Bumblebee Property, owned through Barnet Council, has opened its first shop at 26 East Barnet Road. Its fees, hours and £40,000 empty-homes grant link.

Bumblebee Property, the estate agent owned through Barnet Council, has opened its first high street shop. It is at 26 East Barnet Road, New Barnet, EN4 8RQ.

Until now the agency has worked almost entirely online. The Barnet Group, the council company that owns it, announced the opening on 1 October. It calls Bumblebee “the UK’s first local authority-owned estate agent”.

Who owns it

Bumblebee is a subsidiary of The Barnet Group. That company is wholly owned by Barnet Council, and also runs Barnet Homes. Bumblebee reinvests its profits in The Barnet Group’s services, according to the announcement.

The agency started out in lettings. Its history, from The Barnet Group’s own posts:

  • 2018: Bumblebee launches as an online lettings agent
  • May 2023: it starts selling homes as well as letting them
  • March 2024: it completes its first sale
  • May 2024: it wins Best in NW9 at the ESTAS customer service awards
  • Autumn 2026: the New Barnet shop opens

The shop was fitted out over the summer by AGL Construction Services, which The Barnet Group describes as locally based. The interiors were designed by FOCUS Agency Group.

Elliott Sweetman, group chief executive of The Barnet Group, said the shop “gives residents, landlords, buyers and renters a place to come for expert advice from a team that understands the local market”.

Fees and opening hours

Bumblebee publishes its landlord fees on its landlords page. All include VAT.

Service Fee
Let only 9.6% of the monthly rent collected
Let and fully managed 12% of the monthly rent collected
Lease service No charge
Deposit registration and protection No charge
Extra property inspection £50 each

The agency is a member of The Property Ombudsman redress scheme and holds client money protection.

Its contact page gives opening hours of 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. It is closed at weekends. It lists the areas it covers as NW9, HA8, NW7, N3, N12 and EN4. The phone number is 020 8359 3399.

Bumblebee also has a part in the council’s push to bring empty homes back into use. When we reported on that this month, the council said owners of long-term empty homes could get a grant of up to £40,000 if they let the home through Bumblebee for five years.

The council’s release placed the office in East Barnet. The address is on East Barnet Road, which The Barnet Group describes as the heart of New Barnet.

What it means for you

  • If you are a landlord, you can now talk to the agency face to face on a weekday. Compare its percentage fees with what you pay now, and check what each tier includes before you switch.
  • If you own a home that has stood empty, ask about the £40,000 grant before you spend money on repairs. The council’s empty property team is on 020 8359 5420.
  • If you are renting or buying, Bumblebee lists homes for sale and to let across the borough on its website.

House prices across the borough are on our Barnet house prices page.

Sources