Paul's enthusiasm is infectious and his attitude is fantastic. He epitomizes excellent customer service and sets an outstanding example to other colleagues while portraying the company's values and behaviors.
Graham Clarke, CEO, Buy As You View

The Buy As You View Band in concert. Until 2007, Buy As You View, formerly Just Rentals, sponsored the world champion band.

Paul Hodgetts, delivery and installation tech for UK rent-to-own company Buy As You View, has been named 2008 Employee of the Year. Hodgetts is celebrating his 14th year with the company.

Hodgetts hasn't missed a single day in 14 years. He told Wales Online, "There are times you feel a bit off color but I've always thought if you go into work your mind is concentrated on something and you get over any problem you might have."

2008 has been a banner year for Hodgetts. He won the national Driver of the Month award in April, national Driver and Installer of the Year award in June, and UK Employee of the Month in October.

"I have always tried to do my job to the best of my ability. I've always made the effort and it's all come together this year. It's been a marvelous year and I'm really proud of what has come my way."

Buy As You View chief executive Graham Clarke said, "Paul's enthusiasm is infectious and his attitude is fantastic. He epitomizes excellent customer service and sets an outstanding example to other colleagues while portraying the company's values and behaviors – all this alongside an impeccable attendance record during his 14 years with Buy As You View."

In a deal with private equity owner 3i and three banks - RBS, HBOS and Barclays, Buy As You View received $12 million in new financing in January of this year (see story). 3i financed a $200 million management buyout of Buy As You View in 2004. Former Buy As You View CEO Gillian Wilmot was featured in the May, 2007 issue of RTO Magazine, the rent to own industry's leading trade publication.

Buy As You View - Sponsoring the Arts: The Cory Band was formed in 1884. In 1920, the band gained championship status and three years later achieved the distinction of performing what is believed to have been the first radio broadcast by a brass band. In 1998 Just Rentals agreed to sponsor the band and the group's name was changed to Just Rentals Cory Band. When Just Rentals changed their name to Buy As You View, the band became known as the Buy As You View Cory Band. In 2004 Cory was removed from the band's name in appreciation of the continued support from Buy As You View. In 2005 the Buy As You View Band was ranked Number 1 in the World. Buy As You View ended its sponsorship of the band in 2007.

Formed in 1972, Buy As You View initially operated out of a single Rhondda valley shop with a direct sales team. By the mid 1980s it was retailing through seven shops throughout the Mid Glamorgan valley towns in Wales.

In the early 1990s the operation expanded throughout South Wales and opened its flagship store in Cardiff. However it soon became clear that Account Managers armed with catalogs visiting customers in their homes were significantly more successful at attracting new customers than the brick and mortar locations. By 1995 Buy As You View had closed all of its physical locations and relied solely on field sales teams.

In 1999, Bridgend, South Wales based Buy As You View opened its first regional office outside Wales, in Sunderland. The company now has field offices in Yorkshire, the Midlands, the North West of England and Scotland. Buy As You View's customer base has tripled since 1999.

Rent to Own Legislation in the UK

Buy As You View operates in accordance with the requirements of two key pieces of legislation - the Sale of Goods Act and the Sale and Supply of Goods Regulation and the Consumer Credit Act.

The Sale and Supply of Goods Regulations requires that merchandise must be as described, fit for purpose and of satisfactory quality at the time of sale.

The Consumer Credit Act 1974 (revised in 2006) regulates consumer credit and consumer hire (rental-purchase) agreements for amounts up to £25,000 ($36,700 US).

Among other things, the Act regulates the form and content of agreements, credit advertising, the method of calculating the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of the Total Charge for Credit, the procedures to be adopted in the event of default, termination, or early settlement.

The Act also requires that all retailers making regulated agreements obtain licenses from the Office of Fair Trading. To operate without a license, which is granted for a period of 5 years, is a criminal offence.