Property Dev & Letting Agents

[Ric.ror]

Has anyone any experience they would like to share about any of these agents that source, negotiate and manage properties?
Thanks - as always - in anticipation

[gulliver1]

They will do everything you can do yourself and charge you the earth.

[Old_Geezer]

And sometimes not even that.

[woofgang]

yeah. We had to have one when we went abroad and rented our house...it was part of the deal with the company who were employing DH and the company covered the fees. They were completely rubbish....would write to us (this was early 90's, no email or texting) to tell us the cooker needed fixing and what did we want done? When we got home, they were supposed to have inventoried the house and checked for loss and damage. They had signed it off as all OK and it was filthy with loads of small things like cutlery missing and loads of stuff left in the garage which was not ours including police bollards and similar. First thing we had to do was get a cleaning company in which is not what you need when you have just relocated from the USA. Oh I have just remembered, there was growing mould in the kitchen cupboards and drawers and oily boot prints on the settee.

[Ric.ror]

Well thank you for your answers
Not the simple solution I wanted it would seem

[Vagus]

One of my children, who lives abroad, employs one to take care of his flat which he lets out.
He’s very happy with them. They let him know of any problems which the tenants report, find decorators and other trades people when needed, advise if something needs replacing or fixing between tenants.
He was contemplating having a new kitchen fitted but they advised against it and said it was unnecessary.
I don’t know what he pays them but it seems like money well spent from what he’s told us.

[HongKongphooey]

I think the simple answer is they vary considerably, some good, some bad. Make sure you shop around before deciding. There % rates vary alot as well as it is a very competitive market. My husband tried to manage the property himself, but the tenants he chose stopped paying the rent and I ended up going to a property agent who is a Friend and she took it on and sorted it out for us. She was brilliant. You can manage it yourselves, if the tenants are ok, its easy, otherwise it can be a nightmare. Check out agents though, alot will find a tenant for you, and just charge you for that, then you manage it yourself.

[Peter Pedant]

// They will do everything you can do yourself and charge you the earth.//

yeah agreed
I used to get phone calls - "da bog duznt flush, wodger gonna do abart it ven?"
and that wasnt the tenant but the agent and I then had to go and clear it or employ someone

whilst being encouraged by the agent: da bog has to flush ya know

[Peter Pedant]

hopeless absolutely hopeless -
I cant name them as they might NOT have gone out of business, ( identical names but are they the same company )