A landlord’s guide to finding the right letting agent.

So, you’ve got a property to rent out in the Southampton area?

Perhaps you’ve bought it specifically to rent out, or maybe you have inherited it and want to make it pay its way. Whatever your reasons, you’ve decided to employ the services of a local Southampton lettings agent to help you!

But how do you choose the right lettings agent?

We work with a lot of landlords in the Southampton area and we know that they need support from lettings agents just like us to help them become even more successful.

To help you make the right choice, the Lets Rent Southampton team have put our heads together and have come up with six tips for finding the right lettings agent.

(Of course, if you want to just give us a call now, that’s fine too! Our number is 02380 434448 or you can email us on enquiries@letsrentsouthampton.co.uk

1. What do you Want from your Lettings Agent?

Decide what you actually want from a lettings agent, and then check what services a particular agent actually offers. You might want to do most of the work yourself, with the letting agent simply marketing the property for you or finding a tenant. You may want them to completely manage the tenancy throughout. There are cost implications, and time implications too, but if you don’t know what you want, you won’t be able to choose the most suitable lettings agent in the first place.

Our Advice It sounds simple, but draw up a list of what you think you want a lettings agency to do. Then speak to several different agents.

2. Make Sure the Lettings Agent Knows the Area

It’s of paramount importance that your lettings agent knows the lie of the land. Do they know what type of property rents best in Southampton and do they know what sort of rent you should expect in Southampton? You want your agent to know what they’re talking about so that you benefit.

Our Advice Devise a series of questions that you can ask your shortlist of potential lettings agents. If they are like us, they will know the answers!

3. Is the Lettings Agent up to Speed with latest Legislation?

Being a landlord brings with it a number of legal responsibilities. Your lettings agent should make you aware of these so that everything is done by the book. You will rely on your agent to remind you of important legalities such as gas and electrical certificates so make sure they are fully up to speed on all the current guidelines.

Our Advice See how helpful a potential lettings agent is by asking if they know who to contact for gas safety checks and the electrical inspection condition reports.

4. How Efficient is the Letting Agent?

A great lettings agent will not only find you a good tenant, but they’ll be highly communicative and go through all the paperwork with you too. They’ll make sure that the right financial checks take place, and, if needed, the right to rent checks too. They will also sort out the contractual information like the shorthold tenancy agreement and the all-important tenancy deposit.

Our Advice Choose a lettings agent who knows their stuff, but one who can communicate well with you too so that you understand the processes involved with being a landlord.

5. What do their Reviews Say?

You don’t have to leave the sofa for this one! There are several review websites and social media platforms where people can leave reviews. Have a look and see what people are saying about particular lettings agents in Southampton. Check us out on www.theestas.com

Our Advice Most reviews are genuine, but just be mindful that on social media some reviews should be taken with a pinch of salt. Use your judgement well.

6. Draw up a Final Shortlist

So you’ve done your homework and you know what you want from a lettings agent. You know what sort of rent you want or need to achieve, you know what sort of level of service you need, and you’ve read the reviews.

The next thing to do is draw up a shortlist of two or three lettings agents and contact them.  Ask questions and see how they respond to you.

You’ll get a gut feel as to whether you want to work with them. We’re a great believer in dealing with people you can trust and comfortably do business with.

Our Advice Choosing the right lettings agent for you and your property is important; it has to work well for you.

Getting the right team on board is a surefire way to success. We’ve been helping landlords in Southampton for over 14 years, and we will be delighted to have an initial chat with you about your requirements. Call us on 02380 434448 or email us at enquiries@letsrentsouthampton.co.uk

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