Business Details
23 Years
experience
Your Trusted Partner for Property Sales and Lettings
Established in 2003, Gatekeeper has built a reputation as a trusted independent property agency serving Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, and Buckinghamshire. Our team combines over two decades of local market expertise with a centralised collaborative approach, ensuring clients benefit from both regional knowledge and streamlined processes. As a team of shareholders, we are personally invested in delivering exceptional service, with a proven track record of successful property transactions and long-term client relationships. Our unique structure allows daily collaboration in a central Witney office, followed by local property visits and client meetings, creating a balanced approach to property management. We prioritise transparency, evidenced by our proactive customer feedback system and membership in key regulatory bodies, including authorisation by the Financial Conduct Authority. With offices in Banbury, Aylesbury, Swindon, and Bicester, we offer comprehensive sales, lettings, and investment services tailored to individual client needs. Our 'Customer for Life' ethos ensures ongoing support throughout every property journey, supported by innovative tools for investment calculations and market analysis. Recognised for industry excellence, we maintain a strong focus on colleague development through profit-sharing schemes and career progression opportunities. This combination of local expertise, technological innovation, and personal accountability has earned us over 2,450 customer reviews, reflecting our commitment to property market excellence.
Services
Property Sales
Property Lettings
Investment Management
Property Valuations
Property Management
Served areas
- Northants
Details
- Year established: 2003
Highlights and features
- We have over 20 years of combined property market experience across our leadership team
- Our central office collaboration model ensures access to collective local expertise
- All team members are shareholders, aligning our interests with client satisfaction
- Proven track record with 2,456 customer reviews and industry recognition awards
- We offer transparent service metrics including average completion success rates
Associations and certifications
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
What people say
Excellent service
Dedicated team
Successful transactions
Local expertise
Transparent feedback
Services
Property Sales
Our property sales service combines local market expertise with collaborative strategy sessions in our central Witney office. We leverage 20+ years of regional experience to achieve optimal sale prices, supported by advanced marketing techniques and a proven track record of 96% completion success rates. Our team provides regular market updates and tailored advice to ensure smooth transactions from valuation to completion.
Property Lettings
Our lettings service offers comprehensive property management with a focus on tenant quality and property protection. We provide 24-hour emergency support for tenants, rigorous vetting processes, and dedicated property managers who ensure landlords receive regular updates and maximise rental returns. With average void periods below industry standards, we maintain strong tenant relationships for long-term success.
Investment Management
We specialise in helping clients build wealth through strategic property investments. Our service includes market analysis, yield calculations, and portfolio growth strategies based on 20+ years of market data. We offer smart calculators for return projections and provide ongoing management to maximise both rental income and capital appreciation across Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, and Buckinghamshire markets.
Property Valuations
Our valuation service provides accurate property assessments based on current market conditions and historical data. Available across all service areas, this service includes expert advice on pricing strategy and market positioning. The process involves a comprehensive property inspection followed by a detailed report with recommendations to optimise sale or rental potential.
Property Management
Our property management service ensures hassle-free ownership through proactive maintenance, tenant relations, and regular financial reporting. We implement regular rental reviews and property inspections to maintain asset value while providing landlords with dedicated support for all property-related matters. This service is designed to maximise returns while minimising owner involvement.
People
Vanessa Mclean
Director and Co Founder
Vanessa co-founded Gatekeeper in 2003 and established the Property Care Team in 2006. She oversees finance and leads IT and recruitment initiatives while maintaining part-time involvement in business operations.
Phil Kendall
Sales and Letting Director and Co Founder
Phil co-founded Gatekeeper in 2003 with retail sector experience. He focuses on long-term relationships and has held multiple roles within the business, maintaining an early-morning presence in the office.
Lucy Forde
Property Care Director
Lucy joined Gatekeeper in 2012 with banking experience. She develops business processes and ethos while leading the Property Care team to maintain our core values and service standards.
Dan Thorne
Sales & Letting Director
Dan joined in 2018 and became Sales Director in 2020. He leads the sales team and promotes customer-first culture while highlighting team achievements to maintain positive morale.
Sam Mawson
Senior Sales and Lettings Manager
Sam joined in 2020 with 10 years of sales experience. His supportive approach and attention to detail have driven sales expansion and team development across our service areas.
Questions
What makes Gatekeeper different from other property agencies?
Our unique combination of local expertise and central collaboration ensures comprehensive market knowledge. As a team of shareholders, we maintain personal accountability for every transaction while offering innovative tools for investment analysis and market insights.
Which areas do you cover for property services?
We provide property services across Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, and Buckinghamshire, with offices in Witney, Banbury, Aylesbury, Swindon, and Bicester to serve local markets effectively.
How does your property management process work?
Our management service includes 24-hour tenant support, rigorous tenant vetting, and dedicated property managers. We focus on protecting your investment through regular maintenance and proactive communication.
What valuation services do you offer?
We provide comprehensive property valuations with market analysis and pricing strategy advice. The process includes property inspection, market comparison, and detailed recommendations for optimal sale outcomes.
How do you ensure customer satisfaction?
We send surveys to every customer and publish results transparently. Our shareholder team structure ensures personal investment in every transaction, supported by our 'Customer for Life' relationship-building approach.
What investment tools do you provide?
We offer smart calculators for yield calculations, capital growth projections, and return on investment analysis. These tools help investors make informed decisions based on current market data and historical trends.
Reviews (36)
Sally-Anne Barnes
Jun 11, 2022
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Gatekeeper are very professional letting and estate agents. We rented our property via them and then sold it. Their sales process was superb and very slick especially through their recommended conveyancing team. Such a smooth sale, great service. Highly recommend the whole team.
Iain Grierson
May 27, 2022
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Very good agency. Everything you need to know explained, very efficient and easy to work with. Communication is very good. Pricing is very competitive to others on the market, worth using and would definitely suggest others use their services. Recently I had some issues with the tenant, which required a little diplomacy to resolve; gatekeeper went out of their way to resolve the issue with the tenant which was a relief to both the landlord and tenant.
Viktoria
May 11, 2022
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PLENTY OF FAKE REVIEWS! Avoid at all cost or it will literally be your cost. Check out the real independent reviews as well they generally score VERY badly (I wish I'd checked), if you ignore the blatantly fake reviews. In my case I found a property to rent and put the money down to take it off the market and secure it (as they described it). I got a phone call less than an hour later to say they wanted more money and this put it outside my budget.
They said the money I put down was non-refundable and tried to push me in to another property or lose my 150. I have lodged a complaint with the Ombudsman and Office of Fair Trading and passed the issue to a solicitor friend to deal with. Try Finders keepers or Chancellors. They have been much better to deal with and more professional and not welched on the deal.
They said the money I put down was non-refundable and tried to push me in to another property or lose my 150. I have lodged a complaint with the Ombudsman and Office of Fair Trading and passed the issue to a solicitor friend to deal with. Try Finders keepers or Chancellors. They have been much better to deal with and more professional and not welched on the deal.
Simon Bradleypoi
Mar 24, 2022
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A really brilliant lesson in customer service, both Phil and Harriet have been so helpful and have got the job done in just a couple of days. Can't speak highly enough of the team at Gatekeeper!
Sarah-Louise Miller
Mar 23, 2022
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Gatekeeper were wonderful when my husband and I were looking for somewhere to buy in Oxfordshire. Very efficient, kept us updated with text and email confirmations for viewings, and Hazel was wonderful when showing us around. Very friendly team, very nice people, and smooth and efficient to deal with. One of the best experiences we have had in our house-buying journey.
Sophie Taylor
Mar 22, 2022
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Hazel was more than willing to help me and my partner find a property, she went above and beyond to ensure we got a viewing. Thank you!
Bb Mansell
Feb 22, 2022
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The people at Gatekeeper have been nothing but attentive and lovely throughout the process of enquiring and viewing properties. Hazel especially has been wonderful at keeping us informed each step, and we have appreciated her honesty with us.
Indy-B.
Dec 24, 2021
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Gatekeeper are an exception to the norm, in their high standards of customer relations, integrity and reliability. Refreshingly polite, courteous and thoroughly knowledgeable of the property market in all its disciplines, including sales, letting and management services etc.
Kayleigh Franklin
Nov 06, 2021
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Hazel was very professional, very responsive to any email I sent over. She was very friendly, ensured everything went as smoothly as possible. Would recommend to anyone looking to buy/rent.
Victoria Phelan
Oct 31, 2021
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The lettings manager was prompt, professional, and approachable. Hazel stands out from the average estate agent. Thank you for a pleasant experience. Would use gatekeeper again.
Rhayanne Carvalho
Sep 18, 2021
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Great communication and no hassle. Everything was well explained and the steps were very straight forward. Would highly recommend it.
Karen Down
Aug 07, 2021
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Fully recommend Gatekeeper Witney. Harriet and the team managed my house purchase wonderfully, returning phone calls and answering emails quickly, which took a lot of stress out of the processes. Very much a personal service, done with care.
Josh Bennett
May 25, 2021
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Having bought through Gatekeeper for the first time recently, we were very impressed and grateful for their hard work, professionalism and approach. Phil at gatekeeper came recommended to us and we can see exactly why. If we ever sell he will be the first man we speak to. Very efficient in his work, his work ethic was impeccable and just an all round nice person. We have been on the property ladder for ten years changing houses on three occasions and without question Phil and Gatekeeper are the best we've experienced. Thank you all very much.
Adrian
Mar 21, 2020
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Hannah always gets back to us very quickly and corresponds by email and phone which I really appreciate. She reads correspondence thoroughly to understand our needs. She is honest which I appreciate the most because previous agents have not been and I respect honesty over convenience much more. Hannah is professional but friendly and approachable and always make me feel heard and trusted and doesnt doubt my intentions. She is doing a fab job of managing our property and I'm very grateful.
Christophe F.
Mar 12, 2020
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Tom was really helpful and polite. Felt that he listened to my comments and the feed back I have had since has been really pleasing
Joe Carew
Feb 05, 2020
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I have just completed the sale of my house with Gatekeeper and I have been massivelyimpressed.The team were always available even our of hours and gave me really detailed viewings feedback.The offer and legals processwas supported well and communicationwas good even up to and after my move out.Would highly recommend the serviceand a big thankyou to all the team.
Pat
Feb 05, 2020
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Just rented a propertythroughgatekeeperand I have been thoroughlyimpressed.Everything was easy when sorting viewings to the applicationprocess and inventory.Alwayskept fully up to date.Thankyou for a great rental experience
Sean Young
Feb 04, 2020
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Ive just rented my second home through Gatekeeper. The team are always available when needed and nothing seems to much trouble. They manage the relationship between the tenant and the Landlord well getting a perfect balance.
Rotaru
Feb 04, 2020
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Dan was brilliant and very helpful. He was very professional and gave very good advice definitely recommend Gatekeeper to friends and family based on the experience with Dan.
Fabio Lanave
Feb 04, 2020
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First-class service, friendly and very helpful, highly recommend their services, keep up the great work
Charlie Summers
Feb 04, 2020
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There have been a number of specifics for my rental agreement and process that are not very routine and Hannah has been helpful and quick in pushing through what I need. She has been understanding in my needs. She has also actioned my feedback. She has been very courteous and professional.
Devon Andrews
Jan 29, 2020
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My wife and I have just purchased our first home through Gatekeeper and I am very impressed by the service I have received. I previously rented and was also impressed then.
Cant thank the team enough for all there support and advice
Cant thank the team enough for all there support and advice
Carl J.
Jan 02, 2020
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Brilliant lady called Asheley, very helpful and dealt with every query we had.
Helped to make sure our move was as smooth as possible.
Helped to make sure our move was as smooth as possible.
Joey D.
Jul 31, 2019
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Phil was really patient with us and answered all of my questions. He is well informed and was very good at reading our reactions
Sophie R.
Jul 25, 2019
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Really helpful and communicative throughout the viewing process. Great customer service and fast to respond to any query.
Ben M.
Jun 25, 2019
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Cheerful, pleasant to be around, informative about properties yet not boring many estate agents are like watching paint dry..
Becki O.
Feb 12, 2019
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I sold my property through Gatekeeper with a tenant in place as I needed the equity for an extension on my personal property due to the extending family. It was very simple and the team pout in a huge amount of effort to get me what I needed. Very grateful and would absolutely recommend
Francis N.
Dec 11, 2018
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I employed Gatekeeper to sell my home in what was a well-reported tough market. I found them exceptionally hard working and detailed. The feedback was informative and insightful and the house sold fast which I'm sure was as a result of their hard work and effort. Much appreciated
Jodie S.
May 10, 2018
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Alex has been simply spectacular and an absolute pleasure to deal with. He is very pragmatic but always makes sure he gets the job done to a great standard.
Kenny N.
May 09, 2018
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Lucy was brilliant, I would definitely recommend using Gatekeeper to others on the basis of how friendly and helpful she was
Paula Giles
Mar 05, 2018
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Thank very much for your reports and general service. It gives me reassurance knowing that my investment is in your capable hands as you look at the property like it is your own. As you know I havent ever rented any property in the past but it shows that those that are responsible to look after the property should it be needed. You are certainly doing a good job.
David Mclaren
I've now bought twice and sold once through Gatekeeper and I am constantly impressed by the dedication and professionalism of the whole team. Can recommend to anyone thinking of buying or selling.
Paul Jeffries
Phil & Naomi sorted out my property Sale for me in the Aylesbury Branch. The central team also supported my transaction and the handover was seamless. I am selling off a few Buy-To-Let properties over the next few years and will certainly utilise their support again.
Wilson Gerrard
Having rented for 4 years with Gatekeeper I have moved on to a new area and new job. Through my tenancy the team were very friendly and informed. Always answered my questions efficiently. Many Thanks.
Steve Gardner
I have been a customer of Gatekeeper for many years now. Through my time I have sold a property and now I am Landlord. The dealings I have had with the team have been very efficient and detailed on all occasions. The online landlord account it very simple to use and makes it easy for me to see the financial elements of my account and doing Tax returns is very simple with that info.
Richard Crossley
As a first time tenant I am very impressed with the service I have received. The viewing I completed were simple to book and the communication was excellent (by text and email). The payments I had to make were well explained and that helped me and my partner budget for what had to be paid and when. I am very impressed and would certainly recommend.