The Private Residential Tenancy (PRT) brought a new era to renting in Scotland for landlords. Not only has the 6 month Short Assured Tenancy been replaced with an open ended tenancy, but landlords also need to adhere to one of 18 grounds for possession if they would like their tenant to move out.
Therefore it is even more important for landlords to secure the right tenant. Citylets has created a guide for the whole procedure, from deciding rent level, advertising a property, to selecting tenants for viewing.
The first decision is whether to use an agent who can take care of everything for you, or just parts of the letting procedure. Finding an agent can be difficult – particularly if you are looking to rent outside of your immediate area. Citylets website provides a free “Find a Letting Agent” service which is one of the quickest ways for selecting and contacting agents directly.
You may decide that you wish to take care of everything yourself. Citylets website provides services that help you decide rent level, as well as taking you step by step through the quick and simple procedure of creating a great and effective advert.
Deciding rent level
Citylets has a general rent calculator that allows you to search its data by postcode, property type and amount of bedrooms. Once you complete the quick registration process on Citylets, you also have access to services such as “Optilet”, which enables you to set rent levels by applying sophisticated analysis to the most recent market data.
Photos
Don’t underestimate the importance of photos of the property. It is often a good idea to take the pictures on a really sunny day. If it’s not possible to gain access during good weather conditions, at least try to get the outside picture on a nice day. It has been found that adverts with photos return a far higher rate of response than those without. Think carefully about which picture to use as the main one. It is helpful to adopt the same strategic tips recommended online for selling a property.
Features and description
Citylets has already done most of the work for you in this section. The website has separate “key feature” fields to ensure that not only do you omit any essential details but that they also stand out in your advert.
When it comes to writing the description, think about who your target tenants are. Are they professionals, students and/or families? Consider what companies or universities are nearby that make your property the perfect location for them. Detail transport links close to the property or if it’s within walking distance of key places. Also include things to do nearby; parks, restaurants, bars and leisure facilities. Useful, additional information such as flexibility with entry date can also be included in this box.
It is also possible to ‘feature’ your advert on Citylets, making it stand out from the other adverts and increase your opportunities of response.
Selecting tenants for viewing
Don’t be afraid to ask questions so that you can narrow down your choice of prospective tenants for viewing. Citylets introduced a tool that gives tenants the opportunity to have the ‘edge’ over other tenants by completing further fields about themselves in the enquiry form, so that the landlord already knows the person’s salary level, employment status, availability for move in and whether they can provide references, income proof and ID. This saves the landlord time from contacting back and forth trying to obtain these details.
Viewings
Once you have carried out the viewings, it is recommended that you inform the successful tenant as soon as possible and complete the lease. Remember that the tenants will be looking at other properties too and will be keen to secure a place as soon as possible. As much as there is a high demand for rental properties, you don’t want to miss out on the ideal tenant due to them finding somewhere else.
For further landlord information on Citylets, visit https://www.citylets.co.uk/landlord-services/index.aspx
