Pre Close Trading Update

LSL Property Services 03 January 2008 For Immediate Release 3 January 2008 LSL Property Services PLC ('LSL') Pre Close Trading Update LSL, a leading provider of residential property and surveying services, is today providing a pre close update for the year ended 31st December 2007 in advance of its preliminary results due on 27th February 2008. For the period, LSL estimates that:- •Group turnover is up by 11% •Surveying turnover is up by 21% (6% excluding Barnwoods) •Estate agency and financial services turnover is up by 5% The surveying division has made strong progress in the year, benefiting from the significant contract gains with Barclays and C&G which started in H207. Both of these contracts are performing well and Barclays surveying business has been successfully integrated into e.surv. These contracts have compensated for the significantly reduced activity levels arising from the recent liquidity issues in the banking market. In addition, there has been a surveying and administration headcount reduction of 115 full time equivalents. The estate agency division has seen volumes in H207 year on year contract by around a third. Accordingly, action has been taken to reduce operating costs including the closure of 12 under performing branches and a headcount reduction of around 200 full time equivalents since September. Our focus is also on increasing the fee percentage on listings, managing effectively the introduction of Home Information Packs and growing other counter cyclical revenue streams such as lettings. The operating profit * for the year ended 31st December 2007 will be in line with our expectations, revised at the time of the trading update in October. As part of a number of cost saving initiatives LSL has incurred one off costs of circa £1m as previously indicated. We are also reviewing strategic options for our conveyancing division, which continues to under perform and as a result will incur an impairment charge in the year of £1.5m. Market conditions are difficult to predict but are expected to remain challenging well into 2008. As a result of cost and income initiatives LSL is confident of its ability to maximise its profits through the cycle and expects the surveying division, which now represents a bigger proportion of profit, to make further progress in 2008. * pre one off costs and amortisation For further information please contact: Simon Embley, Chief Executive Dean Fielding, Group Finance Director LSL Property Services 01904 715 324 Richard Darby, Nicola Cronk Buchanan Communications 020 7466 5000 Notes to editors: LSL Property Services plc is one of the leading residential property services companies in the UK and provides a broad range of services to its clients who are principally mortgage lenders, as well as buyers and sellers of residential properties. LSL's main operations are its surveying business, which operates under the e.surv, Barnwoods and Chancellors Associates brands, its estate agency business, which includes YOUR MOVE and Reeds Rains, and its financial services business. For further information, please visit our website: www.lslps.co.uk This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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