Landlord’s Guide

How much rent to charge?

When letting your property, it is important to price your property at a realistic and competitive level, too cheap and you may not get the best value, but too expensive and you may have limited interest and potentially could mean the property is unoccupied, therefore creating a longer void period.

Look at local property listings both online and in print, but Hose Rhodes Dickson’s 30 plus years of experience will give you an accurate assessment of your rental value.

The right agent

Hose Rhodes Dickson offers a professional appraisal that includes a full inspection of your home, with any advice and recommendations to help you achieve the best value and preferred tenant.

You then need to decide which level of service is right for you, based on how much involvement you want with the tenancy.

Choice of Service

See which of our lettings packages will best suit your needs:

• Let only (covering all the essentials)
• Basics (letting your property and a basic tenancy management package )
• Premium (letting, full tenancy management and property repairs plus maintenance coordination)
• Premium Plus (letting, full tenancy management and property repairs and maintenance co-ordination, plus selected included options and rent and legal expenses guarantee)

See what is included in each package here 

Preparing your property for let

Tenants will pay more for properties that are well maintained and presented in good  condition, plus they will also tend to stay for a longer period.

Presentation is key, some simple things you can do include:

• Decorate in neutral colours
• Fit good quality, clean carpets, fairly neutral, not too light or laminate/wooden floors
• Tidy the garden and exterior
• Invest in some good quality curtains or blinds 

We are often asked whether a property should be furnished or unfurnished but there is no real difference between the achieved rental. Tenants tend to have their own furniture, which usually means an unfurnished property will rent quicker, or the prospective tenants may ask for the furniture to be removed, creating more jobs for you. 

Unfurnished property should still include white goods in the kitchen plus carpets and curtains.

Viewing and tenant applications

We always provide accompanied viewings, so you have added peace of mind. Our staff will point out all the best bits about your property, and ask all the right questions to make sure they are suitable tenants. Once a potential tenant has applied to rent your property, we will talk you through the details so you can decide whether or not to accept the application.

When you have chosen your preferred applicant, it is time to arrange the paperwork and carry out all the necessary checks to make sure they have the finances in place to afford the rent.  Hose Rhodes Dickson will communicate with you regularly and draw up the relevant contracts ready to be signed. 

We can then arrange a moving in date to suit both you and your tenants, and arrange a photographic inspection and inventory before they move in.

Consent to let

If you are letting a leasehold property, you must check your lease in connection with subletting and obtain the necessary consent, if it is required.  If you have a mortgage on your property, consent may also be required from your lender, especially if you are not on a ‘buy to let’ mortgage.

Insurance

You will need to ensure the property and its contents are fully insured. You must inform your insurance company that the property is to be let, and check that the conditions of the policy are complied with and that there are no restrictions on letting. Some insurances also offer extra protection with landlord specific insurance which could include covering void periods, and loss of rental income, please talk to your provider.