Why we won’t just work with any or every landlord

The ability to have the freedom to have and make choices is one of the most taken for granted aspects of our society.

During the 28 years and counting I’ve been a letting agent I’ve come across and worked with hundreds of landlords.

Those years of experience have taught me that there are certain types of landlords that are best avoided. Being well established and with a relatively large number of long term clients I’m grateful to be in a position where I can choose who I work for and with.

On the whole the vast majority of landlords are professional and conscientious but I was asked the other day what I looked out for in property owners I DIDN’T want to take on.

Firstly landlords whose top priority is finding the agent with the cheapest fee and/or who promises to get them the highest rent. This is a very short sighted and naive approach to the complex business of lettings. I’ve written a dedicated blog about this subject: /blog/could-your-best-tenant-become-your-worst-nightmare

Also on my ‘avoid at all costs’ list are landlords who ask us to break the law. Whether that’s discrimination of any kind or not wishing to comply with the many legal obligations they have and we make them aware of. I give these the widest of berths.

A big no no to most professional letting agents is landlords with sub-standard properties. I am only interested in dealing with good quality property as this tends to attract good quality tenants and longer, less troublesome lets.

I’ll avoid landlords wanting to instruct several letting agents on the same property. This causes too many problems.

I want to be free to focus on doing my job properly, rather than feeling pressurised to let the property as quickly as I can which ultimately does the landlord a disservice and could mean they end up with tenants not properly vetted.

Just like with tenants I always try to use initial phone calls or meetings as ways of gauging what that person may be like. Landlords that show contempt for tenants are definitely to be steered clear of as it will certainly cause problems further down the line.

But as I’ve mentioned there are plenty of fantastic landlords out there who we work with and want to work with.

A good landlord in my opinion will trust the letting agent they have instructed and respect their judgement.

This faith is repaid I like to believe as I can use my experience, network of contacts and knowledge of the industry to make their lives and lets easier.

Landlords are just like letting agents in that there are good and bad ones.

I’m grateful to be working with many really good landlords and aim to continue doing this in the future.

Thanks for reading,

Mark