Why use a letting agent?
Why use a letting agent?
A letting agent has many advantages over letting a property yourself and can provide you with peace of mind when renting your property. Here are 8 reasons why you should use a letting agent.
- Getting the best rent available in an ever changing market. Your letting agent is dealing with rental values every day and with demand for rental properties at historically high level, rents are increasing in specific areas as demand for these areas or types of property increases.
- Experience in selecting the right tenant. Although agents cannot guarantee the calibre of tenant, they have experience in selecting tenants and asking the right questions to select the most suitable tenant.
- Obtaining tenants personal information and carrying out reference checks. Many landlords cut corners when letting their property themselves. They don’t like asking specific questions or when they feel happy with a tenant they do not follow through with obtaining and checking references.
- Some tenants don’t use agents. Some tenants prefer to deal with landlords who let the properties themselves as they are aware that landlords don’t carry out the same checks that agents will carry out.
- Save you time showing the property. This is an obvious one but should not be forgotten!
- Handling all the paper work. From collecting all the tenants details to changing the utility accounts and registering the tenancy with the PRTB, your letting agents handles a lot of tasks for you.
- Advice on landlord’s obligations. Regulations are changing on a regular basis and your agent will be up to date on any changes.
- Experience, experience, experience. An agent with many years’ experience may not have “seen it all” but will have seen a hell of a lot. The importance of getting a good tenant is especially well known to landlords who have had to deal with a bad tenant. An experienced agent is invaluable.