Tips: Attracting Good Tenants Requires Some Basic Hard Work

It is the dream of any landlord to have a tenant who has few complaints and looks after the property well and pays the rent on time. But in reality not all tenants fit this description. Still some hard work can increase the chances of finding a good client using the following tips.

Research Take a look at the rental market in your area and see what other owners of buy-to-let property are offering. If other properties are having little sign of wear and tear and not requiring any hard maintenance, try to enhance the standards of your property to command the same rent. Now think seriously about hiring a letting agent. Or arm yourself with all techniques to find suitable tenants for yourself.

Hire a Letting Agent: If the landlord has a busy life, or have little inclination to search for tenants a letting agent could be ideal. The letting agent will take photographs of the property and advertise it online including his own website and other third party property websites like Zoopla


Advertise the Property: In case you do not want a letting agent and want to do it yourself go aggressive with advertising using online channels.

Know your facts: While managing the property viewings all by yourself, be prepared to face the questions from the prospective client for which you need to have convincing answers. So, you must all aspects about your property ranging from the neighbours; their nature: what days the bins are collected: how much the council tax is: where are the nearest shops: nearby schools and bus stops. Property viewings are opportunities for meeting tenants and encouraging people to select you as their landlord.

Credit Score Check: Before finalizing the deal for long term flats check the credit score of tenants and speak to their previous landlords and employers. Doing so can give a good idea whether they are reliable and can pay their rent on time. So, take your time and make sure you carry out all the appropriate checks and find the perfect tenants you were hoping for.

Never rush a Deal: Although lean periods can be trying never rush your search for tenants. The danger is that the haste may land you in the hands of someone who is a fraud and defaulter on rent and also refuse to vacate your property. Consulting letting agents in London will help to follow the right course. 

Letting agents will have to join redress scheme

Landlords and tenants are finally being offered better protection from rogue letting agents after the House of Commons approved an eleventh hour amendment to the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill.

Reference: propertydrum.briefyourmarket.com

The coalition government has bowed to pressure from Labour and industry groups by amending the Bill to allow for a system of redress.

All letting and managing agents as well as those agents engaged in leasehold management must now belong to an approved redress scheme, or ombudsman, which will offer landlords and tenants access to an approved redress scheme in order to deal with complaints when they arise.

Peter Bolton King (left), RICS Residential Director, said, “From now on, should a tenant or landlord experience problems due to poor service, they will be able to register their grievance with an independent redress scheme which, if appropriate, will investigate and award compensation.”

The move has been welcomed by various property professionals and industry bodies as a positive step to raise consumer protection by giving access to an independent disputes resolution mechanism and also an opportunity to raise standards across an industry thought to handle £14 billion a year, earning £1 billion for itself in the process.

Property Ombudsman, Christopher Hamer (right), said, “I have been

pressing for such a change for a number of years and I therefore very much welcome the government's approach to this important element of consumer protection.”

However, while many feel that this is a step in the right direction, there is widespread feeling that further action will be needed to remove all rogue letting agents from the sector, after the Government stopped short of backing an amendment introduced in the House of Lords by Baroness Hayter, the Labour peer who has led the campaign for change.

Caroline Kenny (left), UKALA Executive, commented, “Whilst well intentioned, the previous proposals that letting agents to be brought within the scope of the Estate Agents Act 1979 fell short of providing a genuine solution.”

Nevertheless, the Housing Minister’s announcement that the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill will be used to provide a basis for future, specialised regulation of letting agency standards should ensure that landlords and tenants who choose to use professional letting services receive adequate protection.

“The National Landlords Association [NLA] looks forward to working with the Government throughout the forthcoming industry consultation to make sure that any regulation implemented encourages professionalism, provides financial protection and aids the development of a healthy and sustainable private-rented sector,” said Chris Norris, Head of Policy at the NLA. 

Calls for legislation have intensified in the past year or so amid a major shift towards renting in the UK. There are now 3.84 million households privately renting in England, up from 1.9 million in 2001.

Marc Von Grundherr of Benham and Reeves Residential Lettings commented, “Given the increasing move to a renting society with older owner occupiers, we need more rental stock not less and therefore the sector needs to be fully transparent, professional and have redress for all sides. The only way is through regulation.”

A Helping Hand for Landlords & Tenants - London’s Lettings Agent

In the past few decades, London has become a prime international real estate destination. With more and more investors entering the real estate market, property values have risen exponentially as well as the number of London letting agents. Real estate developers in London state that this is the right time to make an investment, as the market is set to boom.

Real estate can be a very complicated industry to enter, for first time investors. There are a large number of scams and tricksters operating in this domain who can readily exploit unsuspecting novices. Therefore, investing in the wrong place, with the wrong London letting agents can be potentially disastrous.

Therefore it is advisable for first time investors to enter the market through London letting agents and real estate specialists. While approaching letting agencies in London it is also important of the authenticity of the ones which one is approaching. It is advisable to approach only the most well-known and experienced letting agents.

What this ensures is that the prospective tenants or landlords would get the best services available in renting, selling and buying real estate properties. Also, the older the letting agency, greater its web of connections and subsequently information relating to fats for rent.

Letting agents in London of such agencies would be spread out in almost all the residential areas throughout the city and therefore would be competently able to provide the exact sort of residential accommodation that their clients would require. Some of these London letting agencies also have offices in other countries whereby people from those nations could seek to purchase property in London and neighbouring areas.

It is most prudent, therefore, to approach letting agents when looking for a flat to rent as this would not only speed up the entire process while minimizing the amount of effort required at ones end, and at the same time ensuring that all parties get what they pay for and are not duped in any way.

Best Tea & Hot Chocolate Shops - What’s New in London

Thinking of hot beverage and not thinking about the classic British tea and a ‘cuppa’ of melting creamy hot chocolate is not right!!

There is something about tea drinking that is quintessentially British. From the average brew at home to a more professional form served at a restaurant, tea is always a refreshing drink and a cup of this delicacy can brighten up any mood. There are so many different types of teas to choose from such as green, herbal blends, regular teas that can be drunk black or with several variants of milk, sweetened, flavoured, and the list goes on.

Those who consider their cup of tea as a special drink can enjoy stepping out to some of the best tea outlets in London. Some of the more popular tea shops include Postcard Teas, located on Dering Street is a must try. Tea expert Timothy d’Offay takes the pains to travel the world to get best and unique teas including black, green, white and Oolong teas, which are all tasted before they are bought. Their tea shop is located in this charming 18th-century building, just off New Bond Street. Another great shop, The Tea House, is located just down the road in Covent Garden and offers a stunningly wide range of over 70 types of tea - imported, roasted and blended in-house by proprietor Christina Smith. Now that is definitely variety!! Tea lovers must also try an afternoon tea at The Ritz, The Wolseley or Claridge’s for that special touch of the classic beverage. For those youngsters who would like a more local feel, the Bake-a-Boo in West Hampstead (Mill Lane, NW6) is perfect with their beautiful tea room set behind the bright pink shop front.

Hot chocolate has also changed and evolved the over years and people now want a true cup of melting hot chocolate full of the delicious aroma and flavours of the best of cocoa. The good news is that London is incredibly full of cafes with specialist ‘chocolatiers’ who serve the perfect hot chocolate drink.

Located in the City is the excellent chain Konditor & Cook which serves delicious thick hot chocolate, made from two types of Belgian chocolate, blended with cream, milk, vanilla and sugar for a super-extravagant treat. Choccywoccydoodah, just off Carnaby Street, is another favourite with chocolate connoisseurs who started from humble beginnings in Brighton, and they serve their drinks at their London café with blended cocoa, cocoa butter, vanilla and steaming hot milk.

Chocolate lovers can also try Rococo for its high quality, extra creamy drink made only from 75 per cent organic chocolate made in-house in their Belgravia outlet. Melange in Peckham is another great hangout famous for its white chocolate version.

There are lots of other places to make a hangouts, which attract non-Londoners to live in London. Searching a residential flat or apartment for rent is not a easy task so we will suggest to contact lettings agencies in London.

Rent a flat in London with the help of letting agents

Are you looking out for a good posh rent a flat?

Here is your right choice to choose from the many available flats. London can get you some of the best places for people who are looking out for a comfortable living. As we know there are many popular areas in London like Kensington, Knightsbridge, Hampstead, Canary Wharf, Beaufort Park etc.. But, the City area too is one among the many popular areas in London. Travelers and tourists who wish to rent a flat in London can certainly choose City of London.

Picture of a rental flat's reception area

Tenants who want to rent a flat in City can get flats which are very spacious living rooms, customized kitchens bathrooms with Villeroy and Boch chinaware. Most of the apartments and flats there have a balcony and terrace facility which is marvelous. Also if people are worried about travelling form this area they have stations near to this area. Thus we can see almost all the services and facilities are good there.

The cost of the flats ranges different from each other. It is like more the service more the cost. Tenants can get rent a flat in City which is expensive as well as cheap and affordable. Tenants indeed have good options to choose from. People who want to rent a flat in London can visit the many websites online and select a flat of their choice.

Search your dream flat to rent in City with Rentals London and there is a video that will help you to understand the location and area around City.

How to look for a property to rent in London?

London is a place which is well known for its luxury lifestyle. To talk about this place, it is located in the UK and is popular for renting property and apartments. One can find the most unique property in this area of UK. The property there gives you a homely feeling as they have lots of services and facilities to offer to their tenants.

The properties would just be the perfect place of accommodation for business professionals. As we known business professionals are always busy round the clock and keep traveling from one place to another. So if a business professional is about to visit the London city for a short period he would love to stay in the London. If these property suit business people that does not mean it is not fit for family living. The property is very much suitable for family accommodations as a lot of people visit London for sightseeing and shopping.

Property is very much available for rent there as people who have come for vacationing in London would choose to live in this property. A stay in this property will never remind a person of his home because they give you the feeling of a home away from home. The property to rent in London is very stylish and fashionable. Also the designing of this property are very exquisite.

People who wish to rent this property must look for a good residential lettings agent who can guide them to buy this property.