Tips for Landlords

There’s a lot to think about when trying to rent out your property, so we’ve put together a quick list of advice for landlords:

There’s a lot to think about when trying to rent out your property, so we’ve put together a quick list of advice for landlords:

1 – Make sure your tenants have been thoroughly vetted.

Make certain that the tenants you accept are spotless. They should have excellent credit scores, excellent landlord references, sufficient documentation, and sufficient money to comfortably pay the rent, as well as a guarantor. Because we let houses as if they were our own, Ryan Baker Estate Agents will take care of everything for you. We do not cut corners when it comes to the quality of our tenants for our landlords.

2 – Check to see if the tenants are a good fit for you.

If you’re managing the property yourself, be sure there’s nothing about your tenants that makes you uncomfortable. If this is the case, you should rent the property to someone else.

3 – Invest in insurance

You never know when anything might go wrong, so make sure you have a solid landlord insurance policy with public liability coverage, so you won’t lose your shirt if your renter falls down the stairs and sues you, or if there’s a break in, a fire, or a flood.

4 – Conduct routine inspections

You shouldn’t rely on your tenants to inform you of any problems with the property, or even to detect them. Visit your property at least once every two months to ensure that problems are caught early.

5 – Do not be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Make sure your tenants understand that they should only contact you when it is convenient for you, unless there is a true emergency, and that you are clear on what constitutes an emergency. For example, they may contact you because a light bulb has blown out.

6 – Provide the necessities

The fewer goods you supply, the fewer items you’ll need to maintain or replace when they break. Avoid supplying breakable electrical gadgets like kettles and televisions, as well as “luxury” devices like tumble dryers and dishwashers.

7 – Maintain a sense of order

Make sure you’re aware of all important dates, such as when the rental expires and when the Gas Safety Certificate needs to be reissued, so you can plan ahead.

8 – Choose Ryan Baker Estate Agents to look after your home.

For a modest fraction of the rent, we can perform all of the above and more for you. You’ll never have to think about the property again, and you’ll be able to relax and enjoy the monthly rental income!