We are relocating to the UK as a family of 5 plus 2 cats. At the outset, we wanted to secure a rental property prior to our arrival.

I tried reaching out to estate agents directly via Rightmove Ads but without success. Estate agents are not very keen on dealing with you remotely, and most would require you to book an in-person viewing to display genuine interest. Have pets also added to the challenge. With the property market (rental and buying) being ultra-competitive in many areas in the UK at the moment - I quickly realised this task was next to impossible with me not being on the ground.

We were lucky enough to be connected with the BNO Agency, via a friend - also a British Born Chinese (BBC) who has known Bo personally for a long time. Bo and Aaron are very friendly and professional. As soon as we engaged them, we had a quick chat to discuss our situation and requirements, and they went to work! Within a few days, they already managed to secure several viewing appointments. After each viewing, they provided photos and videos and their feedback on the property, location, and surroundings. Their feedback was always neutral and honest and did not hold back from pointing out potential negatives. We ended up submitting applications for 2 properties and were successful in the second one, all thanks to their quick thinking and action. This was all done within 2 weeks from our initial conversation.

After securing our rental property, we went further to enlist their help to get things ready for our 10-day mandatory at-home quarantine. They helped us take deliveries of online purchases like mattresses, Ikea, homeware, shopped for groceries from local and Chinese supermarkets and arranged the airport transfer before our arrival. They even managed to help us purchase a car (again, not as easy as I thought it would).

Things I valued the most was Bo and Aaron's local insights and knowledge of how things work. Being BBCs they understand our culture and mindset while knowing how to deal with and getting the best out of local suppliers and agents. They were able to offer advice and suggestions, which helped tremendously with our decision making. They are also very responsive and thorough in their communications. Always acted with a sense of urgency; they were proactive in following up with agents/vendors to ensure things were on track and completed on time.

Relocating to the UK was one of the most complex endeavours I have personally undertaken, particularly with a big family and during the pandemic. Having The BNO Agency's help to get the living essentials settled on the other side of the planet definitely took away a lot of stress and uncertainty from the whole process. Bo and Aaron are very easy to work with, and everything went smoothly and efficiently. I highly recommend their services!