8 Ways To Help Find Tenants Quickly
Written by The Landlord on 09 Feb 2011
Here are a few tactics landlords can use to speed up the process of finding tenants. Some of the tactics may not seem desirable, but they add a boost, which is never a bad thing.
1] Accept DWS / DSS Tenants
Finding a landlord that accepts DWS / DSS Tenants is becoming increasingly difficult, so when a landlord with a vacant property does accept DSS tenants, their arm is usually chewed off.
In my opinion, accepting DWS / DSS tenants this is by far the strongest boost to find tenants quickly.
A few tips for those willing to take on DSS tenants:
- Thoroughly research what DWS / DSS tenants entail. A good place to start is the DWS / DSS Tenants section on my blog.
- There are thousands of DSS tenants scouring Gumtree on a daily basis looking for a property to rent. Add a listing to Gumtree for free and in the title of your advert mention you accept DSS tenants.
- Ensure it is clearly stated in all your adverts that you’re willing to accept DWS / DSS Tenants.
2] Use as many letting agencies as possible
If you want to use a letting agent, then don’t limit yourself to one agent. You don’t have to be loyal to a letting agent. Unlike when selling property, there are no penalties for using multiple letting agents. May the best slimeball win.
Word of warning, make sure there is a “no find, no fee” policy in place with the letting agents you decide to choose.
3] Allow tenants with pets
Allowing pets opens up a lot wider audience, so you’re significantly increasing your chances of finding tenants. According to a recent survey by the Dogs Trust, 78% of pet owners have experienced difficulty finding accommodation which accepts pets. And accoridng to ‘Pet Friendly Rentals’ by not accepting pets, you will be decreasing your potential market by 50%!
Much like with the advice I gave earlier with DWS / DSS Tenants, if you’re willing to accept pets, highlight the fact in all your marketing campaigns!
4] Get your property on Rightmove
In my opinion (and most likely everyone else who knows about the industry), the best way to get the most exposure to your vacant BTL property is by marketing it on the biggest online property portals in the UK like Rightmove. This can be done extremely easily and cost effectively.
Here’s how Landlords Can Advertise To Find Tenants On Popular Websites Like Rightmove.
5] Offer a competitive rate
This may seem like a no-brainer but it’s surprising how many landlords get this wrong and consequently suffer. If you want to find tenants quickly, market your property at a competitive rate. If your property is more expensive or even equally priced than it’s competition, tenants will shop around and that can be costly.
Some times you’ll make more money by being competitively priced than asking for the top-end price because it could mean your property won’t be vacant for as long.
6] Market your property on Gumtree
I’ve successfully found tenants extremely quickly on several occasions via the website Gumtree. It’s free, it’s highly active and it works great. I’d definitely recommend Using Gumtree to find tenants. However, I must stress, I personally don’t think it is a substitute for Using Popular Websites Like Rightmove To Find Tenants.
7] Keep it presentable
Ensure the property is presentable. Pictures of untidy houses leave vendors falling at the first hurdle. Additionally, make sure you provide quality images when marketing your property, which highlight the key selling points.
I actually did a brief experiment on Gumtree that proved that good quality images sell…quickly!! If you can’t be bothered to find out How Important Images Are When Marketing A Rental Property, just take my word for it (although it is a no-brainer)!
8] Be flexible with viewings
Be flexible with timings, for both viewings and check in dates. This will ensure you don’t turn away too many potentially tenants.
If you make a prospective tenant wait too long, they may find somewhere else in the mean time!
Further reading on finding tenants
Here’s a more general list on Finding Tenants, which aren’t necessarily related to finding tenants “quickly”
Anyone got any more ideas on how to find tenants quickly?
This isn’t a list of ways to find tenants in general, but more so the best ways of finding tenants super quickly! On that basis, anyone else have any bright ideas? I’ll add the best ideas onto the list :)
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6 Comments - join the conversation...
If I were you, I would focus on point number 4 (Get your property on Rightmove) and 6 (Market your property on Gumtree).
Good luck :)
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http://www.squidoo.com/which-online-letting-agent-should-i-use-to-let-my-uk-property-
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- Ensure the property is presentable. Pictures of untidy houses leave vendors falling at the first hurdle
- Be flexible with timings, for both viewings and check in dates. This will ensure you don't turn away too many potentially perfect tenants
www.rightnowresidential.co.uk
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Totally agree with both your points! I'll add them to the list!
Many thanks :)
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