Thursday 16 March 2017

Cheap Warrington Letting Agents May Cost You Your Wealth


Bored one evening, I watched an episode of Watchdog. One of the stories was about a rogue letting agent, who, in simple terms, received rent payments and failed to pass them on to the landlords – instead claiming they had ‘defaulted’.

The link below is an example of what happened to an agent back in 2015 in Warrington.

Letting agency leaves Warrington landlords struggling


Letting Agents and their Fees

As you can see, this isn’t a new story to hit Watchdog (or the headlines for that matter), but it struck a chord with me.

So many people are quick to judge lettings agents and beat them down on their fees. In writing this blog I always try to maintain an impartial balance with my articles and buy to let information. ‘What’s the point?’ I hear you ask. The point is nothing new – you get what you pay for. You can find many examples in all walks of life that prove this very argument.

Have you ever wondered why some agents will reduce their fees to such a point to undercut everyone else? Perhaps it’s desperation…

You have to ask yourself: if an agent is so quick to slash their fees… why? Equally, are you truly going to receive the service that you are being promised? Will you deal with a dedicated department? Are they actually local and can they even point to Warrington on a map?

A Word of Advice

My advice is simple.

Hunt out a couple of good local agents – recommendation is always the best way. If you don’t know the local area, you can always look at letting agents’ reviews on sites like Google.

Ask specific questions about how they manage a property. How many staff are in that department? Are you allocated an individual account or property manager? Where are they based? Do they guarantee the rent? If so, how does it work? Can they guarantee the condition of the property?  How do they deal with rent arrears? What are their referencing procedures? What regulations do you need to conform to? Are they a member of The Property Ombudsman for Lettings or an ARLA registered agent?

Can they give you details of a landlord that you can call to speak to about their experience? Or can they supply testimonials?

Whilst fees do come into play, they should not be the main focus when choosing an agent. May I suggest that if you can’t afford to pay an agent their worth, perhaps you should consider carefully about investing in property. Ultimately, choosing a good agent will save you in the long run and they are likely to be looking after one of your biggest assets.

Ask yourself this: can you afford to allow your home to be vacant or have a tenant residing in it without receiving income? More importantly… why should you?

A Cheap Warrington Letting Agent Example

I would like to leave you a link to a property forum going into more detail regarding the "rogue" agent very close to home in 2015. Click the link below for more information.


If you are looking for an agent that is well establishedprofessional and communicative, then contact us to find out how we can get the best out of your investment property.

Email me on manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk or call on 01925 235338. If you are in the area, feel free to pop into the office – we are based on 6 Bankside, Crosfield St, WA1 1UP. There is plenty of free parking and the kettle is always on.
Don't forget to visit the links below to view back dated deals and Warrington Property News.


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