Secret Tips Landlords Use To Reduce Voids

Include Clause In AST To Allow Viewings Before Old Tenant Moves Out

Here are some of the best tips, that our landlords have shared with us. Do some of these and you should keep all voids ot a minimum.

Potential tenants will not choose your property if they cannot view it. Arrange viewings at your potential tenants convenience and as soon as possible. You will need your current tenant’s co-operation so factor viewings into the rental contract.
Add a clause in your tenancy agreement which states that the current tenant must allow access for viewings in the month before they leave.

Award A Reward

Incentivise current tenants to help you find a replacement tenant. Give tenants a referral award, such as a discount off their last
month’s rent, if they can find a tenant for you. This should work particularly well in the student and young professional sharer’s markets.

Maintenance Matters

Outstanding maintenance will put off potential tenants. Make sure all those odd jobs are done before viewings, not with the promise of it being put right before moving in day. Dripping taps and fogged windows will not give potential tenants the right impression of your property or your commitment as a landlord.

Keep In Touch

Communication is key and it is vital to keep in friendly contact with your current tenant so you can assess the property’s future needs. Know what their plans are and what their timescales are likely to be. This way you can line tenants up to go into your property as soon as the previous tenant leaves.

Special Offers

Always remember – taking a lower rent for a short period is better than having no rent at all.

Longer Is Better

Tying your tenant to a 12-month rather than a six month contract will ensure your property is let for a solid period and gives you plenty of time to look for your next tenant. Incentivise your current tenant to stay beyond their original
term, too, by looking after them during their tenancy, ensuring that maintenance jobs or queries are dealt with quickly and competently.

Make your property stand out in some way. Modern light fittings, blinds and curtains, and fresh decoration will make your property feel more attractive. By contrast, dated light fittings, cheap curtains, chipped paint and dull colours are often a turn off.

Keep Your Property Clean

Cluttered, dirty properties put off potential tenants and can possibly cost you hundreds of pounds in voids. Incentivise your current tenant to tidy up. Offer them a case of wine, or a free meal in a nice local restaurant. Cleaning
might cost you nothing, or you might have to spend on it. Either way, it will cost you less than no rent for a week so take it seriously.

Think Ahead

Serve the section 21 in good time. This means month ten for 12-month terms or before month four for six month terms. This prompts the current to say whether they or not they will be renewing. If they choose not to renew, it gives you two clear months to remarket and find a new tenant.

The Price Is Right

Don’t price your rental so that it just about covers your monthly mortgage payments. Price it instead for the local
market and to beat the competition.
Also be open to offers. Your place is worth what someone is willing to pay.

First Impressions

It is vital to make a good impression as soon as potential tenants walk through the door. Home buyers often want to improve a property, but tenants don’t. Think how you can do this.

The property should always look clean
and cared for, but also ‘fit for purpose’. If you’re targeting the family market, it needs to appear child friendly, so brand new washing machine and drying space could be the deal-breaker.

A corporate let to a single
person suggests a completely different ambience. Students, of course, just want to have fun –
plus space for their PCs.

Make Friends

Get your tenant on side to ensure a smooth transition for your next tenant. You want them to keep the place tidy and to move out cleanly. Do inspections on a regular basis to avoid any unforeseen nasty surprises (whether rips in the
carpet, unmentionable stains, or a complete cannabis factory) at the end of the tenancy.

Cast Your Net Wide

Are you marketing your property to a large enough cross-section of people? Is
there a market you could be missing out on? Has the local
market changed? Use as many advertising channels, especially lettings websites, as you can.

Don't Be Hellish

Be the landlord you would have liked when you were a tenant, as we all once were. Be friendly but professional, never be over-intimate or prying.

Be professional, to every possible legal line (even if you don’t agree with the
laws, for example on tenancy deposit), do everything by the book and ensure that your properties are maintained in a way that is a good advertisement for you.

Remember your reputation as a landlord could mean all the difference
between a void and profit...