A Guide To Finding Renters And Keeping Good Tenants
How to advertise your rental property
To effectively advertise your rental property and attract quality tenants, it’s important to start by ensuring the property is in great condition. This means thoroughly cleaning the property, making any necessary repairs, and addressing cosmetic improvements to maximize appeal. First impressions matter, so the property should be well-maintained both inside and out, with good curb appeal. After preparation, take high-quality photos of the key areas of the home, including the living room, kitchen, bedrooms, and bathrooms. Good lighting is essential to capture the space accurately, and you should highlight any special features such as modern appliances, large windows, or outdoor spaces like a garden or balcony.
Your Move has a great guide on their website about how to prepare your home for taking photographs and videos.
Next, write a clear and compelling description of the property, focusing on its best features while being transparent about important details. This should include the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, any unique amenities such as in-unit laundry, parking spaces, air conditioning, or proximity to public transport, schools, or parks. Also, provide some insight into the neighbourhood, especially if it has desirable attributes like being quiet, walkable, or near shopping and dining options. Once your description is complete, research rental prices for similar properties in your area to set a competitive and attractive rent price. Pricing your property too high could deter potential tenants, while pricing it too low may attract less qualified renters or devalue the home.
This guide from Landlord Vision has some great tips on creating a successful rental property listing.
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Once your listing is ready, post it on popular rental websites like Zillow, Craigslist, Rightmove, or any local property sites that cater to your area. Many renters search online first, so being present on these platforms is essential. In addition to traditional listing sites, leverage social media platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Instagram, and community groups to widen your audience. Social media allows you to engage directly with local communities, which can help spread word-of-mouth recommendations. You can also consider placing a “For Rent” sign in front of the property, which can attract attention from people in the area who may be looking for a rental.
Another increasingly popular option is offering a virtual tour of the property. This gives prospective tenants who may be relocating or unable to visit in person a chance to view the property from the comfort of their own home, increasing the likelihood of securing tenants quickly. Finally, once your property is listed and inquiries start coming in, it’s crucial to respond to potential tenants quickly. Prompt and professional communication helps create a good impression and ensures you won’t miss out on interested renters.
To broaden your reach even further, partnering with a local real estate agent can be beneficial. Agents have networks and experience in marketing properties, which can take some of the stress off your shoulders, especially if you’re not familiar with the rental process.
If you’re unsure whether to work with a letting agent or manage the process yourself, this blog post from The London Landlord explains advantages and disadvantages of both options.
What checks to do on potential tenants
When screening potential tenants, it’s essential to conduct a thorough background check to ensure they are reliable and financially stable. Here are key checks to perform:
1. Credit Check
A credit check helps determine whether the tenant has a history of managing their finances responsibly. It will show any missed payments, outstanding debts, or bankruptcies, indicating potential risks in rent payment reliability. Services like Experian or Equifax can provide credit reports in the UK.
2. Income and Employment Verification
Ask for proof of income, such as recent payslips or a letter from their employer. This ensures the tenant can afford the rent. A general rule is that tenants should earn at least 2.5 to 3 times the monthly rent. Verify employment by contacting the employer to confirm their job status and income stability.
3. Reference Checks
Request references from previous landlords. This helps you understand how the tenant behaved in their last rental property, whether they paid rent on time, and how well they maintained the property. Contact previous landlords directly to verify the reference.
4. Right to Rent Check
In the UK, landlords are legally required to ensure that tenants have the right to rent in the country. Check their passport or visa documents to confirm their legal status. This is especially important for non-UK nationals.
5. Identity Verification
To prevent fraud, always verify the tenant’s identity by asking for a government-issued photo ID (e.g., passport or driving licence). Ensure the details match the name provided in the rental application.
6. Affordability Assessment
In addition to verifying income, assess whether the tenant has any significant debts or financial commitments that could affect their ability to pay rent. Review bank statements or ask about other obligations like loans or child support.
7. Criminal Background Check
Though not a legal requirement, some landlords choose to run a criminal background check to screen for serious convictions. In the UK, you can request this through private services that check for public criminal records.
8. Personal References
In some cases, it may be useful to ask for a personal reference from a non-family member, such as a professional colleague. While less formal than landlord or employment references, this can provide insight into the tenant’s character and reliability.
By conducting these checks, you can better assess the tenant’s ability to pay rent, maintain the property, and avoid potential problems down the line. If you want more advice on screening potential tenants, Landlord Vision has an informative blog post on how to screen for reliable tenants.
Offering competitive and fair rent
Setting the right rent price is essential to attract good tenants while ensuring your property remains profitable. To determine a competitive rate, start by researching similar properties in your area. Look at rental prices for homes with comparable size, location, and amenities on popular platforms like Rightmove, Zoopla, and OpenRent. Be mindful of market trends—if demand is high, you can set the rent near the top of the range, but in a slower market, a slightly lower price may attract more interest and fill the vacancy faster.
It’s also important to strike a balance between profitability and fairness. Overpricing your property can lead to extended vacancies, while under-pricing may result in financial losses or attracting tenants who may not take care of the property. Offering rent that reflects the property’s condition, amenities, and location will help secure reliable tenants and increase the likelihood of long-term occupancy. Being transparent about how you set the rent also fosters trust and can encourage tenants to stay beyond their initial lease term.
Maintaining good and clear communication
Establishing open and transparent communication with your tenants is key to a positive landlord-tenant relationship. From the start, set clear expectations about how and when to contact you for issues such as repairs, rent payments, or general inquiries. Provide tenants with multiple ways to reach you, such as phone, email, or a property management app, and ensure you’re responsive—aim to reply promptly to their messages, especially for urgent matters like maintenance requests.
Regular communication helps to prevent misunderstandings and keeps tenants informed about any changes, such as scheduled inspections or updates to the property. It’s also beneficial to check in occasionally, ensuring tenants feel comfortable reaching out with any concerns or questions. Being approachable and professional in your communication fosters trust and respect, which can lead to happier tenants and a smoother rental experience. By maintaining good communication, tenants are more likely to care for the property and renew their lease, reducing turnover and vacancies.
The Goodlandlording podcast has a great episode about how to manage tenants and keep them happy, which has lots of tips on looking after your tenants.
Ensuring Timely Repairs and Property Maintenance
Responding promptly to repair and maintenance requests is essential for keeping tenants satisfied and protecting your property’s value. Before a tenant moves in, ensure the property is in good condition by addressing any existing issues, such as leaky faucets, faulty appliances, or structural damage. Regularly scheduled inspections can help identify potential problems early, preventing them from becoming costly and more disruptive in the future.
When tenants report maintenance issues, act quickly to arrange repairs, especially for urgent problems like plumbing, heating, or electrical failures. Delays in addressing such issues can lead to frustration and dissatisfaction, potentially damaging the landlord-tenant relationship. Timely repairs not only keep tenants happy but also prevent further damage to the property, which could lead to more expensive fixes later on.
Establishing a reliable network of contractors or maintenance services ensures you can respond efficiently to repair needs. Communicate clearly with your tenants about when repairs will be carried out, and try to schedule them at convenient times. Proactive maintenance, combined with quick responses to tenant requests, creates a positive living environment, encouraging tenants to stay longer and take better care of the property.
If you want to know more about what responsibilities landlords have when it comes to making repairs in your rental property, our comprehensive guide can help. It covers the key obligations landlords must fulfil to ensure your home is safe and well-maintained. From dealing with faulty heating systems to fixing structural issues, we break down the types of repairs landlords are required to address and the steps you can take if these responsibilities are not met.
Check out the full guide here: Landlord Responsibilities for Repairs - A Guide for Renters.
Managing rent increases fairly
When it becomes necessary to raise the rent, handling the process transparently and fairly is crucial to maintaining a good relationship with your tenants. Start by researching the local market to ensure the increase is in line with current rental rates for similar properties. Sudden, steep increases can feel unfair and might drive good tenants away, so it’s essential to keep any adjustments reasonable and proportional to the property’s value, location, and market trends.
Give your tenants plenty of advance notice about the rent increase—usually at least one to two months, depending on local laws or the terms in your lease agreement. Provide a clear explanation for the increase, such as rising property maintenance costs, inflation, or improvements made to the property. This transparency helps tenants understand the reasoning behind the decision and can reduce the likelihood of disputes.
Suzanne Smith from The Independent Landlord blog has some great tips on her website about increasing rent.
Consider negotiating with long-term tenants or offering perks, such as minor upgrades, to make the rent increase feel more balanced. This shows you value their tenancy and are willing to invest in their continued comfort. Fair and well-communicated rent increases are more likely to be accepted, helping you retain good tenants while keeping your rental income in line with market conditions.