Home > Property Investment > Landlords Guide To Letting > How To Market Your Property

There are many ways that landlords can market their properties to potential tenants, including:

• Advertising in the local paper
• Advertising on the internet
• Advertising in local supermarket and newsagents
• Instructing a lettings agency to market the property for you

If you do decide to use a letting agent to market your property, try to ensure that they are a member of one of the following organisations:

• ARLA - Association of Residential Letting Agents
• NALS - National Approved Letting Scheme
• NAEA - National Association of Estate Agents
• RICS - Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

If you do experience problems with your agent and they are a member of one of the above organisations, then you can approach the organisation to help resolve the dispute.

You will also find that many tenants are more likely to go for a property managed by an agent, who is a member of one of these organisations.

For more information, take a look at our Property Rental page.

Look And Feel Of The Property

The quality of your internal decoration and the fixtures and fittings of the property can have a serious affect on the number of tenants prepared to rent it and the amount of rent they will be prepared to pay. It is therefore important to consider the following:

• Carpets and walls should be neutral. Whites, creams and light pastel shades help to provide a clean and fresh look and feel
• Paint finishes are easier to maintain than wallpaper and investing in good quality carpets and curtains that will last longer makes sense in the long-term
• Kitchens should be well equipped and bathrooms should have quality modern fittings, preferably with a power shower (overseas visitors will expect one), good lighting and a tiled flooring
• Wood flooring is now very popular and gives the illusion of more space, however if you are installing wood flooring in an apartment or flat, check with the freeholder, as this is not always permitted due to the noise factor
• Good lighting is very important for any let. Downlight spotlamps work well in kitchens, bathrooms and other places, whilst a furnished let will benefit from table lamps. You may want to install security lights externally, to provide the tenant with a feeling of comfort and safety
• Always ensure that any property you decide to let out has toilet roll holders, towel rails, bathroom cabinets and adequate shelving and storage space throughout

Presenting Your Property To The Tenant

When presenting your property to a perspective tenant, try to ensure:

• The property is clean and tidy. If there are any odours, try opening some windows beforehand to let the fresh air in
• Bathroom areas should be clean, with the toilet seat left down, beds should be made
• Although you may be concerned about people walking on your new carpet, some tenants will not be too keen on being asked to remove their shoes before entering
• Ensure the property is well lit and welcoming. Even during the summer months, it is well worth turning on a table lamp in a dark corner
• Ensure curtains and blinds are all pulled back to allow as much artificial light in as possible
• Make sure that the garden is clean, tidy and inviting

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