How to choose letting agents in Glasgow

Looking for letting agents in Glasgow to help rent your properties? Here are our top tips.

With the demand for rental properties in Glasgow greater than ever, there’s never been a better time to buy-to-let here. However, rather than letting out your property yourself and running into problems down the line, it makes sense to work with a reputable local letting agency. Read on to find out how to choose letting agents in Glasgow.

6 Tips For Choosing Letting Agents In Glasgow 

1. Assess their local property knowledge 

There may be hundreds of letting agents advertising their services in Glasgow, but how many of them have expert local property knowledge? 

When you choose a letting agent with experience in renting similar properties in your area, you can expect them to deliver the expert advice you need to make your investment a success. Focus on finding agents who know the area well. 

Not only can they be relied upon to value your property accurately, but they’ll also be on hand to carry out viewings in person.

2. Evaluate their marketing methods 

Marketing is crucial for finding the right tenants for your rental property — it’s essential to find letting agents in Glasgow who place significant focus on it. 

Find out what methods they use to market properties, taking a close look at how well they’re listed online. Have they used enticing visuals and video that gives them the edge over other properties? Do their properties stand out from the crowd? If so, there’s a good chance that particular letting agency can do the same for your property.

3. Consider your requirements

When choosing letting agents in Glasgow, you’ll need to consider your requirements carefully. Do you need a fully managed service or will a let-only service do? 

If you’re an inexperienced or time-short landlord, a fully managed service could be the best option. This means your agent will handle everything on your behalf, from finding tenants to dealing with repairs and disputes. However, if you’re prepared to manage the tenancy yourself and only want your agent to find tenants for you, a let-only service may be more appropriate. Take some time to think about how much time and expertise you have to commit to your buy-to-let investment in Glasgow. 

4. Check reviews and testimonials 

Online reviews are worth their weight in gold when it comes to choosing a letting agency in Glasgow. They let you read honest and impartial feedback from people who’ve already used the company’s services. 

Scouring the internet for reviews and testimonials can help you to find a reputable letting agent with a proven track record for managing rental properties in the city. 

5. Credentials & LARN

Always ensure a Letting agency is registered, each professional agency has a LARN number and that should be on display and available on request. By law, all agencies must use a tenant deposit scheme ie Safe Deposit Scotland, look out for how your chosen letting agent deals with disputes, ideally disputes are settled through third tier tribunal processes.

Investing in agency staff is also an important tell tale sign, look for an agency that demonstrate qualified, fully trained staff – these can often be recognised through the credibility of having a SAL or ARLA accreditation.

6. Knowledge is key

It is important to ask questions to ensure the letting agent appointed is knowledgeable with current legislation and procedures. Consider asking questions like ‘how do you reference tenants?’, ‘how do you check that my property is being looked after throughout a tenancy?’, ‘how to you handle tenant arrears?’, ‘how do you manage maintenance?’, ‘how do you handle tenant evictions?’, ‘do you have any experience with the First-tier Tribunal?’, ‘Can you help me with my HMO license?’.

Having an experienced and knowledgeable letting agent will ensure that you have the best support possible when difficult situations arise in your rental property. At Cairn, we have fully qualified property managers with a wealth of experience in handling difficult letting situations. We have specialists in our office on hand to help you with HMO applications, tenant arrears, evictions and Tribunal applications if necessary.

Looking For Letting Agents In Glasgow? Choose Cairn

With the vast majority of landlords in Glasgow hiring letting agents to manage their rental properties, their importance is clear. They can help you to find and retain reliable tenants, helping you maximise the profitability of your buy-to-let investment. 

Finding the right letting agent can make life so much easier for you, taking away much of the stress that comes with being a landlord. Take your time to choose a local letting agent who you can rely on to manage your property to a high standard. A letting agent like Cairn.

Contact us to learn more about our letting services.