How a Letting Agent Can Help Landlords

by Naeem Khan airport transfers Letting your property can be a great source of income, but there are also certain legal requirements, such as carrying out gas and electrical inspections and maintaining documentation. A letting agent can take care of these for you, saving you time and money.

They can provide varying levels of service from tenant-find only to fully managed. These services can include rent collection, property inspections and even chasing up and serving notices for rental arrears.

Many landlords find finding the right tenants to be one of the hardest parts of being a landlord. This is because they want to make sure that their property is occupied by reliable people who will treat it like their own and pay the rent on time.

Letting agents Dundee can help by checking references, conducting viewings and interviewing prospective tenants. They can also advertise your property on various websites and in the local press, as well as providing brochures or photos to show to potential tenants. They can even offer a fully managed service, which means they’ll collect your rent, handle any maintenance issues and carry out regular inspections of the property. This is ideal for accidental landlords who don’t have the time or ability to perform these tasks themselves.

When choosing a Dundee letting agent, it’s important to shop around and compare their fees and services. Some agents will charge a flat rate for their services, while others will work on commission. Typically, small agents will be cheaper than bigger companies. It’s also worth asking what their marketing strategy is and whether they have any special offers available. Some agents will also provide a guarantee or legal expenses insurance, which will cover you if a tenant defaults on the rent or damages your property.

You should also ask about their vetting process. Some letting agents will carry out a credit check, while others may ask for copies of bank statements or personal references. You should also ask if they’ll be able to advise you on how much to charge for the property, and what type of tenancy agreement is best. It’s a good idea to use an agent who uses the Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement, which is legally binding for both parties.

It’s also worth looking at how long the agency has been in business and the number of properties they have rented out. Property management Dundee You should also ask if they’re members of any professional bodies or schemes, as this shows that they adhere to strict regulations and have the skills to deal with any disputes or complaints.

A full management service takes over all aspects of the letting process, including rent collection, property inspections, organising maintenance work and handling deposit disputes. It is the most expensive option and landlords will have to trust their agent to manage the property in their absence, but it can be very useful if you are busy at work or live far away from your investment.

Most letting agents offer this level of service but make sure you ask them to be specific about what is included in the fee. They may charge a set monthly fee or a percentage of the rent, which is then deducted from the rent as it is paid.

Letting agents can also help with the legal aspects of a tenancy, preparing a legally binding tenancy agreement and serving the correct notices to regain possession. They can also advise on how much deposit to hold and how to carry out reference checks and credit checks.


Once a tenant is found, the letting agent will take over all correspondence with them throughout the tenancy and be responsible for carrying out property inspections, check-ins and check-outs. They can also help with renewing a tenancy and drafting up new contracts, and will be the point of contact for any problems or queries that arise.

All letting agents must be signed up to one of the government-approved redress schemes and should display their membership details clearly on their website and in their branch. If they are not, it is worth finding a different agent as they could be operating illegally and you may have no comeback if something goes wrong. It is also important to make sure you are clear with an agent about who will be responsible for protecting your tenant’s deposit, so that it is properly protected and if any dispute arises you know what steps to take.

When a tenant calls the letting agent in the middle of the night to report a burst pipe, it’s the letting agents job to respond quickly. The letting agency can then arrange for an emergency contractor to visit the property and make the repairs as needed. They can also update landlords on the status of a maintenance issue in real time, which can help to foster a good relationship between landlord and estate agent.

Letting agencies can also be a great resource for landlords who want to ensure that their properties meet all of the required safety regulations. They can conduct a thorough inspection of the property and provide all of the necessary documentation to tenants so that they are fully compliant. This will protect the landlord from fines if their tenants are found to be living in unsafe conditions.

If a landlord is not happy with the work that their letting agency has performed, they can request that an independent assessment be carried out. This will allow them to review the work that has been completed and make any necessary changes. The letting agency can then send the report to the landlord for approval, and if they are not happy with the outcome they can terminate their contract with the letting agency.

Landlords are often concerned that a letting agent may not be keeping them up to date on any significant issues that their properties face, which is why it’s important for landlords to keep an open line of communication with the agency. A good letting agent will be able to balance this by responding to queries promptly and resolving any problems that arise as soon as possible.

If a landlord feels that their letting agent is not meeting their standards, they should contact the redress scheme or Client Money Protection scheme to find out whether they are legitimately operating. If they are not, it is a sign that they are not taking their responsibilities seriously and should not be trusted with managing other people’s property. A reputable agency will always operate within the law and adhere to their code of practice, which can be found on Rezi Premium.

If you’re not a landlord yourself but want to earn an income from your property, a letting agent can help with the rent collection and maintenance. They can also negotiate with tenants over bills and even handle any disputes that may arise. Some agents can even offer insurance that guarantees your rental income each month if your tenant doesn’t pay.

When choosing a letting agency, look for an ARLA Propertymark member. This is a sign that the agent adheres to the industry code of practice and follows best practices. It’s also a legal requirement that they belong to a government-approved independent redress scheme and have Client Money Protection.

You should also ask a letting agent about their fees. Since 1 June 2019, most fees charged in connection with a tenancy have been banned in England and Wales, apart from a reservation fee (which can’t be more than one week’s rent), an inventory fee and a charge to set up the tenancy agreement.

A letting agency can also charge an exit fee, typically to cover the cost of an inspection to compare the condition of the property to the initial inventory. However, these fees are only permitted if they’re refundable. Other fees you shouldn’t be charged include a fee to charge the electricity and gas on behalf of a tenant or a cleaning fee.

Letting agencies must be aware that they can’t discriminate against a landlord, tenant or prospective tenant on the basis of protected characteristics, such as sex or disability. They must also keep accurate records of transactions with their customers and make them available to NSW Fair Trading.

If you have a problem with your landlord or letting agency, don’t ignore it – you could face eviction. Instead, talk to them about your concerns and try to come up with a solution that everyone can agree on. If this fails, you can contact a housing adviser for advice. If you can’t resolve the problem, you can also complain to an independent redress scheme. Most letting agents belong to one of these schemes, which are designed to protect you as a consumer.

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Created on Oct 11th 2023 05:12. Viewed 86 times.

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