I have an advert on Daft at the moment and another in the Independent and Herald: the newspapers win out 2 to 1. I was surprised.
One tip I would offer: have a really detailed list of questions on a form for your prospective clients and discuss each one with them: personal & contact details including the original address in East Pakistan or Central Congo or where-ever (some local residents had a lot of difficulty with that one
, the length of tenancy, the occupancy, number of occupants, evidence of identity: PPS Numbers, Passport, etc etc and documents revealing the ability to pay the rent, and most important of all, contact details for the previous landlord and how long they had been there. Why are they leaving?
One person who came to me this week revealed that her previous landlord didn't like her. I found out why. She took the house from a letting agent at the rent asked. Signed the lease for 12 months. Every thing done and dusted. Tenant moves in and immediately seeks to re-negotiate the rent with the owner. Begins to demand changes. Better this better that. When the landlord refused the tenant refused to pay the rent and began looking for another property. She came to me, bargained my price down, and then had to give me the name of her previous landlord. I said to her: "What is to stop you doing exactly the same to me?" In the ensuing conversation she revealed she could not afford my rent either and that brought our discussion to a polite conclusion. Take care.
This tenant had the idea that she had three months during which she could break the lease. Is this correct?