We often get potential new landlords who have never worked with a letting agent before. It might be someone investing in property in the area who lives further afield, or perhaps someone nearing retirement – wanting an agency to take the strain off managing a rental property for them. But just why is using a letting agent to your advantage?
One of the main reasons is the marketing potential – most letting agents will have a great looking website, use a range of social media platforms and use online portals like Zoopla. This means by using a letting agent to merely advertise your property, you’ll get a lot more exposure.
If you use a letting agent for more than advertising (tenant find and full management services) then you’ll also get a range of other benefits. One of these is the agent will be carrying out viewings, and screening your potential tenants (reference checks for example). Most letting agents will hold regular inspections on the properties they manage, to ensure no nasty surprises like damp or tenant damage.
On the more legal aspect, letting agents also ensure the certificate boxes are all checked off – the EPCs, legally binding tenancy agreements, deposit registration, gas & electricity safety certificates and more. You may also find that if your tenants become unable to pay the rent, it’s less awkward to have a letting agent deal with it, than knocking on the door yourself.
Of course, choosing a letting agent to work with and for you is very important, and we’d always suggest you do your research on who works by your beliefs and objectives. Not every letting agent is a perfect match.