𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲

The secret to a smooth-running tenancy is good tenants. Here’s how to find them. A two-minute read.
There are few guarantees in life, but we promise you this: let your property to a bad tenant, and your job as a landlord will get much more complicated.
Expect to be out of pocket (due to missed rent payments and damage to your property) and stressed (dealing with nightmare tenants is, to state the obvious, a nightmare!).
The key to avoiding this kind of turmoil is to find a good tenant who will treat you and your property with respect. This task may sound simple enough, but surprisingly, many landlords get it wrong and pay the price.
Here are four tips to ensure that you don’t slip up but instead secure the best tenant for your property.

𝟏) 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 – Landlords often assume that their property will practically let itself because rental properties are in high demand. As a result, they put little effort into presenting their property and attract only a small amount of interest from a certain sector of potential tenants. Don’t be complacent. Identify your target tenant (e.g. professionals or families) and present your property accordingly. Quality furniture and fittings will attract quality tenants.

𝟐) 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 – To put yourself in a position where you have a pool of good quality candidates to choose from, you need a professional marketing strategy to draw them in. This should feature quality photography, proactive promotion by a skilled letting agent and well-written listings on property portals.

𝟑) 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬– It’s amazing how many landlords think they have a superpower that means they can spot a ‘good’ tenant at first glance and therefore cut corners on reference checks. Instinct is a useful tool, but we suggest you only use it as a guide. Always run a credit check and go through pay slips, bank statements and references from employers and past landlords to get the full picture. Also, note whether a candidate turns up to appointments on time and provides paperwork promptly. If they’re disorganised at this early stage (when they’re trying to make a good impression), there’s a chance they’ll be haphazard with returning your calls and paying their rent on time.

𝟒) 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭 – It goes without saying that once you’ve found your dream tenant, you get an agreement down in writing. A tenancy agreement should set out each party’s obligations and responsibilities. It means everyone knows what is expected of them, which can help avoid confusion or disagreement further down the track.

If you’d like more advice about how to market your rental property or attract top tenants, get in touch with us here at Belvoir on 02380018222 or email me brian.linehan@belvoir.co.uk.