REAL ESTATE BUSINESS

Choosing a Lettings Agent for Your Scotland Lettings Property

Letting Company in Dundee
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Letting company in Dundee, Scotland demand for rented accommodation is at an all-time high. This is causing huge price surges and shortages of property, fueling tenant bidding wars.

To address these issues, the Scottish Government is freezing rents until March 2023 and putting a ban on evictions. But some lettings agents fear the legislation is unnecessarily restrictive, and will further reduce the supply of homes.

What is a letting agent?

If you’re looking for a place to rent in Scotland, a letting agent can help. These people can be useful in helping you find a home or arranging a tenancy for you, but they need to be registered with the Scottish Government and comply with the Code of Practice.

A letting agent can find you a place to rent and negotiate with landlords on your behalf. They’ll also handle all the paperwork involved, like registering you with your local authority and collecting your rent.

You’ll need to give them details about what you want, your income and your current situation. They may ask you for references from your employer or bank, and they’ll check you can afford the rent.

If they refuse to let you a place because they think you aren’t eligible for benefits, this could be discrimination. If you are refused a tenancy or a place to live because you get benefits, check our guidance on challenging benefits discrimination.

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To make sure you have a good letting experience, it’s important to choose an agent who is qualified and experienced in letting. They should have a letting agent qualification such as the LETWELL programme, which is industry recognised and respected.

should have the right insurance cover for your property and be able to offer you a range of services, including finding new tenants, carrying out inspections and managing repairs. They should also have access to a wide range of property listings and be able to quickly respond to your enquiries or complaints.

Letting agents in Scotland are required by law to be registered with the Register of Scottish Letting Agents, which is maintained by the Registers of Scotland for the Scottish Government. Letting company in Dundee, They must comply with a Letting Agent Code of Practice and meet the minimum training requirements.

The registration process was introduced by the Scottish Government in January 2018. Anyone who operates as a letting agent in Scotland, or anyone who provides services to letting agents in Scotland, needs to be on the register.

If a letting agent isn’t on the register, they can be fined. You can find out more about letting agent regulation by visiting the Scottish Government website and reading their information guides for landlords and tenants.

How do I find a letting agent?

Whether you’re an established property investor or an aspiring landlord, using a letting agent can be a great way to manage your rental properties. However, you should make sure that you choose the right letting agent for you.

The lettings market is highly competitive and a good letting agent will be keen to earn your business. Ask them about their fees and charges and negotiate for the best deals.

You should also check that a letting agent is registered with the Scottish Government’s Register of Letting Agents and meets the requirements of the Letting Agent Code of Practice. They’ll display their unique letting agent registration number on all of their communications and advertising.

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This means they’re legally allowed to let your property and are required to comply with a range of legislation, including housing, consumer protection, financial services, contracts, title conditions and health and safety. If you think a letting agent has breached the code of practice, contact the Letting Agents Tribunal to see if they have to change their practices or pay compensation.

A letting agent’s role is to help you find and let tenants for your properties. They’ll conduct tenant screening, handle enquiries, advertise your property and arrange viewings. They’ll also take care of any property maintenance and deal with tenancy issues when they arise.

The market for lettings in Scotland is growing as people on low incomes are increasingly seeking to rent private properties. Many of these tenants are struggling to find affordable housing and are often turned away by local landlords who refuse to let to them.

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Some letting agents have rules which exclude people who get benefits, and this could be illegal under the Equality Act 2010. You should write to your agent asking them to change their policy, so that you can rent from them.

Choosing a letting agent who’s experienced in finding and letting to people on benefits is crucial. Letting company in Dundee, They should be able to identify those with special needs and support them in finding a place to live.

If you’re interested in letting your property through a letting agent, talk to the team at Clyde Property for more information about the benefits of using a letting agent. We have a wide network of branches across the country and can offer a bespoke service for your needs.

What are the benefits of using a letting agent?

There are a number of benefits that come with using a letting agent. This can include making the tenancy process easier and taking some of the stress out of managing your rental property.

Letting agents can also help with legal matters. This can include protecting a landlord’s deposit and helping with rent collection. In some cases, they can even offer insurance that protects your income if you have rent arrears.

When choosing a letting agent, it’s important to find out what services they can provide and how much they charge for them. By law, letting agents must display their service level fees in branch and on their website so you can easily compare costs between different agencies.

Having a letting agent take care of all the marketing of your property is a great benefit as it will ensure that it is marketed effectively and gets seen by prospective tenants quickly. This is particularly important if you have several properties to let, as it can be more cost effective than trying to do it yourself.

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It is also helpful to choose an agency that will produce lettings particulars for your property and advertise it on national letting websites such as Rightmove, as this is a way of highlighting its key features to potential tenants. It’s also worth checking that the agency will carry out tenant referencing, ensuring you have a suitable and responsible tenant in place before they move in.

Some letting agents will also arrange for an inventory report to be produced. This can be a great help to any landlord as it will ensure that they have evidence should anything go wrong during the tenancy.

Another great advantage of letting agents is that they can help with the tenancy set-up process, including arranging a viewing for you. This can be a useful service for new landlords, as it allows them to see whether they can achieve the rent they expect for their property.

It can be a good idea to use a letting agent that is part of an industry body such as the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA). This will mean that they are committed to a strict code of professional practice, and are often required to take courses in order to maintain their accreditation.

How do I choose a letting agent?

When choosing a letting agent, it is important to find one who will be able to manage your property and provide you with an excellent service. This will ensure your investment is protected and that you receive the best possible return from renting your property out to a good tenant.

A reputable letting agent will have experience in the local area and understand the market for property, which will help you to achieve the best rental prices for your property. They will also be able to give you the best advice about how to maximise your rent and how to find quality tenants.

It is also a good idea to choose a letting agent who has been recommended by others. This will allow you to avoid scams and ensure that you are dealing with a reputable and trustworthy agency.

You should also consider whether the agent is a member of a trade body. This will ensure that they are following codes of conduct and have proper guarantees in place to protect landlords and their monies.

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If you want to be sure of the integrity of your chosen letting agent, you should check they are registered with the Scottish Letting Agent Register (LARN). This is an official list run by the Scottish Government that makes sure all letting agents are qualified and meet minimum standards.

All professional agencies have a LARN number and this should be on display to show they are regulated. You should also be reassured that your agent uses a tenant deposit scheme, such as Safe Deposit Scotland. Client should ask about their dispute resolution processes, ideally disputes will be resolved through third tier tribunals.

You can also check if the letting agent is a member of any trade organisations such as ARLA or Safe Agent. This will mean that they have a professional network of contacts and can deal with problems quickly.

The agent should be proactive in marketing your property and finding suitable tenants. This will save you time and money in the long run as they will be able to attract more tenants, which can lead to higher rental prices.

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