Becoming a landlord is not one to be taken lightly. By working with a reputable and conscientious agent who always has their eye on the property market as well as that all important governance and compliance, means your journey is off to a good start.
Before entering the property rental market, there are several important factors to consider including:
Market Research: We can help landlords understand the local rental market, demand for rental properties and potential rental yields. This helps us to assess how much rent to achieve for your property.
Property Condition: Ensure the property is in good condition for rental. Address any necessary repairs or improvements to avoid objections from tenants. We can help with advice and recommended trusted contractors where required.
Legal and Regulatory Compliance: We can help familiarise landlords with landlord-tenant laws, regulations and licensing requirements to ensure compliance.
Insurance: Consider appropriate insurance coverage for the property, such as landlord insurance, to protect against potential risks.
Finances: Calculate potential costs, including mortgage payments, property maintenance and other expenses, to determine the financial viability of the investment.
Property Management or Tenant Find: This is dependent on how much time and involvement a landlord wants to have in the process.
Tenant Screening: We use a full referencing service including financial, employment, rental history verification and identity checking. Finding reliable tenants is a necessary requirement for a successful property let.
Assured Shorthold Agreements: Create clear and comprehensive agreements that outline terms and conditions, rent payment details, and other relevant information.
Deposit: Ensure the deposit is registered with an appropriate government scheme and within the legal timeframe.
Inventories and Checkout: These are important for registering the condition of the property and are necessary for any attempts to recoup any losses with regards to property return.
Tax Implications: Understand the tax implications of property rental, including income tax on rental earnings and potential deductions.
Self Manage or appoint a Letting Agent?
A very important decision and not to be taken lightly. Here we provide some information to help you make an informed decision. Do bear in mind landlord services provided by an agent help take the stress away from letting property allowing you to enjoy the benefits of your business.
It is essential to consider, when you choose a letting agent to help manage the property, that they have the knowledge, expertise and resource to handle key aspects of this role. This includes, advertising your property, finding a tenant, carrying out tenant referencing, creating a tenancy agreement, and, if you choose, they can be involved in larger tasks such as rent collection, property management visits, handling repairs and keeping you abreast of that all important legislative framework.
Tenant Find service explained
Sometimes referred to as a Let Only service. Often ideal if you want to be in the ‘driving seat’ and take on the full responsibility for managing the home and tenants’ issues. This may include certain obligations such as receiving and receipting rent, carrying out and writing up inventories, carrying out and documenting ‘check-out’ reports as well as keeping up to date and complying with landlord/tenant legislation.
If you do enjoy the hands-on approach, have access to contractors, enjoy keeping up to date with government legislation and you are experienced in managing properties the ‘tenant find service’ could be the right option. Do remember however, you may well have to cope with that call in the early hours of the morning for a boiler breakdown or bust pipe!
When you choose our Tenant Find package, we handle the initial stages of letting a property and finding a tenant. This includes advertising the home, carrying out accompanied viewings, arranging the tenancy set up and, where applicable, carrying out a landlord inventory service. This enables you to have a good relationship with a lettings agency confident that they have measures in place to reference tenants.
Fully Managed service explained
If your life is busy and you have little time to manage your property, or would rather avoid the potential stress of dealing directly with tenants, our Fully Managed landlord service package is designed with you in mind.
It's perfect if you're a new landlord and have a full-time job some miles away from your property rental or, if you have a large portfolio and need a reliable letting agency to take on the day-to-day and long-term running of your rentals otherwise known as your valuable assets.
Providing comprehensive support, our Fully Managed property maintenance service for landlords allows you to enjoy the benefits of being a landlord without the stress. We'll take care of everything from finding tenants to handling maintenance issues, inventories and carrying out final checks when a tenant leaves before finding a new tenant for you and the whole cycle repeats.
Why choose Smart & Co?
We are experienced and qualified -Having managed properties for our landlords for almost 20 years our team are well versed, experienced and qualified in all aspects of letting and property management and maintenance.
On a personal note, we started with our own properties as we felt there was no customer service from our letting agent. We set up our business to provide a positive experience for both landlord and tenant alike.
With a pro-active dedication and approach to the landlord and tenant journey, whichever service you choose, we will offer a stress free and excellent experience for all parties. Our commitment to the landlord and tenant journey is reflected in our comprehensive services designed to streamline the rental process and ensure satisfaction at every step.
We are dedicated to Elevating the Landlord and Tenant Experience -At Smart & Co, we are unwavering in our commitment to delivering a stress-free and excellent journey for both landlords and tenants. We understand that managing properties involves more than transactions; it's about fostering positive relationships and creating lasting impressions.
For Landlords, our dedication begins with understanding the unique needs and goals of landlords.We strive to provide seamless property management solutions that not only maximise returns but also minimise the burdens associated with property ownership. From comprehensive tenant screening to timely maintenance and financial reporting, we ensure that landlords can confidently entrust their properties to us.
We offer a Stress-Free and Excellent Service -What sets us apart is our unwavering commitment to making the entire landlord and tenant journey as smooth as possible going beyond the traditional roles of a property management service: we are your partners in your property journey.
Our team is dedicated to resolving concerns promptly, ensuring clear communication and continuously seeking ways to enhance the overall experience for both landlords and tenants.
Choose Smart & Co for a property management experience that prioritises your peace of mind. We believe that by fostering positive relationships, we contribute to the success and satisfaction of both landlords and tenants alike.