Soon to be landlord.

bee78

franklee wrote: »

What about the half way houses, removing just the desk and leaving the wall units. Or removing all the study furniture, wrapping and storing in the loft. This would save the reinstatement down stairs costs as it seems a shame to carve up a downstairs room if no one really wants a study there. You can always exclude the loft from the tenancy if you want.

Also how much did the study cost you in the first place? What multiple of 900 is it which will give you the number of months rent this is issue costs.

The problems I can see with the three bed plus study approach is that as the tenants pay council tax based on the bigger house and utility bills the redundant room will still be costing them. Also the rent at 875 sounds high for a three bed. So you may end up falling between tenants in wanting a three bed person who will be happy to pay that bit extra or a four bed person prepared to compromise for paying that bit less.

What does your agent say, they should know the local market.

Edit: Cross posted with zzzLazyDaisy suggesting the same just before me

Thanks, ..I take whatever you say on board, but there is no way round it.... Three bedroom detached is going for £900 in some parts of village.So our price is just below market value....taking into our 4th bedroom senario. The agent recommended keeping it @ 875 and negotiating rent if anyone is looking for long term.

As yet there is no update.......but then again it is only been a 5 days now. I will stay optimistic...and take feedback quite seriously.

Thanks again.

bee78

hello everyone,

The house has been on lettings market for over a week...no viewings booked after the one viewing i had.

i feel totally down about this...and have started thinking maybe i should go ahead and use e-agent as well.

How will this arrangment work with the local agent. do i have to pay both of them irregard to who finds me a tenant. I am bit worried.....and obviously so many things are going on around me. the new house.....the exchange, the completion..and removals. so on and so forth..........

just needed to talk to someone about this.....:o

ognum

Was wondering how you are getting on!

It depends if you have signed any contracts, if you have you need to read them to find out about dual agency.

When I had a time when a let was not easy I simply told my agent I would be getting a second and if needed a third agent to increase my market exposure. I said that if that didn't work for them I would withdraw from them and find agents who would do dual agency.

Interestingly they agreed and so did my second competitor company and they both found tenants within 2 days!!!! Interesting that suddenly the thought of losing the property made them find tenants!

So, check any agreement you have signed, tell you agency your are going to others, if they don't agree dump them.

Find agents that are happy to work in competition.

But, maybe you should be rethinking whether you keep the house and maybe you should reconsider the study issue.

Remember it often takes a few weeks to let a family house, it is slower than small flats in city centres. less families are moving because of the costs involved so once you get a tenant they will hopefully stay. Did you decide to let to people with pets, that often helps.

bee78

ognum wrote: »

Was wondering how you are getting on!

It depends if you have signed any contracts, if you have you need to read them to find out about dual agency.

When I had a time when a let was not easy I simply told my agent I would be getting a second and if needed a third agent to increase my market exposure. I said that if that didn't work for them I would withdraw from them and find agents who would do dual agency.

Interestingly they agreed and so did my second competitor company and they both found tenants within 2 days!!!! Interesting that suddenly the thought of losing the property made them find tenants!

So, check any agreement you have signed, tell you agency your are going to others, if they don't agree dump them.

Find agents that are happy to work in competition.

But, maybe you should be rethinking whether you keep the house and maybe you should reconsider the study issue.

Remember it often takes a few weeks to let a family house, it is slower than small flats in city centres. less families are moving because of the costs involved so once you get a tenant they will hopefully stay. Did you decide to let to people with pets, that often helps.

Hello ongam,

I have not ruled ppl with pets....I guess I just got to be patient. It is really stressful moving home...it is moving a lifetime away.

And the amount of issues involved is quite a bit...for me at least. New work place, new home, new friends......leaving behind this home, my friends, and work friends...it is much more difficult than I thought.

On top of that...finding tenants......I guess I will give it a week more....and speak to my agent about advertising with an e- agent. If they say no, I will leave them.

Thanks for listening.

ognum

bee78 wrote: »

Hello ongam,

I have not ruled ppl with pets....I guess I just got to be patient. It is really stressful moving home...it is moving a lifetime away.

And the amount of issues involved is quite a bit...for me at least. New work place, new home, new friends......leaving behind this home, my friends, and work friends...it is much more difficult than I thought.

On top of that...finding tenants......I guess I will give it a week more....and speak to my agent about advertising with an e- agent. If they say no, I will leave them.

Thanks for listening.

I think you are right, it is stressful for you and a year down the line you will look back and smile.

Just give it a bit of time, what you don't want is someone who wants your home now and won't wait.

deep breathe and carry on".........!

bee78

ognum wrote: »

I think you are right, it is stressful for you and a year down the line you will look back and smile.

Just give it a bit of time, what you don't want is someone who wants your home now and won't wait.

deep breathe and carry on".........!

thanks a bunch.......:), i am trying to take the day as it comes...will update if there is anything more

franklee

What's an e-agent? Do you mean online agent or estate agent? Your property is already on rightmove which is ideal for online and the agent has both sales and lettings. Or is it you just want multi-agent? I guess so many people view rightmove that once you are on there you are covered online. Has your property been in the local paper, can you check up and ask for that to continue?

If the agent is to manage the property, given you won't be local and aren't an experienced landlord, it's important they are reputable and know the lettings side really well. Also no tenant is better than a bad tenant so don't let standards drop. Did you check out the charges they make to a tenant, these can vary widely from agent to agent, and can be a big factor in how many tenants they attract. Have you read the agent's tenancy agreement to see if it's fair?

If you want a change perhaps try looking for a specialised letting agent. As a tenant I tend to prefer the smallish local ones that have two or three branches, small enough to know who you are and be able to speak to the owners should anything go wrong, large enough to have staff on hand during all office hours.

Do any landlord associations have local meetings, can you go along to see if you pick up any tips of who is good? Do you know any tenants you can ask which agents they like/dislike?

Can you you put up ads at work, in the local shop etc.

bee78

franklee wrote: »

What's an e-agent? Do you mean online agent or estate agent? Your property is already on rightmove which is ideal for online and the agent has both sales and lettings. Or is it you just want multi-agent? I guess so many people view rightmove that once you are on there you are covered online. Has your property been in the local paper, can you check up and ask for that to continue?

If the agent is to manage the property, given you won't be local and aren't an experienced landlord, it's important they are reputable and know the lettings side really well. Also no tenant is better than a bad tenant so don't let standards drop. Did you check out the charges they make to a tenant, these can vary widely from agent to agent, and can be a big factor in how many tenants they attract. Have you read the agent's tenancy agreement to see if it's fair?

If you want a change perhaps try looking for a specialised letting agent. As a tenant I tend to prefer the smallish local ones that have two or three branches, small enough to know who you are and be able to speak to the owners should anything go wrong, large enough to have staff on hand during all office hours.

Do any landlord associations have local meetings, can you go along to see if you pick up any tips of who is good? Do you know any tenants you can ask which agents they like/dislike?

Can you you put up ads at work, in the local shop etc.

I might just put the ad of my home in rightmove at my work place, I have sent some feelers to my friends and mailing list. And contacted the hospital nearby who does doctors accommodation, and the uni. When I contacted the uni, I had a call from a bunch of youngster, 5 of them,- they call themselves the gay group, all doing uni degree, wanted to rent..........:eek: Nothing against gays though...it is just that they are uni kids.


So.....the agent charges £140, for credit search and application. I can probably refund this if they are serious tenants.....I am in a despair...as our moving date nears......:o

GDB2222

You are in despair. Thinking of renting to 5 uni kids. Yet a perfectly respectable tenant was a problem because of the study furniture? You need a reality check.

bee78

GDB2222 wrote: »

You are in despair. Thinking of renting to 5 uni kids. Yet a perfectly respectable tenant was a problem because of the study furniture? You need a reality check.

Just to explain myself, I told the uni kids,that the house is not available to them at first point of contact. I called the university,and spoke to the accommodation manager in charge of staff accommodation....however word got around to the her colleague who deals with student accommodation.

So guys, pls don't assume too much......I am just after good advice and some words of wisdom.....not slaying....