Saturday, 20 August 2011

Letting Agents - Is It Worth You Hiring One?

By Ben Coles


A letting agent is an individual who serves as a broker between a tenant and a property owner in the U.K. In the course of their employment, the agent will typically offer three packages of services from which to choose, in order to simplify the rental process. The most popular option is a client introduction followed by completion of the lease agreement. Next, the landlord may opt to have the agent collect rent and deal with payouts on their behalf. Finally, the landlord may decide to have the agent handle the rental completely, to include dispatching repairmen and conducting inspections in their best interest.

The most common service a letting agent is called upon to perform is the advertisement of the property for rent. When tasked with this project, the agent will notify newspapers and list serves of the opening, and then handle all responses to the advertisement. Then the agent will present the property to prospective tenants and assess their suitability for the property. If a good candidate is found, then the agent will handle all the lease paperwork for the property owner.

The next package of services offered by an agent includes receiving the monthly rent payments from the tenant, and then disbursing them to the landlord. In doing so, the agent will ensure the rent payment clears the bank, and handle any issues that arise if there is a problem with the transaction. This is a vital service for property owners who are typically away on business and unable to deal with the receipt of money, or those who are too far away to check on the tenants if there is a problem with payment. As an added service, the agent will also conduct inspections after the tenant moves out, and send them a bill for payment if there is any damage that was not part of the normal wear and tear specified in the contract.

As a third option, the landlord may choose to have the letting agent perform all the day to day tasks that may come up in running a rental property. This will include serving as the contact for any complaints the tenant should have about the property. Additionally, the agent would be responsible for sending out workers to repair any damage, while keeping in mind their client's best interest. Moreover, the letting agent would also conduct scheduled inspections of the property in order to check for any preventative maintenance issues that should be dealt with prior to a catastrophic problem. Consequently, if one is detecting, the letting agent would send workers to handle the issue.

In conclusion, letting agents in the United Kingdom may serve as a convenient broker between the landlord and the tenant. Over the course of their employment they offer three main bundles of services ranging in their comprehensiveness. First, the letting agent may simply forge introductions. Second, they may collect rent and deal with finances. Third, they may conduct a comprehensive management plan on behalf of the landlord.




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