What works well in lettings??

Posted 17 December 2007 by Cathy Moore

Further to my last blog there still has been no 'let up' for the lettings team (pardon the bad pun!) and my Christmas cards remain unwritten.

Despite having had such a busy year there is always room for more properties in our portfolio and we are often asked the best type of property to let.  There is such a wide spectrum of properties in this area and many reasons why landlords choose to rent them out.  However to find (and keep) the ideal tenants it is important to offer good quality properties.  New properties are always appealing as there is something pleasing about being the first person to use a kitchen or bathroom but basically the golden rule is to offer a property that is clean, neutrally decorated and offering a modern kitchen and bathroom.  Some of our properties have kitchens and bathrooms that may be quite old but as long as they are fully functioning and clean this does not cause a problem.  If you present a good quality product it is much more likely that your tenants will look after it.

Gardens can be another issue.  If your property has a high maintenance garden that is dear to your heart it can be advisable to retain a gardener.  Many tenants have the best of intentions when it comes to gardening but looking after someone else's garden is not likely to be a particularly high priority for someone.  We can all keep the lawn mown and do a bit of weeding but many of us do not have the skills needed to enhance flowerbeds!

In this current market we have seen a small drop in rental values but there are many excellent tenants out there and our advice would be to keep a good tenant even if you are slightly disappointed with the rent they are paying.

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