Letting Agents - best ones please?

RGE08

My Girlfriend is renting out her 1 bedroom apartment to move in with me.

She is going through Blue. They want to charge 10% of the rent and £190 every 6 months for finding tenants. However, they are covering her mortgage, and bills will be paid by the tenants direct through Blue. Although we still have to pay the ground rent and 1 other bill (around £50 a month).

Is this expensive? Are there any other ones out there who would just charge the 10% or less?

We were thinking of going privately, now I can see the advanatages of doing it through an agent, but another charge is this they have informed her mortgage lenders who are upping her repayments as it is buy to let now.

All in all, with the 10%, the £190 split over 6 months, ground rent etc, higher mortgage will be around £150 a month we have to pay oursleves.

Advice please. Thanks in advance.

vyvyan_2

I can't speak as a landlord only as a tennant but I have found the 'local' independant agents are always much better than the others. As a tenant I would definitely look to these first. From both the landlord and tennant point of view they have a reputation to keep and are up against the big boys. They get to know you by name and you get a more personal service. I can't comment about the fees though.

chappers

Sounds about right I would make sure they don't charge you the £190 every six months as a matter of course for example if the same tennants stay

chocolatechipcookies

I wouldn't go with anyone who charges to look for tenants. It's their job to look for a tenant when one vacates. Also, most tenants stay in the property longer than 6 months, so it sounds like a rip off. I don't like the sound of them. If I were you, I'd give them a miss.