more sustainable future. in the face of increasing costs and competition. The company thanks the staff and apologises for ‘having to say goodbye’.

It features 18 staff on its website, including nine sales staff and six senior staff (including an MD, directors and assistant directors). The cost-cutting comes as reduced numbers of customers visit its offices, instead researching properties online.

The business, which also has offices in Yelverton and Okehampton, prides itself on supporting community projects, including the Tavy 7 race and Princetown Youth Club.

Nick Henderson, Mansbridge Balment managing director, said: “In recent years the estate agency business has become more dynamic – the digital age has allowed things to happen more quickly and on a much wider scale than before. People buy and sell things in a very different way to the way it was done in the past.  

“Visitor numbers to estate agency offices have dramatically fallen away and much of the work is carried out via digital platforms – we expect to launch a new website ourselves shortly.  

“Estate agency remains a people business and, I think always will be, but the number of staff once required has changed and we have to work differently. Consequently, we will be restructuring the sales side of the business, and this will mean that, sadly, five members of the Tavistock sales team will be redundant.  I would like to thank them for their fantastic contributions to the firm over many years – we are sorry to have to say goodbye.” Mansbridge Balment will continue to sell properties in Tavistock itself, and across the area, with the lettings department remaining in Tavistock and sales centres in Yelverton and Okehampton.  

Nick added: “We will continue to offer the same levels of professionalism to buyers and sellers, landlords and tenants, that we have provided for more than 50 years now.”