Amazing difference between agents

[chickpea]

So we finally signed up with a new agent this week.

Agent viewed property on Monday.

Photos taken on Tuesday.

Paperwork signed and returned on Wednesday.

Property appeared on Rightmove on Thursday.

2 viewings on Friday - both parties want the house, at an increased price p.c.m than previously.

2 more viewings today, one more scheduled for Monday.

With the last agent, we had a dozen or more viewings and from advertising to move in of the first tenants took 10 weeks

This agent is cheaper to boot. At every stage, we have dealt with the head of lettings, who says that they simply don't take on properties they can foresee there will be issues with, ie properties that aren't up to scratch. He also said that all references and checks will be forwarded to us and they will wait on our instruction - very different from last time around.

Just goes to show the huge difference is standards between agents - and also that agent's fees are no reflection of their quality.

[Melboy]

That's right Tracey there are good LA's and bad LA's and it is up to the landlord to sniff them out.

All you ask for is professionlism from the person you are passing your cash to and that goes for every service industry.

I have reached an age whereby I take no cr@p from anyone where service and civility is a basic requirement to the customer service on offer.

Mel.

[Carryon Regardless]

Agents tend to get a lot of bad press here, but that's to be expected as people don't generally go to forums to sing praise just when there are problems and they need help.

Tracy, if when things have panned out favourably, you might name and praise the A, it might be good info for others.

[Richlist]

Remember.....

* Not all that glitters is 'gold'......remain guarded & sceptical.

* No organisation is perfect.

* They WILL make mistakes......your only hope is that they will be infrequent and small ones.

* They are in business primarily to make a profit......your well being & satisfaction is likely to come no further up their priority list than second.

[chickpea]

Don't worry - we are VERY guarded and sceptical.

However, at least the start of this relationship has been promising and is already better than our previous experience with an agent.

As I said, last time around, the property supposedly had a dozen or more viewings before it was let - this, in a buoyant market.

This agent said at the start that generally they expect 3 or 4 viewings and then the property to be let - that has been the case now. It does make me wonder what was going on with the old agent, bearing in mind that the property was/is on Rightmove, so out there for the same audience to see. Nothing has changed with the property - it's not like we've smartened it up since the last time it was on the net.

[Richlist]

Its likely your finding are not relevant. The apparant improvement you percieve is not necessarily caused by you using a different agent and your 'audience' is NOT going to be the same.

The market is in a continual state of change. The number of tenants, their suitability, the number of viewings etc etc will always be different.....no two weeks/ months are the same.

[chickpea]

What I meant was - the market is still down for first time buyer mortgage approval, the economy is still in a slump, the rental market (from what I'm told) is still strong.

..it's not like there's been a dramatic change in the housing market.

Plus we're at the bottom end of the market - 2 bed semi, £550 a month, not 5 bed detached at £1500.

This agent told us several months ago what he expects from a decent rental property in the right area - a handful of viewings and it's let. That's happened exactly as he predicted.

We had loads of viewings last time, but no feed back...which leads me to question what exactly was going on. (this agent put forward the suggestion that the agent was taking money for checks and then binning the interested parties...wouldn't surprise me).

Of course, you'd expect a fluctuation of sorts, but I think 10 weeks to let versus 24 hours is pretty extreme, isn't it?

Whatever the reason, I'm already happier with the way things are being dealt with by this agent - he just is more thorough and particular.

[Richlist]

Of course, you'd expect a fluctuation of sorts, but I think 10 weeks to let versus 24 hours is pretty extreme, isn't it?

Yes that quite extreme.

But, 5 weeks versus 24 hours wouldn't be out of the ordinary.....in my experience.

[Mikey74]

I use a "to let" board to find my own tenant. Costs minimal (just cost of board). I use www.n-l-c.info to deal with any tenancy hassles. Only costs £60 a year. Difficult to find your way around their website though - you need to click on 4th box on left "services". The 24 hour help line is extremely helpful. They helped me get £950 back from tenants who left owing me money and also gave me all the info I needed to evict tenants.

[LLAW96]

I have had a quick look at that n-l-c website, its nothing special there are better and cheaper sites out there, and do you really want to support an outfit that pays part of its profits to Shelter who do their best to thwart landlords at every turn.