What makes a good letting agent?
Glenn – comments in italics would be for the researchers compiling the rating.
On the question of how to rate agencies that don’t provide landlord management
services and those that do, I don’t think that providing those services should
make them a better letting agent so I haven’t included that here – query whether
that requires a separate scoring matrix for a landlord’s point of view or a
separate matrix for combined agents?
Review Criteria
TTV aims to provide a good, all round picture of a letting agency. We want to give
tenants a clear idea of which agents are suited to them and those that have
advantages over the others. We use the following review criteria to do this:
-
Information provision
Good local area knowledge
Up front on fees and costs
Able to respond quickly to enquiries/issues
Able to deal quickly with problems with a property
Understands the legal position of both landlords and tenants, as well as
what is best industry practice
Able to steer the check in and check out processes to make life easier for
everyone
Has the back up of membership of a professional body so that the public
has an independent arbiter for complaints.
Staff are well trained and required to do ongoing professional
development.
1. Documented process
We know tenants find it useful to have certain types of documents provided at
various points in the lettings process. That’s why we give points for the
following:
- Check in inventory
- Check out inventory
- Standard terms and conditions available in advance of property search
- Check in ‘pack’ provided - meter readings, council tax information, information
on where to leave rubbish etc
- Move in checklist
- Move out checklist
2. Pets
Some 43% of tenants have pets and so almost half of renters these days will be
looking for agents that can handle the process of moving with a furry friend.
- Clear information provided on process of renting with pets (any fees/additional
deposit payable, additional cleaning required. additional clauses in tenancy?).
Either on website or as part of a lettings guide – must be written evidence of this
somewhere.
3. Good area knowledge
Most tenants say this is one of the key reasons why would choose a letting agent
and we think good local knowledge really differentiates one agent from another.
- Area guides (or equivalent) provided? (covering schools, amenities, parking
etc)
- Able to provide information on average rental prices?
- Able to provide information on rental price range for area?
- Able to provide information on types of properties for rent?
- Able to provide information on local market and its movements?
4. Does the agency use trusted service providers?
Many tenants tell us they have experienced problems with letting agents using
cheap service providers for maintenance and repairs and this can make life
difficult for tenants.
- Is the service provider charged a commission to have the maintenance
contract?
- Letting agent willing to provide service provider details in advance to tenant?
- Is boiler engineer Gas Safe Registered?
- Does maintenance service provider used have more than 5+ years lettings
maintenance experience?
- Is electrician NICEIC approved?
5. Legal requirements and good practice
It’s a nightmare for tenants when they have to deal with a landlord who doesn’t
understand the rights and responsibilities at a law and having a letting agent
who is able to manage this is key for most tenants. We give points for each of
these questions that are answered correctly when our researcher calls.
- How often do they ensure landlord does gas safety check (should be annual)
- How often do they recommend landlords get an electrical safety check (HMOs
every 5 years but ideally electrical check every 12 months)
- Do they know how much notice they have to give tenants to enter the property
- Can they explain tenant deposit protection?
- How often do they recommend maintenance checks (ideal is every six months not legal requirement but National Landlords Association recommends this
timescale)
6. Clear process for tenancy renewal/end of tenancy
There is often some confusion when it comes to the end of a tenancy and tenants
want to know well in advance what the process is so they don’t get caught out.
- Information available on website or part of tenant document pack
7. Deposit protection
Many tenants have concerns about how their deposit should be protected, how
to get it back at the end of the tenancy and what happens if there is a dispute
over returning the deposit.
- Is information provided in advance on which scheme is deposit placed in? (on
website or in a tenant pack)
- Are tenants told how to get the deposit back in advance (on website or in a
tenant pack)
- Is clear information available on procedure for disputes? (on website or in a
tenant pack)
8. Professional body membership
In our experience tenants are interested in these memberships from the point of
view of how they provide security and a process for dealing with complaints. We
know not all memberships really mean something so we don’t give points for all
of them. For more information on how we choose which memberships to give
points for see the section on Professional Body Membership.
- Is the agency member of either or all of Ombudsman/NALS/ARLA
- Is the agency member of SAFEagent
- Do 90% of staff hold a professional qualification/training certificate e.g. ARLA
- Are all staff required to do Continuous Professional Development?
9. Communication/Availability
This is key for tenants so we score agencies on the number of ways in which they
can be contacted, as well as the hours they are available.
- Email contact
- Phone contact
- Out of hours number for agent
- Out of hours direct number for services
- Website portal
- Phone/tablet app
- Out of hours viewings?
- Open at weekends?
10. Website
Most tenants search online now for properties so the letting agent website is key
to the process. We rate ease of use, the number of properties covered, the clarity
of information and the amount of information available.
- Facility to ask a question via website?
- Response within 24 hours to question asked
- Guide to renting on website?
- More than 10 properties per whole postcode
- More than 5 properties per whole postcode
- More than 3 images per property
- Floorplan
- Fees stated specifically
- Facility to arrange a viewing through website?
- Response within 24 hours to arrange a viewing through website
11. Longevity
Tenants are wary of ‘phoenix’ letting agents that run into problems and then
start up under a different name without resolving issues so we rate those
agencies with a proven track record.
- company has been trading 5+ years (unless start up with no previous
incarnations)
12. Industry reach
Part of being a well connected, efficient agency is the number of resources an
agency uses to reach tenants, and which tenants can use to research properties,
so we give points for a minimum number of connections.
- Properties listed on Zoopla, Rightmove and Prime Location (points for 2 out of
3) These are the biggest.
TWO SCORING OPTIONS:
1. 50 Questions, 1 point for each yes – score out of 50/ or a percentage out of
100.
Yes
Documents
1. Check in inventory
2. Check out inventory
3. T&Cs
4. Tenant pack
5. Move in checklist
6. Move out checklist
Pets
7. Information provided?
Area knowledge
8. Area guides
9. Rental prices
10. Rental range
11. Property types
12. Local market
Service providers
13. No contract commission taken
14. Advance details available
15. Gas Safe Registered boiler engineer
16. NICEIC approved electrician
17. 5+ years lettings maintenance experience
Legal requirements and good practice
18. Gas safety check every 12 months
19. Electrical safety check every 12 months
20. Knowledge on notice to enter property
21. Can explain deposit protection
22. Maintenance checks every six months
End of tenancy/renewal
23. Clear info on website or in a tenant pack
Deposit protection
24. Info provided in advance on scheme used
25. Info provided in advance on how to claim
deposit back
No
26. Info provided in advance on disputes
Professional body membership
27. Ombudsman
28. NALS
29. ARLA
30. SAFEagent
31. Professional qualified staff
32. Staff do CPD
Communication/availability
33. Email
34. Phone
35. Out of hours number for agent
36. Direct out of hours number of repairs etc
37. Website
38. Phone/tablet app
39. Out of hours viewings
40. Open at weekends
Website
41. Website questions and 24 hours response
time
42. Guide to renting on website
43. More than 10 properties per whole post
code
44. More than 5 properties per whole post
code
45. More than 3 images per property
46. Floorplan
47. Fees specifically stated with description
48. Facility to arrange viewing through website
and 24 hours response time
Longevity
49. 5+ years trading
Industry reach
50. Properties listed on two of Zoopla,
Rightmove, Prime location
2. Weighted scoring – we allocate each area a value
Documents 24
Pets 4
Area knowledge 21
Service providers 17
Legal requirements and good practice 15
End of tenancy/renewal 3
Deposit protection 12
Professional body membership 28
Communication/availability 29
Website 41
Longevity 3
Industry reach 3
Total: 200
Platinum 180+
Gold 160-180
Silver 140-160
Bronze 120-140
No rating 120 or less
Documents
/24
Check in inventory
Check out inventory
T&Cs
Tenant pack
Move in checklist
Move out checklist
Pets
5
5
5
5
2
2
/4
Information provided?
Area knowledge
4
Area guides
Rental prices
Rental range
Property types
Local market
Service providers
5
4
4
4
4
/21
/17
No contract commission taken 3
Advance details available
3
Gas Safe Registered boiler
4
engineer
NICEIC approved electrician
4
5+ years lettings maintenance 3
experience
Legal requirements and good practice
Gas safety check every 12
months
3
/15
Electrical safety check every
12 months
Knowledge on notice to enter
property
Can explain deposit
protection
Maintenance checks every six
months
End of tenancy/renewal
3
Clear info on website or in a
tenant pack
Deposit protection
3
3
3
3
/3
/12
Info provided in advance on
4
scheme used
Info provided in advance on
4
how to claim deposit back
Info provided in advance on
4
disputes
Professional body membership
Ombudsman
NALS
ARLA
SAFEagent
Professional qualified staff
Staff do CPD
Communication/availability
5
4
5
4
5
5
Email
Phone
Out of hours number for agent
Direct out of hours number of
repairs etc
Website
Phone/tablet app
Out of hours viewings
Open at weekends
Website
Website questions
Website questions response
within 24 hours
Guide to renting on website
More than 10 properties per
whole post code
More than 5 properties per
whole post code
3
3
4
5
/28
/29
3
4
4
3
/41
4
5
4
4
3
More than 3 images per
property
Floorplan
Fees specifically stated with
description
Facility to arrange viewing
through website
Response within 24 hours to
request for viewing through
website
Longevity
5+ years trading
Industry reach
Properties listed on two of
Zoopla, Rightmove, Prime
location
4
3
5
4
5
/3
3
/3
3