Meet Anna.
Anna has a second home in Ampthill.
Anna is looking to let it, but is overwhelmed whether she should do so with a high street agent at a higher price, or a cheaper online alternative.
Don’t agonise like Anna…
Do ensure compliance.
Top importance when letting a property? Compliance. Using an online agent not on the ground and at the home could cause a challenge. For example, if they haven’t seen the property in person, how do they know if furnishings are fire-safe? We offer an end-to-end service, including initial and ongoing inspections to see for ourselves if anything needs addressing, saving you potential problems and hefty fines.
Do think local.
We know the local area and its nuances, we can price the home properly based on local knowledge, and we can recommend local suppliers and services. We also work personally with the people you’ll potentially be letting to—we wouldn’t put someone in your home who we wouldn’t put in our own. Plus, you can pop in for a chat!
Do consider communication.
Online agents generally communicate via email. This might be ok if there are no issues, but what if something crops up? We’re on hand in various ways, and contact doesn’t stop when the office doors close. In fact, when one of our managed properties had an emergency maintenance problem at 3am, and we were available within minutes.
Do look at their listings.
An online agent recently took their listings off Rightmove, without reducing their fee, and without alerting their landlords! This is not only poor communication, but means the properties aren’t being marketed as effectively. We advertise on Rightmove and OnTheMarket, on our own website, and actively on socials. These are proven to be the best places for interest in our properties.
Don’t decide based on price.
Price is very different to value. Look at how much the agent is offering, not just how much they’re charging. Our fees cover an extensive package, one that’s both qualitative and quantitative. ‘You get what you pay for’ is always worth remembering when renting out a home.
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Do use a lettings agent like Orchards:
01525 40 22 66
ampthill@orchards.co.uk
