In an ideal world, once a tenant has been found, it would be good to think that you,
as a landlord, can simply sit back and watch your investment deliver the
anticipated return on investment without further involvement. Indeed, this is
one of the reasons why some letting agents only offer a tenant finding service.
Simple really – or is it?

Experience is a great teacher, and we have proven time and again that tenants must be
fully referenced before signing, including a thoroughly researched rental
history.

Unreliable tenants cause landlords the most sleepless nights according to research by the
National Landlords Association, with 57% of NLA members saying that unreliable
tenants are one of the most worrying aspects of being a landlord.

So what is a reliable tenant? Well obviously one who pays the rent, in full on
time, and makes sure all the utility bills are also paid. But reliability goes
beyond this. Will they turn out to be anti-social, perhaps making excessive
noise, leading to complaints from neighbours? Good landlords are keen to make
sure that their tenants behave as ‘good citizens’.

Damage to the premises, fixtures, fittings and contents, creates hassle for landlords
as well as significant additional expense, especially when it goes beyond what
is covered by the tenant’s deposit."

Approximately 36% of landlords nationally (source NLA) have, at some
point in the past, been obliged to resort to the courts to seek possession of a
property from a troublesome tenant.

Our job as letting agents is to ensure that the right tenant is secured in the
first place, and then managed well, so that the landlord can enjoy the peace of
mind that comes from knowing your investment is delivering a return on
investment, not a headache.