Top 10 questions to ask before instructing a letting agent.

May 29, 2015

After buying a new rental investment property, the next job is to find tenants! Letting agents come in all shapes and sizes, but sorting the wheat from the chaff might be a harder task than you’d think.  We’ve put together a list of the most important questions to ask a prospective agent before instructing them to find tenants for you:

1) Are you a member of a regulatory organisation such as ARLA or NALS?

2) Are you a member of the SAFEagent scheme, an organisation whose members all hold client money protection insurance?

3) Will my property be advertised on both Rightmove and Zoopla?

4) Do you use an independent referencing agency to assess all potential tenants and can I see the final reference reports before committing to a tenancy?

5) Do you take a holding deposit from interested tenants when they make an offer, so that I can be sure that they are serious about renting my property?

6) How many lettings staff will be working on my property?

7) How many active tenants does your office have on its database?

8) How many similar properties have you let in the last few months?

9) On average how long would you expect it to take before you achieve an offer from tenants?

10) What are your branch opening hours?

Alex Evans

You May Also Enjoy

Estate Agent Talk

Renting an Apartment for Streaming and Gaming: What to Check Before Paying the Security Deposit

For those who stream or compete online from home, choosing a place to live becomes a task with many variables. Beautiful photos in a listing say little about whether an apartment is suitable for a home studio, stable livestreaming, and long hours in front of a monitor. The decision should be based not on the…
Read More →
Breaking News

London rents outperform property values

The latest research by London lettings and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, has revealed that rental growth has outperformed house price growth across 26 of London’s 32 boroughs since the start of the year, with rents continuing to climb despite weaker property price performance across much of the capital. Benham and Reeves analysed the average…
Read More →
Breaking News

Rental property availability falls

The number of rental properties available across England fell by 12.1% during the third quarter of 2026, according to new analysis by Dwelly, highlighting an increasingly competitive rental market in many parts of the country. Dwelly is one of the UK’s largest rental property management groups, with more than 15,000 properties under management. The firm’s…
Read More →
Breaking News

Average advertised rents surpass £1,400 for the first time

The average advertised rent of homes outside London has risen to a new record of £1,418 per calendar month, up 1.5% this quarter: Despite a new record rent, annual rental growth has returned to a more stable level of +2.4% Number of available rental homes nationally is 2% lower than a year ago, while renter…
Read More →
Breaking News

Barclays unlocks wider mortgage access for company directors

Limited company directors who meet the income threshold can now have their Profit After Tax (PAT) considered in their affordability assessment regardless of property value The change means that, for a wider group of limited company directors, Barclays will consider a fuller view of the applicant’s income The update is the latest in a series…
Read More →
Breaking News

Homebuyer demand fall in Q3

The latest sales demand data from eXp UK has revealed that homebuyer demand in England slipped by -1.6% in Q3 2026. The analysis shows that just five counties managed positive growth during the quarter, suggesting that buyers may be holding back, adopting a wait-and-see approach ahead of what promises to be a vital Autumn Budget –…
Read More →