Property letting: viewings

D

DannyBoyD

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For those property owners who handle their own letting:

Which do you find more effective - open viewings or give out a timed slot.

Up to now, I've preferred a timed slot, but I've noticed an increasing rate of no-shows which is a real time waster.

Should I switch to open viewings?
 
Timewasters are about 10% for me and im grateful that they didn’t show as they'd be problematic later if they squeeze through vetting.

I select about 10- 12 enquiries, I do this based on Eastern European sounding names (only people I rent to as reliable and easy to deal with).

Give them timeslots- usually 30 - 45 mins and chat on a casual basis.Can reveal a lot but generally get a feel for them. I select on that basis...largely gut intuition. Its rarely wrong.
 
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recent experience

24 offers to view
12 confirmed
WhatsApp message day before to these 12
6 reconfirmed
3 no-shows.

What I'm finding frustrating is prospective tenants agreeing to a time and date & then no show. Its wasting my time.

Vetting / selection is not the issue.
 
DannyBoyD said:
What I'm finding frustrating is prospective tenants agreeing to a time and date & then no show. Its wasting my time.
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Been a landlord for 20+ years. Its part and parcel of it. If you find a way round it Ill be delighted to learn it.

As I said its not much of a problem for me, you'll always get a few no shows. Its just part of it.

If this is causing you such annoyance that youre posting looking for solutions then maybe you should get into Airbnb or similar.

Perhaps insist on a 50 euro refundable deposit. Explaining why you require this.Legitimate prospects will not have a problem with it and potentially solve the issue, revolut the money back once they attend
 
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Persia said:
not much of a problem for me, you'll always get a few no shows. Its just part of it.
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Delighted to hear it.
Persia said:
If this is causing you such annoyance that youre posting looking for solutions then maybe you should get into Airbnb or similar.
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Right. Totally different market; but sure that'll do the trick.
Persia said:
Perhaps insist on a 50 euro refundable deposit. Explaining why you require this.Legitimate prospects will not have a problem with it and potentially solve the issue, revolut the money back once they attend
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I would not consider that in anyway acceptable.

Again: question was

Which do you find more effective - open viewings or give out a timed slot.
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I also do slots.
Yes no show happen but I try to minimize them with confirmation the evening before. I also find that the level of no show is somewhat reduced when appointments are organized quickly and with limited delay between the planning and the viewing.
I used to organise a lot of viewings. Last time, I selected 10 possible, contacted them, confirmed 6 viewings and actually met with 4.
I would not take the chance with open viewings. We like to have a chat and we always are 2 of us there. We think it's important to try to mitigate the risks.
 
DannyBoyD said:
I've noticed an increasing rate of no-shows which is a real time waster.
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Does that not make your life a bit easier though? The no shows or the ones who don't reply to you having made arrangements to view are passed over for the ones that do. I would be glad not to entertain the former at such an early stage in letting my property.

If anything, surely you just explore in more detail those that make the effort as arranged and keeps in communication with you.

The agents get a decent enough fee for a reason.
 
Maybe do what the doctors do. Give ten people the same time. They all show up and wait in the waiting room until you deal with them one by one.

But maybe give them 30 minutes each, and if one doesn't show up, you can spend longer with the previous one. Or let the next one in earlier.

Irish people are odd in this regard. The HSE has a huge problem with no shows.
 
DannyBoyD said:
The rate of no shows is definitely increasing over the last while.
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Not doubting what you are saying, but I am curious, with such pressure on rentals, it seems odd that people who bothered to email you would not show up

How many inquiries did you get to your ad?
 
Greenbook said:
people who bothered to email you would not show up
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Yes & no. There are some folks who clearly have an alert set up with an automated boilerplate email.
Greenbook said:
How many inquiries did you get to your ad?
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Discounting the scams, weirdos (my current favourite is an assertion that "the Lord" would pay the rent), and people who clearly hadn't read the advert. I'd say around 120 in a 3 day period.

Most other property owners I talk to have a similar experience.
 
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