Finding and Using a Letting Agent

While many landlords choose to let and manage their properties themselves, for others using an agent can be essential. The following are some of the key indicators that agents may be a good idea:

• You live too far away from the property and cannot easily show it to prospective tenants or manage the property if there are problems.
• You don’t have the time. Managing or letting a property can be more time consuming than is imagined. When looking for a tenant for the property, you need to be there to answer the phone and deal with queries. Managing the property does not involve just collecting the rent; it will generally mean you need to have time available during the working day to do repairs or give access to tradesmen for example.
• You are letting an upmarket property where the prospective tenants are more likely to deal with an agent.
• You are susceptible to stress and hassle. You need to be of a reasonably robust temperament to deal firmly and fairly with the occasional bad tenant. You may find the management services of an agent a useful intermediary between yourself and a difficult tenant.
• You own a large House in Multiple Occupation (or other property) which has a high turnover of tenants or requires more intensive management.
• If you are not confident about your property management skills or your knowledge of legal requirements, you may opt for an agent. 

Choosing an Agent

NLA members continue to have concerns about bad practice and failure to account for money properly or pay money due to the landlord in good time.

Other than calling the NLA Advice Line for practical advice, landlords can report dodgy practices to their local authority Consumer Protection Department and/or Trading Standards Department.