Q. I have decided to keep my current property as an investment rather than sell, and rent it out. Do I really need to use a letting agent, surely placing a small ad and finding my own tenant is easy enough?
A. Certainly placing a small ad and finding your own tenant is easy enough, but there is a lot more to renting a property out than meets the eye. There are a number of benefits that a landlord would benefit from by using a professional Arla credited letting agent. Firstly you need to consider the current legislation regarding rentals, agents are always up to speed with the latest legislation so you can be secure in the knowledge that the most up to date tenancy agreement is being used, as these are regularly looked at and updated. Deposits are also held in accordance with the latest regulations. Using an Agent will ensure that the highest rental yield possible will be achieved, this is possible as the property will be marketed using all the extensive marketing tools an agent has to offer. Agents also fully reference all tenants giving you further peace of mind; you will also find that tenants too feel more comfortable using agents. Most lettings agents also offer a full management service, which includes regular management inspections to make sure the property is being properly maintained by the tenant, a report is then fed back to you as the Landlord addressing any issues. Any maintenance issues are also dealt with directly leaving you as the landlord free to spend your precious time elsewhere. Void periods are often avoided on long term investments too as when the current tenant serves notice the agent immediately becomes proactive in remarketing the property to secure a new tenant as soon as the previous one vacates.