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Letting, Glasgow, Hints & Tips, Landlords
A Short Guide to Letting in Glasgow
A Short Guide to Letting in Glasgow Interested in letting in Glasgow? Here’s what you need to know. Buy to let in Glasgow is booming, with demand for rented homes soaring in recent years. Scotland’s biggest city remains an attractive option for students and young professionals, and properties are being built in prime locations targeted at these demographics. According to ECA International, this has driven up rental prices, with Glasgow seeing the highest increase in the UK over the last year. So, if you’re a first-time landlord interested in letting property in Glasgow, read on for Cairn’s most important info, tips, and advice. 4 Things You Need to Do When Letting in Glasgow 1. Register with the local council When renting out properties in Glasgow, you have to register with the local council. Registering your property before letting it ensures it meets the minimum legal requirements. Keep in mind that if you rent out a property before registering with Glasgow City Council, you could face a hefty fine (up to £50,000). To apply for landlord registration, contact the local housing department or visit the Scottish Landlord Register website. 2. Find suitable tenants Finding reliable tenants who will pay rent on time and respect your property is one of the most important aspects of a successful buy-to-let in Glasgow. However, you won’t secure good tenants by accident. Marketing your property will make it more attractive, with appealing visuals giving it the edge over others in the area. A local letting agency in Glasgow can help you market your rental property effectively, helping you find and secure suitable tenants quickly. 3. Understand your responsibilities As a landlord in Glasgow, you have a wide range of responsibilities. As well as drawing up a tenancy agreement and securing the deposit in an approved tenancy deposit scheme, you’ll need to: Arrange an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC); for advertising. Ensure your property meets the Repairing and Tolerable Standards at the start and throughout the tenancy. Meet safety requirements such as installing smoke alarms and carry out a gas, electrical and water system checks. Pay overseas landlord tax (if applicable). And maintain the property’s structure and exterior. You’ll also need to carry out common repairs within the property. Although your responsibilities as a landlord can seem overwhelming, a letting agency can carry out many of these duties on your behalf, making life so much easier for you! 4. Deal with disputes promptly When letting out properties, disagreements happen. For example, perhaps a tenant wants you to repair or replace something, and you don’t think it’s your responsibility. Whatever the reason for the dispute, you’ll need to find a way to deal with it quickly. If you can’t resolve the issue by talking to your tenant, you may consider getting advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), the Legal Services Agency, or your solicitor. Many people find dealing with tenants disputes one of the toughest parts of being a landlord. This is why many choose to work with a local letting agency. Having the support of an experienced and qualified property manager with a vast knowledge in the Repairing and Tolerable Standards, as well as a landlords responsibilities will take the stress and worry away from dealing with any difficult disputes. At Cairn, all our staff are fully qualified to ensure they can handle and resolve any disputes quickly and efficiently to the landlords and the tenants satisfaction. Letting in Glasgow with Cairn Property Buying and letting out Glasgow properties can be a fantastic investment, with increasing demand for homes and rising rental prices making it an attractive prospect. However, there’s a lot to consider when renting out a property in the city, with many responsibilities placed squarely on a landlord’s shoulders. Fortunately, a local letting agency (like Cairn) can handle many of these duties, from finding the right tenants to making sure you’re complying with your legal obligations. Contact us to learn more about our letting services. .flex_column.av-qp6g3d-694ba03245f5f999b6d55385abe07316{ -webkit-border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px; -moz-border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px; border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px; padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;
Letting, Glasgow, Hints & Tips
How to Choose Letting Agents in Glasgow
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.
Letting, Glasgow, Landlords, Services, Tenants
Switching Letting Agents in Glasgow: Advice for Landlords
Switching Letting Agents in Glasgow: Advice for Landlords Are you a landlord thinking of switching letting agents in Glasgow? Read on for some advice from Cairn. Expensive maintenance charges. Substandard repairs. Poor communication. Late rent payments. And every time you call, it’s someone different on the other end of the line — and they don’t know you or your property. As a landlord, the last thing you need is a letting agent mismanaging your property. If the above sounds familiar, it could be time for a change. And despite some common misconceptions, switching letting agents is easier than you think. Moving Letting Agents in Glasgow: Common Misconceptions Many landlords see changing letting agents as a hassle they can live without, so they stay loyal to an agency, even if they’re not meeting expectations. Others think they need to wait until the property is empty before switching, while some simply don’t see the point in moving. After all, a letting agent is a letting agent, right? Wrong. Let’s deal with these misconceptions, one by one: 1. “I have to wait until the end of the tenancy before changing agents.” This isn’t true. The Tenancy Agreement is between you (the landlord) and your tenant. The agency has been hired to manage your property — switching agents won’t impact the agreement. In fact, it’s often easier to change agents with a tenant in place, as it means the new agent can take over the management of the property without the additional need to advertise and place a new tenant. 2. “Every Glasgow letting agent is the same; there’s no point in switching.” Most letting agents provide similar services. However, the way in which these services are delivered can vary from one agent to the next. Think of it like having a favourite coffee shop, even though you can get a coffee almost anywhere. There’s more to it than simply getting what you asked for. Likewise, the very best letting agents in Glasgow are doing more than making sure rent is collected on time. They’re fully regulated, understand the legislation involved, prioritise quality customer service, and offer professional and reliable communication at all times. 3. “Moving to a new letting agent is more fuss than it’s worth.” Switching from an underperforming agent to one who values a strong working relationship and cares for your property and its tenants is absolutely worth the fuss — if it can even be considered “fuss” in the first place! In reality, there’s little you need to do in order to switch. Beyond giving your current agent written notice that you plan to leave, your new agent will handle everything on your behalf. Case in point… Switching Letting Agents in Glasgow (It’s Easier Than You Think) At Cairn, we make switching simple. From liaising with your current agent to communicating with your tenant(s), we take care of every last detail, including: The acquisition of a detailed handover from your current agent. This will include information related to rent arrears, payment plans, planned maintenance, and outstanding tenant requests; The transfer and recording of the latest safety certificates; The transfer of all keys, up-to-date inventory, and the current lease agreement (if applicable); And the provision of a new point of contact and updated bank details for rent payments to your tenant(s). You are appointed a property manager so you are dealing with one point of contact. Our qualified and experienced property managers conduct audits on documents sent to us to ensure that all legal responsibilities are met and the landlords interests are protected. If you’re interested in changing letting agents in Glasgow, visit our Getting Started page or contact our friendly team for more information.
Letting, Edinburgh, Estate Agency, Glasgow
Check out our new responsive, faster to use Website !
Check out our new responsive, faster and easier to use Website ! We listened to our Landlords & Tenants and are very excited to announce the launch of our new state of the art website. The new site features improved navigation and clean, fresh design as well as introducing you to our four key defined business areas, Investors, Tenants, Landlords & Estate Agency. We wanted to make the new website faster, easier to navigate, and more user-friendly and Its integral for us to make our tenant facing information easily accessible and informative for our tenancies. As well as still marketing properties on all the leading property engines, Cairn have invested in a our new website to help deliver our unrivalled service even more efficiently online. www.CairnEstateAgency.com
Letting, Landlords
The Danger of Unqualified Letting Agents
The Danger of Unqualified Letting Agents Is your letting agent qualified to manage your properties and ensure you meet your obligations as a fit and proper landlord? Let’s hope so, as the protection of tenants is a high profile cause for the Scottish Executive. Time and time again, we discover when taking on new landlords […]
Letting, Buy To Let, HMO Properties, Investment, Student Accommodation
Become A Parent Investor With Cairn
Become A Parent Investor With Cairn For many, when their children go to university or college there are only a few options open to them; continue to have them live at home, have them register for a space in the student halls, or look for a private rental property they can stay in while in […]
Letting, HMO Properties, Investment, Student Accommodation
A Parent’s Guide to Student Accommodation
A Parent’s Guide to Student Accommodation Your teenager is off to university and needs somewhere to live – not sure where to start? We talk you through the ins and outs of the student accommodation options available these days. They’ve come a long way from your student digs, trust us. University-owned accommodation The most popular […]
Letting, Student Accommodation
Moving into Student Accommodation
Moving into Student Accommodation For many, living away from home for the first time in student accommodation is a huge part of the university or college experience. It can be a daunting prospect but an exciting one. Follow our tips and you’ll settle in in no time. Get packing right While there is the temptation […]
Letting, Student Accommodation
Being a Good Neighbour
Being a Good Neighbour Renting your first flat can be an exciting prospect. However, this new independence comes with more responsibility. Don’t forget you’ll be sharing your building with other tenants and – importantly – homeowners. Follow our tips for being a good neighbour so you can all enjoy the best living experience possible. Introduce […]
