The Top 10 Advantages of using a Letting Agent

Letting your property through a letting agent can be mutually beneficial for landlords, tenants,

and the letting agent alike. Here’s a list of the advantages you can expect to gain when

dealing with a quality letting agent:

1. Higher Rent Values and Faster Occupancy Letting agents are experts in assessing

potential rent values and have a good grasp on market conditions, trends, and

demands. They will advertise on a number of different websites and make use of local

newspapers. For these reasons a good letting agent will get a top price where rent is

concerned and quickly find a suitable tenant to occupy the property. Martin & Co

Camberley use over 10 major websites and property portals to advertise lettings, the

likes of Zoopla and Right Move—as well as advertisements in local Camberley

newspapers.

2. Finding Suitable Tenants Finding the right tenants can be a costly process, not to

mention time consuming. An accomplished letting agent has the capacity to carry out

the appropriate checks that lead to a suitable tenant. Martin & Co Camberley carry out

identity and residency checks on all applicants, obtain credit, employer, and current

landlord references. If an applicant is found to have a clean history but is deemed

financially uncertain they are asked to provide a guarantor or provide full settlement of

rent in advance. They also have the capability to acquire international referencing if

there are any Non­UK applicants.

3. Flexibility A good letting agent needs to offer a flexible service to each client. Some

landlords only require assistance with tenant finding, whereas others, especially those

managing multiple properties, need a more comprehensive solution. Martin and Co

Camberley offer tailored service solutions to suit the needs of any landlord. There are

4 main levels of service: Fully Managed, Investment Management, Rent Collection,

and Tenant Finding.

4. Day­to­Day Property Management Whether it’s a busted boiler or pesky pest control

problem, maintenance of your property is a foregone conclusion. Letting agents should

have a comprehensive network of tradesman available to contact. Bigger problems

require a higher level of organisation, meaning the letting agents need to liaise with

tenants to arrange when work can be carried out on the property. Dealing with these

obstacles can be a time consuming process. A good letting agent has the ability to

efficiently solve maintenance issues, and in doing so will free up your time

considerably.

5. Solving Tenant Issues Over the course of a tenancy agreement there is a chance

that issues may arise beyond that of the maintenance work mentioned above. For

instance, a tenant locking themselves out of your property. Problems like these often

arise at inconvenient times. Letting agents are equipped to deal with these issues and

do so on a day­to­day basis. Martin & Co Camberley can even offer tenant support

during hours that might otherwise be deemed unsociable. This is an important offering

that helps maintain a favorable relationship with tenants.

6. Prompt action over late payment Perhaps a landlord’s biggest worry is whether or

not their tenants will pay the rent on time. Late payments are sometimes unavoidable

but chasing one can be strenuous. Letting agents have experience in rent collection

and chasing late payments. They will often have cover in place to ensure you are

always paid. Martin & Co Camberley offer services like Rent Guarantee and free

Eviction Cover.

7. Peace of Mind A private landlord faces many pitfalls: invalid notices, incorrect claim

forms, unprotected deposits, disrepair in the property, drawing up the wrong tenancy

agreements...the list goes on. Landlords have many legal obligations that can be

easily forgotten. Letting agents can take that burden and fulfill the majority of a

landlord's obligations on their behalf. Letting agents must also adhere to stringent

practises and are often members of various trade bodies, like the UKALA and The

Property Ombudsman. You can also breathe easy in knowing that correct legal action

will always be taken.

8. Advisory Services ­ Whether you're a first time landlord or have an impressive

portfolio, investing time staying up to date with the lettings market and everything that

entails, would be a lengthy process. Letting agents stay up to date with all the latest

legislation, the latest revision to stamp duty for instance, and are therefore well placed

to advise you on a number of different matters. Martin & Co Camberley can serve in

an advisory role in landlord insurance, tax and legal matters, and property preparation.

9. Fees tax deductible Letting agents fees can be offset against your rental income for

tax purposes. Money spent on maintenance, repairs, landlord insurance, and interest

on buy­to­let mortgages are also tax deductible—basically, any cost associated with

your property.

10. Additional Services Sometimes it’s the little things. Martin & Co Camberley offer

many extra services that offer protection for both landlords and tenants. To name a

few: Eviction Cover, Comprehensive Inventory Service, Rent guarantee, Property

Preparation for Letting, Check Out procedures, and Property Visits.

To find out more about the advantages of letting your property with Martin and Co Camberley,

get in touch:

t: 01276 691510

e: giles.mugford@martinco.com

w: www.martinco.com/lettings­agents/camberley