Choosing the right letting agent to look after your property is a very important decision. Senior Lettings Manager of Bassets, Luke Skinner, gives his top tips for choosing the right letting agent.
A reputable agent:
At the very least, your chosen agent should be members of the following:
• ARLA (Association of Residential Letting Agents)
• The Property Ombudsman (in case you have a complaint)
• An ‘approved’ Tenancy Deposit Bond Scheme (if not, you may be unable to serve notice to your Tenants and claim back your property)
• Client Money Protection (which provides compensation to Landlords, Tenants and other clients should an agent misappropriate their rent, deposit bond or other client funds).
From 1st April 2019, this will become mandatory for all Letting Agents and here at Bassets, we have been operating with this membership for the past 3 years.
Qualified staff:
You need to be certain that you are dealing with competent people, who have excellent knowledge and are professionally trained in the industry.
Bassets’ staff are experienced and highly knowledgeable about the regulations and legislation governing the lettings industry, with many of them having passed their professional (ARLA) exams.
Award-winning:
You should be confident that your Letting Agent has integrity, a commitment to customer service and a focus on acting in your best interest.
Bassets have been recognised locally, regionally and nationally for customer service, marketing, commitment to the community and all-round business excellence. In addition, in 2016 they were awarded with “Best Letting Agent” at The Guild of Professional Estate Agent’s national awards and also “Best Small Agency in the South West” at the Letting Agency of the Year Awards.
Market leader:
Make sure you carry out your research about the agent. Does the agent have a proven track record? Have they recently let other properties similar to yours? If a letting agent hasn’t published key performance indicators, such as the average length of time it takes to find a suitable tenant or the average asking rent they achieve, don’t be afraid to ask them.
Independent:
Consider where the staff of a letting agent are situated. Are you comfortable with the fact your property might be managed by people located a long way from your property?
Bassets have a dedicated lettings office in Salisbury, with 10 members of staff all under one roof. All the management, accounts and maintenance of our lettings properties are conducted by local people, from this one office.
‘All inclusive’ Fees:
Make sure you know exactly what you will be paying for your lettings service. When it comes to fees, many agents charge extra for routine services such as inventories, registering a Tenant’s Deposit Bond, conducting regular Management Inspections and producing a Check Out Report. So when making this difficult choice, check the small print before you decide!
At Bassets, our lettings services are ‘all inclusive’ with no hidden extras, so you don’t need to worry about any unexpected fees! Plus with our All-Inclusive Fully Managed Lettings Service, you could save up to £1,274* per year based on a rent of £800.00pcm.
For further information about letting your property with Salisbury’s leading letting agent, contact Luke Skinner at Bassets on 01722 820580 or email luke.skinner@bassets.co.uk.
