Every landlord wants good tenants. The ideal tenant pays the rent on time and looks after the property with respect. They fix little problems like lightbulbs and report big problems like plumbing. They stay for several years, saving you the hassle of looking for more tenants, and ensuring your property doesn’t stand empty.

But how do you find these good tenants? And once you’ve found them, how do you make sure they stay? During our time working as lettings agents, we’ve seen what works. Read on for some ideas!

How to attract good tenants

High quality property 

The best way to attract good tenants is to have a good quality property. Redecorate, fix any obvious problems and tidy the garden. This is a good idea because, when it comes to viewings, a good tenant is the one who can imagine themselves living in your lovely property. A good tenant will want a property as good as they are. On the other hand, a tenant who knows they’re a party animal, or who has lost deposits in the past, will feel out of place. A bad tenant will see your immaculate property as a source of worry – how ever will they keep the carpets clean?! 

A good quality property is also a great motivator. When someone moves into a house or flat that is already clean and up-to-date, they usually feel inspired to keep it that way. 

Thorough tenant referencing

Another way to ensure you have the right kind of tenant is to let your estate agent find the tenant for you and carry out referencing checks. Leaving it to the professionals ensures that it’s done thoroughly with no nasty surprises for landlords on rent day.

How to keep good tenants

Good property management

Once your tenants have moved in, it’s important to keep them. The tenants need two things from you – good communication and good property management. If you choose a reliable estate agent (like Cobbles!) and a fully managed property service, there shouldn’t be very much need for you to communicate directly with your tenants. However, it’s important to be easy for the property manager to contact. That way, when a tenant reports a maintenance issue, your property manager can quickly liaise with you to get the problem fixed. This shows the tenant that you are efficient and gives them a positive reason to renew their tenancy agreement.  

Flexibility

If your tenants have lived in your property for more than a year and have shown themselves to be reliable, it’s a good idea to show them some flexibility if you can. For example, if good tenants are considering getting a pet, it might be in your interests to give permission. If you don’t, they might decide to move to a property where they are allowed one. Once they’ve gone, your future tenants could be unreliable. In addition, you may not be able to let the property immediately, which will cost you money. 

The tenancy agreement is there to protect landlords and tenants alike. However, being a slave to it isn’t worth it if it means your reliable, long-term tenants move out. Be flexible if you can. 

Let your Guildford property with Cobbles

The experienced team at Cobbles will do all we can to help you find tenants and manage your property as smoothly as possible. We’ve had many success stories over the years – perhaps you’ll be the next one! If you’re looking for a lettings agent to help you rent out your Guildford property, we can help. Get in touch on 01483 457 000 to find out more.