Good letting agents

A good letting agent has customers on both sides of the letting process. They act as agents for those wishing to let their residential property or commercial property and deal with those looking for property for rent.

A bad letting agent has the potential to upset or annoy both the 'to let' and the 'renting' markets.

What is the market? Apart from the 'to let' and 'renting' aspects, there two main schisms: the residential let and the commercial let.

An excellent letting agent may specialise. Such a letting agent may operate in both markets, although the two types of letting are addressed separately. It appears that there it no real guide to how good a letting agent is.

Whether it is houses for rent, to let, or you are looking for a commercial let, you will need to speak to experts in the field.

Houses for rent or flats for rent?

In the residential let market, not everyone is looking at houses for rent. Sometimes location is everything and flats for rent are what are searched for available via letting agents. Or it may be that you are not in the market for a property to rent - whether commercial or residential. You might be the owner of property you wish to let and looking for a good letting agent to manage a commercial let or a residential let on your behalf.

The amounts of money that can be involved in a commercial let can be staggering. Taken overall, rents over a large number of properties - whether a commercial let or residential let - can be huge.

A good letting agent has to both promote all property for rent and manage the process for both parties. These are qualities that need to be looked for when searching for a letting agent to handle a property let on your behalf, or if you intend renting a property.

Residential property or commercial property considerations

What if you were to hit a snag during a period of letting or renting with a letting agent? For those with a commercial property to let, an enquiry ought to reveal that the chosen commercial letting agent should belong to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Those with residential property to let might be wise to check their chosen letting agent belongs to one of a number of organisations such as the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) or the UK Association of Letting Agents (UKALA). Such organisations offer a complaints procedure outside of the letting agents themselves and may demand a bond be paid to cover possible disputes.

However, in the vast majority of transactions involving a letting agent there is no need to address any issues surrounding disputes or problems with a commercial let, residential let, flats for rent or houses for rent.

Outcome of having property to rent

A good letting agent has the potential to satisfy both sides of a letting/renting agreement; whether residential property or commercial property. Satisfaction for the person or organisation letting - they want someone to pay them rent for the property let and the person or organisation who wants a property for rent in which to live or work. Happiness all round!

If only life was always about being as good for each other.