A large proportion of home-owners looking to let their property will normally put some research into finding a suitable letting agent so the management of the letting is in a professional’s hands.

Hiring a letting agent certainly has its advantages, they have knowledge of the local market and in letting lots of properties, so they know how to market a property and find good tenants. Letting agents can also provide you with all of the necessary information and guidance you may need if you are letting a property for the first time.

What does a letting agent do?

A letting agent will take care of as much of your property management as you want them to – whether you want them to take care of the whole letting or just a few legal aspects, they will help you with your preferences.

The normal tasks of a Manchester letting agent include showing potential tenants around, choosing suitable tenants and vetting them (gathering credit checks, references and any other information you require). They will also negotiate a price for rent, write out tenancy agreements and make sure the property remains in tact throughout the tenancy, they usually hold regular inspections to ensure the tenants are looking after your property. Full management of the property will usually mean you’ll be paying 15% of your monthly rent in fees.

Legal bits

If you decide to let your property you’ll need to know the legal ins and outs, and be aware of all of the paperwork you’ll need to do. Firstly, you’ll need to get permission from your mortgage lender, and also inform the Environmental Health Department that there will be multiple people living in the property.

Make sure all has and electrical appliances have been serviced by a CORGI-registered engineer and all gas and electricity certificates are up to date. Tenants have a right to ask for all safety certificates so make sure your letting agent abides by the annual checks to keep the property safe for you and your tenants. You’ll also need to inform your council tax department and your utility suppliers that your property is being let by other tenants. You might wish to include bills in your rental agreement but it’s still worth informing suppliers in case there is an increase or decrease in electricity or gas.

Make sure you research your letting agent

You will need to make sure your letting agent is using all of the correct methods to market your property, they should use online and offline advertising to ensure you get a large selection of potential tenants looking at your property. You should check to make sure you letting agent will be marketing your property on all of the leading property websites and also offline in local agency windows.

Make sure you thoroughly read the letting agency’s contract and ensure it matches your goals and what you want ultimately want to gain from the letting of your property. Read carefully to find out if everything is included in the letting fee, some agents will add services at extra costs, this is just a precaution to make sure everything is above aboard. Hopefully you’ll have researched your letting agent enough to know and trust them. Too many people paint a bad picture of letting agents when the majority are reputable and trustworthy but it’s always good to be cautious when you are handing over lots of money for someone to look after your property.

Clair O\’Hara is writing on behalf of Shepherd Gilmour, specialist Manchester letting agents.

Clair O\’Hara is writing on behalf of Shepherd Gilmour (http://www.shepherdgilmour.com), specialist Manchester letting agents.

Author Bio: Clair O\’Hara is writing on behalf of Shepherd Gilmour, specialist Manchester letting agents.

Category: Advice
Keywords: Manchester letting agents, Manchester letting agent, letting agent Manchester