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Guide to finding your next tenant - James Davis, Upad.co.uk

Guide to finding your next tenant

The key to buy-to-let success is making sure that your property is always tenanted. Find out how to "avoid the void" with Upad.co.uk, the online letting agent’s guide to finding a new tenant.

Write a great ad
When you're writing an ad, remember to show off your property. "2-bed flat" tells nothing; what features does it have that make it stand out from the rest? Beautiful period details, or modern decor and broadband? Help tenants to imagine living there: mention nearest Tube or train stations and bus routes: this should help people coming to view too!

Photographs are an essential part of rental ads – they pull in nearly four times as many enquiries as ads without. Include clear shots of the main parts of the property: take pictures in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the glare of the midday sun making interiors look dark. Tenants tell us that the living room and garden are what they most want to see.

Start advertising as soon as your previous tenant gives notice (unless you have extensive redecoration or repairs to do). Your AST agreements should specify that tenants co-operate with viewings. Having another tenant waiting to move in is one of the best ways to minimise void periods between tenancies.

Make sure people can see your ad
The traditional methods of advertising property – classifieds in local papers and the newsagents window – are just too hit and miss for the landlord who wants to get a property let ASAP. People now move jobs and areas so frequently that sticking to very localised advertising can be a surefire way to have the property empty for a protracted period.

Internet advertising is visible everywhere, so wherever your next tenant is living now, they'll be able to find you. But there are hundreds of property sites, and it can be hard to know which ones are right for you. At Upad, we list your property across more than 100 of the most popular sites and portals, including Rightmove, so you can have your ad in front of thousands of tenants in minutes.

Show your property at its best
It might sound obvious, but a few hours spent sprucing up a property is time well-spent if it saves you a week or two's loss of rent.

If you're showing an empty, unfurnished property, then “stage” it with borrowed or hired furniture: make it look like a home. If you have existing tenants, help them tidy up before the viewers arrive: it’s in your interest!

Though you're probably anxious to find a new tenant as quickly as possible, do get any repairs and redecoration completed before you show the property. Promises that "it'll be fixed before you move in" are worth nothing.

Remember the outside too: that first glance as prospective tenants arrive can make all the difference. Ensure any outside areas are free of weeds, dead leaves and dissembled toys or motorbikes. Kill off moss and algae on paths and patios. Check for leaking gutters and downpipes: there's nothing worse than having the house leak on viewers' heads while they're waiting for you to open the door.

In conclusion – put yourself in the position of someone renting your property. What information would you want before viewing, and what would you want to see when you arrived? If you can do that, you should have your property let in next to no time.

At Upad.co.uk, we're focusing on helping landlords keep properties filled and earning. Our top tips to avoid the voids come directly from experienced landlords, offering advice not only on the best way to market your property, but on keeping happy tenants in your property long-term. Follow us on Twitter to avoid – the - voids too.

James Davis

James is CEO of Upad.co.uk. A residential landlord for over 12 years with an established portfolio and an active long term investor. Previously Sales Director for First Radio Sales and successful floatation of AIM listed Campus Media.

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