Buy to let letting agents

The letting agent acts as intermediary between the landlord and tenant. They are the landlords representatives and are on call to manage your property in your absence.

The letting agent may offer some or all of the following services:

1. Advertising
2. Finding a tenant and taking references
3. Arranging the tenancy and preparing the inventory
4. Collection of rent
5. Regular property inspections 
6. Managing the repairs and maintenance
7. Open office for tenants/tradesman to liase with

A good letting agent will have a wealth of experience. They would be a very good place to start if you are new to managing property

If you don't have the inclination to manage the property then this might be the best option

Letting agents generally charge a percentage of the rent. Typically this is 10 - 15% of the rental income

Talk to several letting agents, have a list of questions to ask - What happens if the tenant refuses to pay the rent etc. This will give you a feel for which agent you are most comfortable with. You may wish to check whether they are a member of a trade body, for example the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA). Such membership should help to ensure that the agent conducts their business in a professional manner.

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