Advice on choosing an online letting agent
Letting a property can be a very profitable business, but it can also take up lots of time and energy if you decide to do everything yourself.
Using an online letting agency can make for a less stressful experience, a better return on your capital, and give you peace of mind. So what are the important things to consider when choosing an online letting agent?
Reliability
As the property you intend to let is likely to be one of your biggest assets, you’ll want an online letting agency that you can trust, and one with the experience to do the job to the highest of standards.
Most reliable online letting agencies will offer a free initial consultation and valuation, which gives you the ability to assess at first hand how the agency approaches you and your property.
Cost
How much the letting agency is going to charge you to do the work is also going to be an important factor when making your choice.
Some of the best deals are those where you pay a fixed fee and then no other costs, but be sure to check that there are no hidden costs and that you are getting the service you want all included in the package.
Service
One of the main things to consider once your property is ready to let is how soon you can find appropriate tenants and how well you can retain those tenants. An online letting agent that has an effective marketing strategy can save you a significant amount of money.
The same applies to periods of time when you are in between tenants – you want the letting agency to be able to find new tenants quickly, to minimise the amount of time that the property is empty and therefore loss of profit.
Make sure that the online letting agency you use assigns you a personal account manager – if you have an issue that needs resolving quickly, there’s nothing more frustrating than having to wait for someone who is unfamiliar with you and your property to get up to speed with things.
Another advantage of using an online letting agent is that you will have all your account details stored in an online account, meaning that all the information about payment schedules and such like are available for you to review at your own leisure.
In summary, a letting agency can make your life easier and less stressful, but an online letting agency can take that service to a new level.
Photograph is © copyright Albert Bridge and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
