A COUNTY Durham letting agency is celebrating winning seven awards in a national competition.

Bill Free Homes, based in Durham City, took home the prizes from The Sunday Times Letting Agency of the Year Awards 2016.

More than 500 letting agents from across the UK attended the awards ceremony in London.

Bill Free Homes manages more than 100 student houses in Durham and won two gold awards and three silver awards while director Sean Lawless was shortlisted for best lettings branch manager. Its sister company Elvet Estates won best newcomer.

Mr Lawless said: “This ceremony was a very special night for us and we were overwhelmed to receive seven awards – our biggest success yet at the most famous event in the industry’s calendar. We were back and forth from the stage so often that that we were starting to lose count by the end.

“As it’s such a popular, renowned event, more and more agencies enter each year, so it’s a real credit to our team that we’ve come out on top in so many categories, despite tough competition from across the UK. We’re very proud of everyone.”

The agency was also recently crowned Durham student letting agent of the year at the North East Student Housing Awards and won four prizes at The Estate Agency of the Year Awards 2016 in April.