Step by step letting guide

We have over 20 years experience managing rental properties for corporate and private landlords alike. The sector has attracted considerable more regulation over the years and, as a result, has become more difficult for landlords to manage themselves. Failure to adhere to the legislation can result in considerable fines or, in some cases, criminal prosecution. Over the last few years we have found a growing number of landlords have elected for a fully managed service for piece of mind.

If you are a current landlord or someone interested in exploring the sector further please contact us today for more advice.

The process is as follows:-

A free, no-obligation rental assessment

One of our lettings managers will meet you at the property and talk you through the process including how to present your property and what legislation you will need to conform to. Further they will provide a full rental assessment and discuss your expectations of what you require from us. In that way we can ascertain which of our services is best suited to you.

Prepare marketing material

Once instructed, we will send out one of our marketing team who will compile the material they need to produce the online marketing and the property brochure. They will take a range of photos that best represent the property, which will include both macro and micro detail. We will also take the measurements so that a floor plan can be compiled – including a floor plan in the marketing dramatically increases the interest we will generate. We have carried our extensive market research with a view to understanding exactly what information prospective tenants need to make a decision to view. Our particulars are designed around this knowledge and accordingly we consistently achieve way above the average click through rates.

Targeting the widest possible market

We advertise across all the major portals ensuring that the maximum number of people see our properties. We also produce a brochure for all properties and email new stock out to everyone registered on our database.

Legislation

Before we market, we will ensure that you have met all your obligations as a landlord. We will advise you on the Energy Performance Certificate as well as all the other legislation pertaining to the rental sector.

Accompanied viewings

We accompany all viewings, wherever possible, as we believe that this forms a critical part of the negotiation and referencing processes. 

Putting forward an offer

We will negotiate on your behalf to achieve the best possible outcome for you. Once you have agreed to proceed with a tenant we will confirm everything in writing to you and start the referencing process.
 

Tenant referencing

All our tenants go through a comprehensive third party referencing process. This involves a full credit and affordability check; a property disclosure search; a bank validation check; a landlord (where appropriate) and employer reference and checks records for bankruptcy and IVAs.  The tenant is then graded according to their financial strength. Based on this information you can then make a decision as to whether you wish to proceed.

Rent

Rent and Legal Guarantee

Because of our commitment to best practice and the track record we have with regards to our credit control, we are one of the very few agents able to offer a 100% rent and legal guarantee scheme to our managed landlords (most schemes have a month’s excess). The scheme we operate is under-written by a third party but the funds are under our control. So in the event that we need to claim on your behalf, we can make the payment rather than having to wait for monies to be transferred to us. We can, therefore, guarantee any landlord who is in the scheme will never get a late rental payment. For those of you who have mortgage payments to make, this is invaluable.

Preparing the legal documentation

We will ensure that all the appropriate notices and the tenancy agreement is drawn up and signed before the keys are released to the tenant together with the inventory and condition statement.

Moving the tenant in

We organise for an independent inventory clerk to be present for the move in. We believe, to protect your and your tenant’s interest, that this is essential. By doing this the condition of the property, fixtures and fittings can be mutually agreed at the point of move in and this reduces the risk of a dispute at the end of the tenancy.
 

Property Management

It will depend on which service you have selected as to the level of involvement that we have in the tenancy after the move in. The fully managed service will see us registering the deposit on your behalf; collecting and passing over the rent to you on a monthly basis with a full statement; conducting regular property visits and sending you a report with photographs; taking maintenance calls from the tenants and commissioning suppliers as per your instructions. Regardless of the service that you originally select, if at any point during the tenure if you want us to have more involvement we are happy to discuss this with you. We often find that landlords upgrade to a fully managed service once they appreciate how beneficial it is in terms of their time and finances.