By: Sean Horton

Choosing a letting agent can be a tough task as there are many out there who are willing to take on your property, but not all who are able to get you the right tenant at the right rental. One of the main considerations on your part should be choosing an ethical agency.

Check that the agency is registered with a professional organisation such as the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) or the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) among others. This would go a long way towards ensuring that you were putting your property in good hands.

Another consideration that would have to be taken into account when considering a letting agent is if you feel comfortable with them. If they are able to put you at ease and you can sit down and discuss your requirements with them instead of them telling you what they can do and ignoring your needs, this can help build a good relationship between yourselves.

Bear in mind that figures are not the only thing that you should consider. While of course you would want to rent out your property for the best possible monthly income, never be overwhelmed by any promises of projected rental income the letting agency suggest you might get. If the rental income is set too high then your property could be overlooked by potential renters.

Another consideration that should be taken into account is how much you will have to pay out when employing the letting agency and what you would get for the fees. Costs will vary between agencies but never automatically go for what seems to be the lowest without doing your homework first. While the fees could be low you might find that another agency may ask for slightly more but offers much more by way of services. The services could differ greatly and this should be at the foremost when choosing your agency. Here are some of the factors that you might want to take into account before signing your property up with any agency.

* What is the agency like?

Well trained staff is essential of course but along with this you could want to ensure that are easy to get along with and offer you friendly and helpful advice when needed. Check out their website and look into the background of the company you are considering putting your property for let with. How many years’ experience they have? Have they any other customers who would be happy to vouch for their professionalism? A personal recommendation carries huge weight. Where is their agency based? Is it in a back street in a residential area where it may not get many visitors, or is it on a high street or a near a railway station, which gets lots of people passing by?

How does the agency promote your property?

Will the agency you are considering erect a “for let” sign? Do they advertise nationwide on the TV, in newspapers and what other methods of their own do they use? Do they have a website where they advertise properties for rent and is it easy to find and navigate around when searching? All of these should be considerations that you make.

* What types of property do the agency specialise in?

A letting agent could just concentrate and have more success in letting a particular type of property, for example commercial or residential. It might not be in your best interests if you go with an agency that has more success in renting out commercial properties if you have a residential let.

Article Source:
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1758542

About the Author
Sean Horton is a Director of Network Property Management who are a letting agent and property management agents.