Practical Advice To Help You Profit From Rental Property
Advertising For Tenants
Many landlords use lettings agents to advertise their property. A lettings agent
who finds a tenant quickly more than pays for himself compared to the landlord struggling to find a tenant who still has an empty property months
later. They have more resources at their disposal: window displays, contacts and a database of potential tenants and regular advertising
pages arranged with the local property papers. However, there is plenty you can do if you are letting privately.
Advertise on some of the websites that will allow you to advertise your property
for rent. These include the online version of some classified newspapers, specialist websites that make money from advertising on the
site or selling your details, and other sites that charge you a fee for your advertisement.
You can pay for advertisements in the local (or national) press in the same
publications as your local lettings agent uses.
Print an advert and post it on notice boards you have access to e.g. at your
workplace. There lots of places where you may be able to post adverts, which may end up being seen by potential tenants
e.g libraries, universities, supermarkets, large employers and other institutions. Choose the ones where your target
tenants are most likely to see your advert.
Put your advert in shop windows. Many small shopkeepers have an area
where they will allow allow you to post an advert either in their window or a noticeboard, for a small charge. Look out for
shops that other people are using to post such adverts.
Personal contacts. Anyone you are acquainted with can potentially know someone who wants a property such as the
one you have on offer.
Ask your current tenants. If you have several properties let your current tenants know about your vacancies;
they may have friends looking for accommodation. You can always pay a small commisssion to encourage them.
Free local newspapers will take free adverts from members of the public.
Loot and other specialist classifieds. Most regions of the country have their
own classified newspapers that complement the larger national publications of the same type. These are popular places
for tenants to look for property.
Local housing offices. Some areas have accommodation centres run by the local
council. They will have lists of local lettings agents and private landlords and some may even keep a list of properties that are
available to rent. You can contact them and arrange to be included, especially if you are happy to have tenants on housing
benefit.