swarn66 Posted February 17, 2010 Report Share Posted February 17, 2010 Hi sorry to bother you all im new to being a landlord and have just in herited a few properties in northamptonshire and was wondering if anyone new of any good websites or papers to advertise my properties in at a cost effective price just had a qoute from the local paper for 1 inch by 1inch £55 for 2 weeks ? seems pricy also there doesnt seem to be any specific websites for this i know of gumtree and friday add but no go also have seen lettme.com but not to sure if if it will be any good please help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mortitia Posted February 17, 2010 Report Share Posted February 17, 2010 Hi there, Depends what sort of property you are letting? Personally I find newsagents notice boards very effective for some of my lets in cheaper areas - I know what you mean about local papers being v. expensive - I think so too. I think it is quite well recognised that RightMove is the industry leader online - have a look. Cheers, Mortitia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkirk Posted February 18, 2010 Report Share Posted February 18, 2010 Hi Being a LL is not easy and you have no experience, I would therefore suggest you consider using a letting agent on a tenant find only basis. Obviously one with a good reputation, they will do/advise on all the checks, certificates etc. I'm not a letting agent and now just have a couple of properties that I manage myself, I have made a few (and costly) mistakes mainly due to trying to cut a few corners, my advice - don't go down that road. In time you can do all this yourself but you are potentially opening yourself up for trouble as you have limited knowledge and that will cost you dearly in the long run. Read through as many posts on this site as you can and you'll find plenty of troubles. Good luck with whatever you decide to do. cheers Selkirk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted February 18, 2010 Report Share Posted February 18, 2010 When I started I used an agent on "find only". But after a while this became expensive (£350) and more recently I have used local papers. Don't expect an agent to find a 'good' tenant, even with all the 'checks'. Be sure to interview the prospect yourself before commitment. However use of a local agent does give an opportunity to pick their brains for advice on the kind of people looking to rent in your area and agreements, rental charges, deposit protection, energy performance certificates, and so forth - the legal things that landlords need to know. £60 is a small amount (and tax deductable) if it gets the result you want and your tenancy endures for several years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyndon Posted February 20, 2010 Report Share Posted February 20, 2010 Chestnut Why should he not expect an agent to find a "good" tenant? Are all agents bad? Can I say, on the basis of your posting, that tenants should not expect landlords to be "good" landlords??? I am an agent and a landlord. Our clients know that I would not propose a tenant that I would not put into one of my own properties. This occasionally means that they use other agents and we lose the business but I would rather that than put a bad tenant into a property just to get a fee. THAT is a sure way to get a bad reputation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted February 21, 2010 Report Share Posted February 21, 2010 Lyndon, I should have underlined the word 'expect'. No, of course not all agents are bad. I didn't say so! All the ones I know and have used have always been very helpful. But would you, as an agent, when asked solely to find a tenant and do the checks, be able to predict any better than a landlord that a year or so later the tenant you found would terminate and disappear owing money, for example? That was my point - nothing here about bad agents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyndon Posted February 21, 2010 Report Share Posted February 21, 2010 But would you, as an agent, when asked solely to find a tenant and do the checks, be able to predict any better than a landlord that a year or so later the tenant you found would terminate and disappear owing money As a landlord I would expect an agent to find me a good tenant. That is what I would be paying for. However any reference and credit check is like an MOT, valid on the day! No agent, or landlord for that matter, can predict what will happen to tenants 12 months on. I have known tenants that have moved into their new home together, blissfully happy and two months later they cannot even speak to each other. One example: our company had just started referencing a tenant who was relocating to manage the employer's local office. They were paying all her costs including agency fees. Two days into the process she called to say that the firm had decided to close that office so she would be staying where she was. If I could predict the future I would not be here know - it would have been me that won the £56 million! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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