Private renting in my area

Simon_B_2

Where the best place to look for these? (other than the paper of course):rolleyes: always been happy renting privately than through a agency

PROFESSIONAL_LANDLORD

Simon_B wrote: »

Where the best place to look for these? (other than the paper of course):rolleyes: always been happy renting privately than through a agency

What a strange statement !

WHY ?

( BTW I'm not an agency)

Roger_Rampant

The newspaper or cards in newsagents windows are often the best bet

It doesn't seem like a strange stange statement to me, incidentally, a lot of letting agents are an absolute nightmare and rob people blind

Simon_B_2

Hey, yes I've just read that properly myself and what i meant was that i've always been happier and more comfortable renting privately than through an agency, where I feel like I'm getting shafted.

Agency checks of £85 and then a deposit of £750 seems a little harsh and I've never received over half of that back, despite leaving the place immaculate.

While both times using a private let and dealing with the landlord face to face, I have had a much more pleasant experience and I've always received my deposit back, on inspection of the house.

lynzpower

dont know where you live but loot & gumtree are a good place to start

Simon_B_2

Cheers not heard of loot, will take a look

dealornodeal_3

Simon_B wrote: »

Hey, yes I've just read that properly myself and what i meant was that i've always been happier and more comfortable renting privately than through an agency, where I feel like I'm getting shafted.

Agency checks of £85 and then a deposit of £750 seems a little harsh and I've never received over half of that back, despite leaving the place immaculate.

While both times using a private let and dealing with the landlord face to face, I have had a much more pleasant experience and I've always received my deposit back, on inspection of the house.

Well ive rented property out, and always done it via an agency. That way if problems arise with tenants the agency sorts it out! Also (tongue in cheek) you could and I say could have a devious landlord with a really shoddy property. With agents the property has to be habitable; and they do an inventory!

scrummy_mummy_2

I rent (my own) property to clients and have tried (several years ago now) advertising in small ads (but seem to attract a high proportion of chancers thinking/hoping! I don't know what I'm doing.)
I now have an agreement with a large lettings agent locally that they will introduce me to potential clients ONLY....this means I get to control my property, dealing efficiently and effectively with my clients direct to vet, arrange tenancys, inventory production, manage and resolve problems, and the tenant doesn't have to pay any of their ludicrous charges like £100 for an inventory...if it doesn't cost me, I don't pass it on.

You could try seeing if your agent has any landlord's on his books that use them purely as an introducer.......then you could possibly avoid repeat (and often just fleecing) fees.

TJ27

The property has to habitable (although we tend not to use the word these days) whether an agency is used or not actually. However, I regularly come across properties which are not habitable, most of them managed by agents.

TJ27

Oh and I'm not particularly anti agent either. However, the university in my city goes to great lengths to advise students against using agencies. They cite the reasons mentioned by previous posters.

Edit: Actually there doesn't seem to be much anti agent stuff on their website but I promise you, they would prefer students not to use agents.

Simon_B_2

Thanks, for all the info i've been renting for 5 years now and this is the first time that me and my partner will be living together. And after much thought we have decided that privately would be best we are aware that there are pitfalls and some nasty places out there but hopefully we are, not naive enough to get caught out.

My OH is a postgrad in the city where we will be living and will be in the final year there, she too has rented privately the whole time that she has lived here.
Currently from a student on the same course whose family has bought her a house which she partly rents while she does her 7 year course, the same one as my partner.

I'm not anti-agent as such just the 2 times that i have rented from an agency, i feel like i've been fleeced i moved after 6 months in one place and that ended up really costing me, quite a bit