{"id":9772,"date":"2022-04-27T10:57:39","date_gmt":"2022-04-27T10:57:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.withcreative.co.uk\/lforl\/?p=9772"},"modified":"2022-04-27T10:57:39","modified_gmt":"2022-04-27T10:57:39","slug":"what-to-look-for-in-a-letting-agent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.withcreative.co.uk\/lforl\/what-to-look-for-in-a-letting-agent\/","title":{"rendered":"What to look for in a letting agent"},"content":{"rendered":"

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What to look for in a letting agent – by Sim Sekhon, MD.<\/p>\n

Friends, family members and landlords within my network often ask my advice. Of all the subjects concerning them, one stands out: letting agents. They want clarity and straight answers. Sometimes they want to know if they should manage the rental of their property themselves.<\/p>\n

All the questions are very understandable. There\u2019s a vast choice of letting agents and it\u2019s natural to seek out recommendations or to ask for pointers. Trust is also a big issue. Landlords rely on agents to protect their income and their assets. They\u2019ve heard stories about ineffective agents and wonder if they\u2019d be able to do a better job. Of course, they also like the idea of keeping hold of all the rental income and not losing a percentage.<\/p>\n

These conversations are valuable \u2013 both for those who need sound advice and for me. They give me insights into the general perception of lettings agents. They\u2019re like mini focus groups, full of different perspectives. But there is a dominant theme \u2013 most landlords in the UK own just one or two properties. They are part-time landlords with other demands on their time and little chance of gleaning the experience required to deal with every eventuality.<\/p>\n

There are an enormous number of landlords in this situation. According to Generation Rent, there are just over 13 million people, or 20% of the population, renting now. That\u2019s around 4.4 million dwellings, an awful lot of landlords looking for the best way to manage the property they\u2019ve invested in, and plenty of agents competing for custom.<\/p>\n

So how do you pick a letting agent? What should you look for? I give the same answer to everyone who asks. Do your homework. Delve into those KPIs.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m perfectly serious because your investment is a serious business. Don\u2019t listen to flannel, check the facts \u2013 and if the agent doesn\u2019t have them or doesn\u2019t want to share, walk away.<\/p>\n

10 facts to check<\/h4>\n