Aggie Tukendorf of Horton and Garton Lettings gives her advice (Ad)

Being a good landlord doesn't need to be hard work and in fact, those who are able to effectively and efficiently manage their rental property can find being a landlord to be a rewarding exercise as a source of regular income and wealth accumulation.

Being a good landlord also extends to ensuring tenants are happy in their homes. Happy tenants tend to extend or renew tenancies and are usually more respectful of a property to keep it in a good condition.

We've highlighted our top tips on how to be a good landlord to help those who rent property locally, whether they're seasoned landlords or new to the role.  

Ensure your property is safe

Firstly, it goes without saying that as a minimum your property should be safe and meet the industry standards. From gas safety checks and electrical checks to EPC's and fire alarms, landlords have certain obligations they must fulfil before letting their property.

Our recently released blog provides a Landlord checklist that might prove useful if you'd like to check you have everything in place – read here.

Find the best tenants

The key to stress free landlording is having great tenants. Landlords who've been brushed with an experience of bad tenants will certainly appreciate the necessity of finding the best possible tenants. Those who've only had good experiences might become at risk of being complacent but it's incredibly important not to be – thorough vetting of tenants is an absolute necessity in order to protect your interests.

Be approachable

Tenants may need to reach out from time to time requiring assistance, it's important to be approachable when they do get in touch. It's especially important to be accessible around the time that new tenants move in, simple things such as showing them how the heating works or where the electricity and gas meters are located can be hugely helpful.

If you are not able to be readily available, it's worthwhile to consider a managed service with your agent for peace of mind.

Keep your distance

Whilst it's important to be approachable and friendly, being overbearing is unwelcome in almost all scenarios. You can't just turn up to visit the property, if you're worried you can arrange an inspection or ask that your managing agent conduct one on your behalf. There are procedures and guidelines that must be followed as it's very important for a tenant to feel comfortable in their home, they have a right to quiet enjoyment.

Handle issues carefully and swiftly

It's possible that issues may arise, for example, an appliance might break down, and in these scenarios, a landlord should act swiftly to rectify the problem. Handling issues can be time consuming and costly, especially if it's not something you do regularly. Landlords are wise to have proper landlord insurance in place to protect them in such scenarios and for those who are short of time, having a managing agent in place might be the best option.  

Manage your business effectively

Your rental property is a business and it's important to run it accordingly. Having systems in place and repeatable processes can be helpful when it comes to running things smoothly.

Issues will arise, having a plan in place to deal with these is a good idea and it's also important to recognise when you need to outsource to experts, whether it is a plumber or a professional management company.

Letting a property in Chiswick

Being a good landlord can make a notable difference to how successful your rental property business is and impact the happiness of tenants. As we said previously, happy tenants tend to treat a property with more respect and often extend their tenancy which eliminates potential void periods. It's in a landlord's interest to be ‘good' at the role.

Having the guidance of a knowledgeable and proactive letting agent and the support of a professional managing agent can help you on the way to being a great landlord.

Our Chiswick lettings manager, Aggie Tukendorf would be delighted to discuss your rental property in greater detail and share how the Horton and Garton Chiswick lettings team might be able to assist. Get in touch on 020 3989 5454.

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August 26, 2021