Landlord Advertising.

[Melboy]

My flat is up for letting out again at the end of June and I had a free listing voucher received through the post from "Open Rent" so I went to their website to have a look and caste my critical and dare I say it cynical eye over it to see what was on offer.

I liked it and I thought I would give it a go Nothing to lose by using it..

I placed my comprehensive advert last Wednesday and received a lot of emails within a few hours. It was then down to weeding out the ones I didn't want using Richlist's comprehensive guide to tenant selection and my own experienced landlord's head. You will receive some emails from people who clearly should not be on the planet and drawing breath. Yes, I had 2 of them. .

I got it down to 3 selected on a short list and viewings commenced this morning at 10 am and the flat was let to the 1st person on my short list.

I was pleased with this because it all made sense of having a "best tenant criteria" list. My 1st choice person met all of my requirements.......without exception.

It was only left for me to inform the next 2 appointments.......sorry....flat has been let.

So if anyone is interested particularly those of us who handle all the tenant finding, documentation.and legal stuff for our letting business I can only say I had a good experience using "Open Rent".

Advertising Disclaimer: I am too old and cynical and crusty to have any connection whatsoever with "Open Rent" organisation.

www.openrent.co.uk

[Carryon Regardless]

Never heard of them so I was cynical as to if potential T's would be aware.

I've just looked at my own area and Prestatyn (my main properties location).

Of 6 here all but 1 are 'Let Agreed, in Prestayn all are agreed. So unless they're nicking adverts from others to push their promotion they're doing some thing right.

It looks like my two mt flats in Prestatyn are pretty well taken or I would consider Open Rent further, maybe next time.

And if nowt else it looks like a good market research tool.

[Richlist]

Yes I agree. I just took a quick look at their web site and it seems reasonable.

Although I pay an agent to deal with tenant find and paperwork I also advertise for tenants myself at the same time. If I find a suitable tenant I just send them along to my agent for 'processing'. So I may consider using Open Rent myself next time. I'll certainly add it to my existing list of free/low cost advertising that I already use.

[Carryon Regardless]

So I've placed my 1st advert, due to an application goiung sour well into the process and close to sign up.

So I'll report back on my findings but so far,

the site requires LL's to not charge an admin fee, well a max of £20 actually. This I usually do charge to go towards my efforts, and when I explian the principle of a credit check and them potentially losing the fee if they are forgetful in their declarations to me it very often weeds out the dregs. Dependant on the situation and property my charge has been between £65 - £250.

Also I no longer take a deposit so the acrued 'admin' fees have been a style of compensation for the bad 'uns. I have it and no one else has the option to take it from me.

The site also promotes a DIY check in / check out, and offers a template for the inventory. I have been of the opinion that doing this DIY would leave us at a disadvantage come the time we present it to a judge?? I haven't been doing these anyway as I percieve that the authorities (DPS included) bend over backwards to cause us to go through hoops and expence to only overly sympathise with T's anyway. Making claim un unpaid rents is easy to demonstrate and still more than I might actually see back after a claim.

[Melboy]

It worked for me I have to say.

My new tenant, now firmly in place, used the Open Rent website and found my flat for rent but he also saw it advertised on Gumtree so does that count as 100% success for Open Rent?

I put the flat on Gumtree mainly to see what the response would be like and to be fair I was not disappointed as it was the usual crop of no-hoper's bar 3 who I did get to a shortlist.

The response from Open Rent was very good as well.

[Carryon Regardless]

I tried Gum tree a couple or more years ago, total waste of time for me. Calls from 250 miles away for no good purpose, other repsonses from absolute no hopers.

I avertised in the local press, again, last week. That can be so hit and miss but invariably beats the local tenant find agent to success. He would save me the 160 mile drive for nothing very often, but even after he had reduced the dross would still have me driving to meet more dross. It reached the point where each call had me asking quetions about the T that the A hadn't asked, such as how old? I've lost confidence in him.

The ad last week didn't get me much in the way of good response, It's in the local press again this week. Hopefully Open Rent will do it's stuff.

[Mortitia]

Thanks for your feedback on that Mel. Might try it next time I'm struggling.. I still find it easier to use an agent on a fixed fee to weed out the obvious and send me only qualified leads to view.

[Melboy]

If you stick with Richlist selection list you won't go far wrong when selecting suitable tenant's but of course it is the face face to meeting that counts. I am pleased with the person I found and he went through all the hoops easily.

There are no guarantees in this business though.

Whilst I am on here all my properties are now fitted out with new.smoke alarms and new CO alarms ready for October 2015.

Standing by for the next legislation they can come up with .

[julles]

I use Open rent all the time now ,they have been really good and I get good quality tenants

I did sort of put there details on here along time ago as you get a free add if you introduce another landlord

they advertise on the main portals ,right move ,zoopla etc and also Gumtree

 Melboy, if your using them ,no need for you to place the ad on gumtree yourself