Where else to look for private landlords?

aless02

We're struggling to find a place to live in Sussex/Surrey way. Have tried a few agents, but having rented privately for the past 4 years, it's only a route of desperation. The problem seems that the area is just close enough to London to get sucked into the London listings on Gumtree and similar, but too far out that no one actually lists there!

We're not local, so it's not a matter of going down there to buy a newspaper (though if we get desperate enough, maybe we should). Where else is there to look for ads? Loot is equally poor.

Vincenzo

Not sure I am clear? Are you saying you do not wish to rent through an agent and are therefore not looking on rightmove, findaproperty etc. If that is the case I can quite understand why you cannot find anything!

lyndsay1986

http://www.thisissurreytoday.co.uk/news

http://www.surreycomet.co.uk/homes/

PasturesNew

thesun.co.uk has a rentals section, which has some nifty filters you can use to try to narrow it down a bit.

No idea how many they have though, or if it's just mainly for London, or big cities.

elljay

Why don't you just take out a short term subscription to the most likely local newspaper - where I live they are definitely the best places to look, that and village shop windows.

I've been in a similar situation and taken out short subscriptions eg, 3 months etc, to papers and they arrive in the post very efficiently.

EJ

moneysavingplumber

I used to rent in Tunbridge Wells via a professional landlord in Tonbridge called Worrin & Lawson, they were very good and owned hundreds of properties in the area. Large stately homes (e.g. Penshurst Place) often own large numbers of rental properties in their localities, so if there are any in your area it's worth calling their estates office to enquire, although they're often rural propertiess.

I'm finally in the process of buying, but have rented for the last twelve years and would rather pull my own fingernails out with rusty pliers than rent via a High Street agent again, did it twice and it was nothing but trouble.

Vincenzo

moneysavingplumber wrote: »

I'm finally in the process of buying, but have rented for the last twelve years and would rather pull my own fingernails out with rusty pliers than rent via a High Street agent again, did it twice and it was nothing but trouble.

Having never rented I am not sure I understand this comment or the OP's reluctance to rent through the usual channels?

I do however own rental property so would be interested to understand more.....

tbs624

Vincenzo wrote: »

Having never rented I am not sure I understand this comment or the OP's reluctance to rent through the usual channels?

I do however own rental property so would be interested to understand more.....

Spurious extra charges levied on the T ( & also the LL) at every opportunity, failing to pass on messages/act on repairs issues, rudeness from untrained staff etc are the usual complaints about LAs.

A poor LA can lose you a "good " T and the fact is that some LLs do not seem to know what exactly the LA does /says in his or her name.

Many Ts prefer to cut out the middle man & rent direct frm the LL

tbs624

OP - have you tried contacting the local LL association and/or asking the Council's private sector team if they hold a list of "accredited LLs?

Alternatively, put your own wanted ad in the local shops and local rag

moneysavingplumber

Vincenzo wrote: »

Having never rented I am not sure I understand this comment or the OP's reluctance to rent through the usual channels?

I do however own rental property so would be interested to understand more.....

Try renting a property through the 'usual channels', and I'm reasonably confident that you'll be contacting me asking where I bought the pliers .

Back in 2001, when renting through a High Street agent, we had to pay around £80 for the privilege of being credit-checked, even though the checking company refused to discuss our own details with us despite the fact that the data related to us and we were paying for it. We were occasionally pestered by the agent throughout the seven month tenancy with regard to gardening duties, had to take time off to fit in their periodic 'inspections' of the property, and then they tried to charge us to extend the contract. The final straw was when a friend phoned and informed us that our house was up for sale, she'd seen it in the paper! Getting the deposit back took the full 28 days.

Next experience was little better. Promised a long-let by the agent and then given our marching orders just after 6 months, despite being good tenants. They had just lied about the owner's circumstances or told us what we wanted to hear. Again it was a fight to get the deposit back, despite leaving the property better than we'd found it.

Our last two tenancies have been secured via local paper ads direct with the landlords and have been brilliant. The first lasted three years and ended amicably when the landlord's circumstances changed and they had to sell, deposit returned in-full on day of departure. Our current one has lasted five years and has been excellent, no reference or credit-checking was needed, a savvy landlord can generally tell who he's dealing with, "I like you and I trust you!" were his exact words when we offered a reference.

Agents generally make money for nothing, and in my experience treat the landlord and tenant with equal contempt.

Vincenzo

Having dealt with agents from the Landlord's perspective I can see how certain issues mentioned above can be an irritation to tenants (and to landlords!). However I don't think going through an agent necessarily means you will encounter problems nor do I think going direct to the landlord will avoid them.

I use an agent to find tenants and sometimes use their management service however I always ensure my tenants have direct contact with me so if they have any grievances and feel the agent is not performing I can step in. A recent example is where a tenant told me repeatedly they were unhappy with the way the agent was managing the property (as was I). I ditched the agent, manage it myself and have a great relationship with the tenant.

With regards to the comment re "savvy landlords" not asking for references is just reckless. There is absolutely no way you can tell what the tenant will be like after a couple of meetings. Some people sign ASTs with no intention of paying the rent, using the law to prolong their rent free stay as long as possible. These tenants generally prey on private landlords relying on less than rigorous checks (as described above). That is one reason (of many) that I would never advertise privately and seek tenants through a well respected lettings agency.