These are 10 reasons why Orchard K Lettings feel that using our professional service is the wise choice for any landlord.
1: This is our specialism. We don’t get distracted by selling property. Letting a property requires knowledge of the over 150 pieces of legislation. Would you try to do your own plumbing repairs or go to a plumber when you have water leak? Would you really have the time to look after one of your most valuable assets alongside your day job? We are members of the Guild of Letting and Management and the UK Association of Letting Agents so we have industry experts at our disposal especially when new legislation surfaces, which it does with increasing frequency. We follow their codes of practice to make sure we protect both landlords and tenants.
2: We understand the laws around letting property and actively follow what is coming up in the industry. The letting agreement we provide is designed to cover all the usual eventualities in a lawful manner so all sides are protected and has the property’s best interests at heart so protects a very valuable asset. We can advise you on the legislation relating to letting a property, holding a tenant’s deposit, maintaining and inspecting the property and keeping all the safety certificates up to date. Failure to meet legal obligations can result in large fines or even imprisonment. It’s important to remember that ignorance of the law is no excuse.
3: We understand the market in Norfolk. When you know what is in demand and why it helps to achieve the best rental value for your property. Getting this vital part right helps to reduce the time that your property can be empty it’s a balance between too high a rent and a long empty period but not undervaluing your property and therefore losing out on rent.
4: Errors can be costly so as a self-managing landlord are you covered. We have Professional Indemnity Insurance and Legal Protection cover so if we make a mistake we have help at hand and this protects you as a landlord who uses us as your agent.
5: We know the downsides of letting a property as well as the benefits. Letting your property to the wrong tenant can be costly and frustrating as the eviction process can be a lengthy one. We can offer advice on how to protect our landlord best interests with the safeguards that are sensible to have in place. We undertake credit checks and professional referencing on our landlord’s behalf. This helps to reduce the potential costs involved with pursuing a tenant that does not follow their obligations as a tenant. Tenants circumstances can change very suddenly for many reasons so being prepared is half the battle.
6: We offer additional services too. From securing suitable tenants we can also provide a professional tenancy agreement, property management services, inventory and referencing services. We are a one-stop-shop for all your property letting needs. With our background in professional project management we can also help you with managing any refurbishments or improvements necessary to safely and profitably let your property.
7: We have strong relationships with trusted trades people. With a rental property, things break at the most inconvenient time. When you engage us and use our fully managed service, we manage your property and arrange for emergency repairs when needed as well as quotes on your behalf from competent, qualified and trustworthy trades people. If we wouldn’t use them on one of our properties why would we use them on one of your properties?
8: We have advertising power and use the major online property platforms as well as social media to make sure your property is seen by a wide range of potential tenants. Most potential tenants search online for their next home from the comfort of their armchair. We use Zoopla and Prime Location services that are only are available to agents.
9: We understand how to protect your tenant’s deposit. Using MyDeposits we make sure your tenants deposit money is held legally for the duration of the tenancy and we can work to agree fair deductions with the tenants. This takes away one more headache when renting out a property. There are changes coming to tenant deposits where deposits may be replaced by insurance policies but the jury is still out on legal points especially around other insurance product policy conditions.
10: Most importantly we establish a working relationship your tenant. Dealing with a tenant can be a pleasure but at times very difficult, especially when some sort of dispute arises. We can represent the landlord and protect the landlord’s interests whilst treating the tenants fairly, professionally and in compliance with the law. This can be especially useful when negotiation is needed for example, with rent increases. To us, the property is a valuable business asset whereas to a landlord it may be a treasured past home with emotional attachments so we can look at it from a business asset prospective.
Whether you are a professional Landlord or a buy to let novice, feel free to contact us on 01953 799188 for an initial chat with no obligation as we are happy to help whenever we can.