WHEN YOUR HOME WON’T SELL

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23rd December 2011

WHEN YOUR HOME WON’T SELL

Accidental Landlords have always been a feature of the private rental market, but their numbers have risen sharply over the past year or so.

The stagnant housing market is making it very difficult for many people to sell – at least at prices they are happy with. It is likely that if property prices keep falling there will be more people choosing to hold on to their asset and let out their property rather than sell it.

Renting out a property in a tough market is not as straightforward as it may at first appear. Seasoned Buy-to-Let investors purchase the kind of properties that they know to be in demand in a certain area, but accidental landlords do not have the luxury of choice. Properties should be well-priced, neutrally decorated, and ready for someone to move into straight away.

Martin & Co are dedicated to letting properties. They have over 25 years of experience together with local knowledge which is paramount to achieving realistic rental prices for all types of property.

For the experienced Landlord, renting out your house can be very rewarding. However, if you find yourself becoming an
Accidental Landlord and needing to find suitable Tenants, draw up tenancy agreements, arrange an inventory, collect rent, chase rent and carry out maintenance work, arrange EPC’s, Gas Safety and electrical checks and Landlord’s Insurance it really is best to bring in an experienced Letting Agent who can do all that for you.

Letting Agents can advise you whether your property is up to a suitable rental standard, and can also advise if any maintenance work needs doing in order to protect your investment.
Letting Agents can manage your property if you don’t live nearby. Relying on family and friends to manage your property can put a big strain on relationships!
Letting Agents marketing experience will help minimise rental voids when letting your house. A month or two without tenants or rent will often cost more than your annual letting agent fees.
Letting Agents know the local market and are able to achieve the highest rental price possible for your property.
Letting Agents have the spending power to advertise across a variety of property related media. Some property advertising
portals such as the market leader, www.rightmove.co.uk don’t allow landlords to advertise so it is necessary to use a letting agent to access that market.
Letting Agents provide their preferred tradesman with a lot of regular work, so it is in the tradesman’s interest to carry out that work to a high standard and at a fair price for Landlords.
Letting Agents will perform Tenant checks and ask for Tenant references to reduce the risk of putting a bad tenant into
your property. They will also carry out regular property inspections to ensure that your Tenants are looking after the property in a suitable way.
No Landlord wants a call at 2.30am from a tenant saying their burglar alarm won’t stop going off. Nor do they want to have to be constantly chasing the one Tenant who always pays their rent late. A Letting Agent is the buffer between a Landlord and a Tenant, and a GOOD Letting Agent’s job is to make a Landlord’s life as easy as possible.
If you have not considered letting your property because you are unaware of the process, Martin & Co Lettings have fully qualified staff who are more than happy to visit you in your home and have an informal chat with a FREE, no obligation market appraisal. Telephone us on 01305 775504 or e-mail nikki.palmer@martinco.com