12 Reasons to Use a Letting Agent to Manage Your SE18/SE28 Property

12 Reasons to Use a Letting Agent to Manage Your SE18/SE28 Property

In this two-minute read, we look at the benefits of using a letting agent to manage your rental property (part one of a two-part series).

Almost every landlord has weighed up the merits of self-managing their rental property versus using a letting agent. After all, why pay someone to do something you do yourself, eh?

It’s a reasonable enough question to which we have an emphatic answer: there are many reasons to get an expert to manage your investment property (we can think of at least 12).

It makes sense from a financial point of view (as we’ll explain in this article) and from a time management perspective (stay tuned for part two next week, where we’ll cover this). Let’s look at the first six reasons.

A good letting agent will:

1) Save you money. Let’s cut to the chase: a letting agent will improve your profit margin. According to research, a letting agent saves a landlord on average £1,910 a year (source: Endsleigh Insurance).

2) Share market insight. Letting agents know the local market like the back of their hand and provide expert advice about setting rents. Go too high, and your property will sit empty. Go too low, and you’ll miss out on revenue.

3) Help you access top tradespeople. Letting agents have a selection of reliable professionals on speed dial, so when you need a plumber, sparky or builder, you won’t get messed around by someone who cuts corners and charges the earth.

4) Chase rental payments. A letting agent will address late payments in a professional and timely manner. Landlords with hectic schedules often prefer to let an expert deal with the hassle of chasing late rent.

5) Handle the inventory. Get a pro to do your inventory so you don’t lose money at the end of a tenancy. When it comes to assessing damage and ensuring the property has been adequately cleaned, a good inventory is crucial.

6) Sort the end of tenancy inspection. Even smooth-running tenancies can get complicated towards the end. A letting agent will handle the final inspection and ensure you’re not left out of pocket for cleaning or repairs.

Watch out for six more tips in part two of this article which will be released next week.

Get in touch with us to learn more about our property management services.

COPYRIGHT Hi Residential 2021

Recent Blog Posts

Latest news and updates

Small Gestures, Big Impact: It’s Random Acts of Kindness Day 9th April Uncategorised

Small Gestures, Big Impact: It’s Random Acts of Kindness Day

Small Gestures, Big Impact: It’s Random Acts of Kindness Day Random Acts of Kindness Day is this Saturday 17th February. The idea of a day to perform random acts of kindness began in America in 1995. It’s spread globally and is a great opportunity to show how small, thoughtful actions…

Read More
What You Should Know before You and Your Partner Live Together  If talk between you and your partner this Valentine’s Day turns to living together, there are a few practical things you should know first.  Here at Hi Residential, we pride ourselves on being as helpful as possible.  But dishing out relationship advice is a step too far – even for us.  So, if you’re considering moving in with your partner, we’ll leave the big decisions and lovey-dovey stuff down to you.  However, if you decide to co-habit, we have some useful, albeit unromantic, advice for you.  It’s based on insights we’ve gained over the years from helping many couples set up home together.  Speak to your landlord  One option when moving in together is to start afresh in a new rental property. However, if you plan to move into your partner’s rented place or for them to join you, then you need to discuss this with the landlord. Be aware that you’ll need to get the landlord’s permission first, and they’ll most likely have to run a reference check.   Budget and bills  The good thing about living with someone is you can share the financial burden of renting. But you’ll need to have a frank conversation at the start to discuss how much you can afford to pay in rent and how you’ll split the bills.  Jointly liable  It’s worth understanding that when the two of you sign a tenancy agreement, you are both ‘jointly and severally liable’. This means that if, for example, your partner loses their job and can’t pay the rent, you could be liable to pay their share. The same goes for the upkeep and maintenance of the property. You’re both equally responsible.   Logistics  If you both already have your own homes, decide what furniture you’ll each take to your new property. It’s unlikely that you will have room for more than one sofa, bed or dining table, so you may need to give away or sell some big-ticket items. At this point, you may also get the home-making bug and decide to buy some items to turn your new place into a cosy love nest. In that case, it may be time to put your relationship to the test by taking a trip to Ikea. Good luck.  If you’re looking for a new rental property, contact us here at Hi Residential today. 9th April Uncategorised

What You Should Know before You and Your Partner Live Together If talk between you and your partner this Valentine’s Day turns to living together, there are a few practical things you should know first. Here at Hi Residential, we pride ourselves on being as helpful as possible. But dishing out relationship advice is a step too far – even for us. So, if you’re considering moving in with your partner, we’ll leave the big decisions and lovey-dovey stuff down to you. However, if you decide to co-habit, we have some useful, albeit unromantic, advice for you. It’s based on insights we’ve gained over the years from helping many couples set up home together. Speak to your landlord One option when moving in together is to start afresh in a new rental property. However, if you plan to move into your partner’s rented place or for them to join you, then you need to discuss this with the landlord. Be aware that you’ll need to get the landlord’s permission first, and they’ll most likely have to run a reference check. Budget and bills The good thing about living with someone is you can share the financial burden of renting. But you’ll need to have a frank conversation at the start to discuss how much you can afford to pay in rent and how you’ll split the bills. Jointly liable It’s worth understanding that when the two of you sign a tenancy agreement, you are both ‘jointly and severally liable’. This means that if, for example, your partner loses their job and can’t pay the rent, you could be liable to pay their share. The same goes for the upkeep and maintenance of the property. You’re both equally responsible. Logistics If you both already have your own homes, decide what furniture you’ll each take to your new property. It’s unlikely that you will have room for more than one sofa, bed or dining table, so you may need to give away or sell some big-ticket items. At this point, you may also get the home-making bug and decide to buy some items to turn your new place into a cosy love nest. In that case, it may be time to put your relationship to the test by taking a trip to Ikea. Good luck. If you’re looking for a new rental property, contact us here at Hi Residential today.

What You Should Know before You and Your Partner Live Together  If talk between you and your partner this Valentine’s Day turns to living together, there are a few practical things you should know first. Here at Hi Residential, we pride ourselves on being as helpful as possible. But dishing out…

Read More