Updating post from Reddit.
Hello Guys.
First time landlord to be, based in North West.
I was wondering, as I will be a non UK based landlord, is going a letting agency route better then open rent + landlord and income insurance?
I know the landlorord insurance will require some tenant checks, could you let me know how do I do them? Which route do you so prefer and why?
Thank you for all the answers.
I have a independent agent, who charges 8% plus 2% vat , he is on my side and not the tenants, I haven’t had any problems with the properties for a couple of years, so the tenants are happy
It's not a case of picking sides, it's a case of ensuring contractual and legal requirements are met for both. That is what an agent is for.
Ultimately, we act in the LL's best interests as thats who pays us, but we take into account the tenant also and advise on a basis of something being best for all.
There are very few cases where the interests of both parties don't align.
Well yeah all agents and LLs aren’t on the tenants side because the money comes from / to the agent and LL
it should be a symbiotic relationship between all parties and not an adversarial one. LLS want happy tenants so they have long tenancies and Tenants want happy LLs so well the same nice long tenancies.
Yes in theory. In practice the agents customer is the LL not the tenants, and the agents priority is to keep their customer happy. This would involve maintaining good tenant relationships but in some cases and property types that’s a consideration very low on the list (ie student properties or short term lets)
to be honest and IMHO it is a bit of silly assertion. It is a service industry and if you don't provide a good service then you either will not get tenants or at least only get the worse ones.
While there are a few bad landlords there are equally a few bad tenants. Tarring everyone with the same brush doesn't reflect reality.
If you look at the Leaders Romans Group’s (LRG) latest survey
Contrary to negative stereotypes often portrayed, the data shows that tenants view their landlords positively while highlighting areas for improvement in communication and responsiveness.
The survey found that 55% of tenants believe their landlord provides quality housing, and only 12% view their landlord negatively. This aligns with a study by The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), which indicated that 65% of tenants rated their independent landlords highly, compared to 46% for corporate landlords. One landlord commented, “I pride myself on providing good-quality housing and building strong relationships with my tenants”. A tenant commented, “Our landlord is always responsive and addresses issues quickly, which makes us feel valued.” Another said, “It’s great to have a landlord who genuinely cares about the tenants’ living conditions.”
A letting agency is probably sensible. Make sure to register as a non-resident landlord so that the tenant or agency can pay you without deducting tax.
Absolutely not. Don’t be so stupid.
Your required to let through agent or your tenant will be obliged to withhold tax from rent and send it to HMRC.
I live in the UK but my rental property is not nearby. Having an agent has been well worth it. They sort out any issues (you don’t have to negotiate times when the tenant will be there to let the plumber in, etc.), keep all the certificates up to date, give me a very easy income summary annually for my tax return. If you get a good agent I would heartily recommend it over self-management.