Renting Direct from a Landlord Vs Through a Letting Agent

The tenant’s decision when choosing to rent direct from a landlord or going through a letting agent can be a pivotal decision. Let’s go through the advantages and disadvantages of both options.

What does a letting agent do?

The letting agent’s role is to act between the landlord and renter, representing the landlord to keep them in line with all legal obligations, marketing, conduct references and financial checks, and managing legal documents such as rental contracts, security deposits, legal certifications for the property, inventories and more. This is all vital to make sure the property being let is following the law, and a safe habitable place for those with the right to rent.

Advantages of a letting agent

Letting agents bring expertise to the table, ensuring the home you rent is legally compliant. They also oversee the administration involved with renting as outlined above.

A good reputable letting agent will be fully versed and up to date with all rental legislation. This gives tenants and landlords peace of mind regarding obligations and safety requirements. As letting agents manage the bulk of the rental process, this can save significant time for both tenants and landlords.

Potential downsides of an agent

If the correct letting agent isn’t chosen that has reputable reviews and following basic professional standards, then there is a risk your property won’t be managed well, choosing the right letting agent is a vital part of the process.

Renting direct from the landlord

Many landlords in the private rental sector decide to self-manage their rental properties and do so successfully. However, sadly some do not.

A self-managing landlord will not be paying letting agents’ fees. As a result, there is the potential that rents might be cheaper. However this may be unlikely as landlords may want to maximise their earnings and therefore is why they are managing the property themselves.

Potential risks of renting direct from a landlord

Individual landlords may lack the professional expertise of agents, potentially impacting your rental experience. They may also be unaware of the ever-changing legislative landscape when it comes to renting property.

There is also the risk of encountering a landlord who is not as stringent about their obligations. Which can pose a risk of rental scams which you should be alert to, as well as wait times on getting any maintenance issues sorted slow.

Letting agent vs landlord direct

At Right Home Management we recommend finding your property through a well-reviewed letting agent, to ensure the property you are renting is a legally approved and well-maintained property, with a landlord who has taken the time to instruct a managing agent to keep the property maintained to it’s best standard. When using a letting agent look out for them having industry accreditations like Property Ombudsman, Property Redress Scheme, Tenancy Deposit Scheme.

Get in touch with Right Home if you are in search of your next rental home, or if you are a landlord looking for your new managing agent!