The first 15 years of London House

1995 - what a different world then - no sat navs, just a good old A to Z and with Godfrey riding shotgun and colleague director and co-founder, Brian, driving, the intrepid duo covered the whole of the UK, never letting a client down and delivering all work on time. Back at HQ was Marjorie Woods, still our PA to this day, who joined us on day one, answering calls, issuing instructions to us, even helping to open the flat pack furniture in our first office!

Our first clients certainly showed faith in us and included Abbey National, Alliance and Leicester and Allied Irish Banks (a good marketing plan to start with the As) and I'm delighted to say they still remain valued clients, although the first two are now, of course, under the Santander brand. Today we have 220 national clients using our head office on a regular basis and many hundreds more using our network of franchised owner/managed offices locally throughout the UK.

Our network has grown steadily from 20 offices back in 2001 to the current 63 postcode territories covered from Glasgow in the north to Exeter in the south-west.

And what a difference new technology has made, not just sat navs to help us in the field but system driven automated distribution of work, the power of the web to aid investigation, emails on the move and photos flashed around the world in seconds.

We would not have been able to achieve this growth and our position in the market place without our loyal staff: Marjorie, whom I mentioned, Mark Blaber - our Business Development Director, Dee Kennedy - now with us for over 14 years, who previously worked in the administration department of New Scotland Yard, Sarita Chopra - previously in Thames Valley CID, Jacquay Oldham and Sally Culley. Our thanks to you all.

Two years ago we re-branded as London House International and have seen a steady growth in overseas instructions, both investigating debtors escaping the UK and from international clients needing our services here or further afield.

What else has changed? Well, legislation has changed, of course, there is more regulation and bureaucracy but one thing has remained constant - the need for our field based investigation services and validating information that databases simply cannot do - Do we trust that returned envelope that says "Gone Away". Throughout this period we have been pleased to play an active part in our two trade associations, the CSA (Credit Services Association) and the BFA (British Franchise Association) and we have developed excellent relationships with our professional advisors, not least our lawyers, Geoffrey Leaver LLP, our bankers, Nat West and our franchise consultant, Gordon Patterson from FDS, all of whom have supported us since the very beginning and, more recently, our accountants, Mercer and Hole.

And so, what lies ahead for the next 15 years - pensions for some perhaps, a paperless office, completion of our UK network and then London House International Spain, Australia, USA? (Now, there's a thought).

And finally, our sincere thanks to all our clients and friends. We really do appreciate your continued and valued support.

by Godfrey Lancashire and Brian Hughes