Why Do Tenants Prefer Letting Agents To Landlords?

If you’ve recently become a landlord and are wondering why you’re finding it so difficult to find tenants, it could be down to the simple fact that tenants prefer dealing with letting agents. But why?

For tenants, certain things matter to them, and more often than not, those things that are important to them, simply don’t exist when dealing with a landlord. As a result, a lot of tenants prefer to find properties to rent through a Letting Agents in Derby, where all of their needs are covered, such as those listed below:

Trust

A landlord could be anyone, but a letting agent has an established client base, an office, and often, a team of people working for them to support tenants and their needs. this automatically makes them more trustworthy to a tenant, and trust is a huge selling point in the property rental industry. 

Safety and quality of life

Whether a tenant will be living alone, or with their family, they want to know that the property they plan to rent is safe and fit for purpose, and that living in it will fulfil their needs. Reputable letting agents who are fully accredited will abide by the law and ensure that all of their properties are safe, and meet all necessary standards required for a rental property. 

Aside from safety, tenants also have a right to feel comfortable in their home, and to know that everything is functioning and not in need of repair. Landlords often have to be chased to fix things, and may not fully consider a tenants comfort levels when renting a property to them that may not be of a high enough standard. And while there are plenty of reputable landlords out there, they can’t be relied upon in the same way as a letting agent when it comes to guaranteeing the safety, comfort and functionality of a property. 

Peace and quiet

One term used in property law that you may or may not be familiar with, is ‘quiet enjoyment.’ While landlords have a duty to uphold this, many either ignore it, or fail to do so following a lack of understanding about property law. 

Quiet enjoyment simply means that a landlord should not interfere with the rights of a tenant to enjoy the property they’re currently letting, and neither they, nor anyone working for them, should hassle tenants at any time. Should a landlord need to inspect a property (which they have every right to do), they must do so only after agreeing upon a day and time with the tenant, and it usually requires a minimum of 24 hours’ notice. 

A letting agent will never turn up unannounced on a tenant’s doorstep, and will always schedule inspections and meetings well in advance. 

Detachment

A lot of tenants prefer not to have deal with their landlord directly, especially when it comes to reporting repairs or breakages. If you’re dealing with letting and management agents, on the other hand, everything can be reported to them, giving tenants a welcome buffer. 

Professionalism

Then there is simply the air of professionalism provided by a letting agent that a landlord simply cannot replicate. Tenants want to feel that they’re renting a property that will be trouble-free, and which will meet all of their needs, and since letting agents value their reputation, they will do their utmost to keep their service professional.

Letting your property through an agency is the best way not only to attract tenants quickly, but to attract the type of tenant who is more likely to respect the property and pay their rent on time. Ultimately, whether you’re a landlord or a tenant, letting agents hold the key (pun intended!) to a fruitful letting experience!