Struggling to find tenants

conradmum

Many thanks for all your replies.

The letting agent isn't responsible for the upkeep of the garden, I was just worried that it's looking worse the longer this process takes.

I'd rather not post a link to Rightmove here as I've stated that the house is unoccupied.

We decided in the end to lower the rent asked to £750 from £850 (had to ask twice before they lowered the price on Rightmove :mad:). Four bedroom houses in this area are offered at £900+ so hopefully that will spark some interest. If we don't get anything out of our current agents in the next ten days we'll terminate the contract, though I don't know what repercussions that will have.

I found out that it is possible to get insurance on vacant properties, but that the water system has to be drained and someone has to check the house at least once a week. I've asked our former neighbours if they can help us out. Luckily we were on very friendly terms and our children played together so they might oblige. It's an imposition, though, and I'm really annoyed with our letting agency as I feel they bear some responsibility for these problems.

Hammyman

conradmum wrote: »

Any advice on what to do regarding the agents, insurance, or how to make the house more appealing to tenants would be very much appreciated.

It's a four bedroom detached house in a large, popular village in the East Midlands.

Accept housing benefit applicants and people with kids.

Virtually every letting agent says no DHSS and no kids or pets. That completely excludes a very large percentage of renters who are looking for a house with 4 bedrooms because they will have kids and are most likely to be getting LHA or HB and in a country who is experiencing the highest unemployment for 3 decades you can't afford to exclude them.
You can have the council pay the rent benefit directly to you so you're only out of pocket the difference between the award and the rental amount if they don't pay.

Yorkie1

Hammyman wrote: »

You can have the council pay the rent benefit directly to you so you're only out of pocket the difference between the award and the rental amount if they don't pay.

I had read on here that that was no longer possible unless the tenant is specifically vulnerable in relation to managing their finances, or the tenants were already 8 weeks in arrears.

zzzLazyDaisy

Yorkie1 wrote: »

I had read on here that that was no longer possible unless the tenant is specifically vulnerable in relation to managing their finances, or the tenants were already 8 weeks in arrears.

That is correct.

conradmum

Hammyman wrote: »

Accept housing benefit applicants and people with kids.

Virtually every letting agent says no DHSS and no kids or pets. That completely excludes a very large percentage of renters who are looking for a house with 4 bedrooms because they will have kids and are most likely to be getting LHA or HB and in a country who is experiencing the highest unemployment for 3 decades you can't afford to exclude them.
You can have the council pay the rent benefit directly to you so you're only out of pocket the difference between the award and the rental amount if they don't pay.

Thanks Hammyman. We already don't exclude children or pets. In fact, I'd be puzzled as to why someone with no children would be interested in the house - there have been a few of these. A four bedroom house is a lot of maintenance, not to mention the garden, and I can't see the point unless you need the extra bedrooms.

fawd1

you'd be surprised. I looked at renting a three bed house until I realised that it stated no children and no sharers. What on earth would either a single person or one couple want with three bedrooms?

mjdh1957

fawd1 wrote: »

you'd be surprised. I looked at renting a three bed house until I realised that it stated no children and no sharers. What on earth would either a single person or one couple want with three bedrooms?

Funnily enough, my partner and I are looking at a 3-bedroom 'family' house that has 'No dogs, No children, No sharers, No benefits, No students and No smokers'. There's just the two of us plus cats, but I work from home so need an office and my partner would use the spare room as his office for when he needs to work from home.

It does seem very restrictive. It seems to have been available since the end of May and has reduced the rent by £50 per month. We have made a 'cheeky' offer so hopefully can get some more off.

We just hope the landlords aren't absolutely bonkers....

Mind you, we only want it for 6-8 months so even if they are barking, it won't be for too long.