Renting with Letting Agent Vs Private Landlord

Home sweet home! Everyone expects certain calmness and a secure place for a family to live in and it is irrelevant whether you are staying in your property or a rented house. So, taking home is the most important decision one has to make. Searching for a property on rent within the same city where you are currently residing provides more options. You can check within your friends' circle, neighbors, or family members, and possibly you might already know some private landlords with whom you can check for the availability of any property on rent. People are often required to travel to different cities related to work transfer or for higher studies and looking for a property for rent in a strange city could be a daunting task. In a strange city, you will look for options to search the property through the letting agents, various property portals, or the advertisements published by the private landlords. Renting a property can be broadly classified into two categories,

1. Rent a property through the letting agent or
2. Rent a property through a private landlord.

Finalizing a property often requires you to sign a contract for a certain timeline and hence it is extremely crucial to select the right option. However, a possibility of a wrong step due to negligence can’t be denied. Hence it is wise to think through before taking any decision and carefully consider the benefits and drawbacks of both. Let’s attempt to understand it one by one:

Benefits of Renting a property through Letting Agent:

Professional service:
Letting agents are professionals and are subject matter experts. They have a dedicated and expert team when it comes to managing a property. They have tie-ups with the professional services providers and they know all the legal compliances so that you have do not have to worry. You always get a quick professional service.

Correct documentation
Letting agents have the expert team to handle the legal compliances. Renting a property through an agent gives you enough assurance that the rent agreement is correct in the sense that it covers and protects both landlord and tenant interest by adhering to the laws laid by the Govt. They maintain all the documents and you can procure any document like rent receipts and the soft copy of your rent agreement by merely calling the agent or sending an email request.

Timely repairs and maintenance
Letting agencies often are tied up with professional service providers such as electricians, plumbers, and other technicians. They can contact these service providers and can arrange the technicians or other service provides for you should you require any of them for any repair or maintenance-related work. They also take care of informing or taking consent from the landlord before arranging those services for you. It saves you a lot of time and energy.

Lessor interference from the landlord
Letting agents have no intention to visit your home without any prior notice and purpose and hence can cause almost no nuisance. For any issues regarding the rented property letting agents handle them. So, no surprise visits from the landlord.
The letting agent is solely responsible for all the issues related to the property and the landlord is never in a picture and hence you rest sure of getting no surprise visits.

Dedicated support available to handle your queries
Letting agencies maintain a team of dedicated and trained people to take your calls for any issues about the property repair, maintenance, documentation, or any other issues about the property. The support person on the phone is skilled to listen to your queries, concerns and providing the required support and solution.

Drawbacks of Renting a Property through a Letting Agent

Higher rent
Renting a property through letting agents is expensive as it adds a person to the equation. Landlords are required to pay to letting agents for the service they subscribe to and that eventually trickles down raising the rent of the property.

No personal contact with the landlord
Many a time renting a property through a letting agent means you almost have no connection with the landlord.
Letting agent being a middleman takes your concerns to the landlord and blocks any direct communication. At times you can’t be sure that your concerns are properly conveyed to the landlord and you just have to be satisfied with the answers and solution provided by the letting agent.

Unavailability of letting agents during weekends and bank holidays
Letting agencies are real offices that operate only on weekdays. They are closed on public holidays as well. Issues don’t arise at your convenience and so in an unfortunate situation, if you are required of any service regarding property repair over the weekend then you are left with no choice to wait for the agency office to open or hunt for the service provider on your own. It can be quite troublesome in urgent situations.

Benefits of Renting a property directly through landlord:

Personal bonding with the landlord
Renting a property through a landlord has its advantages. You can bond well and strike a good cord with your landlord which can provide you great comfort. If you are lucky then you may find the landlord to be kind and generous to help you in every possible way.

Pocket friendly
Renting a property through a private landlord is often proves to be more economical as compared to renting a property through a letting agent and as such you end up saving some amount every month for your good.

Support accessible all the time
During an emergency, you can count on your landlord. Your landlord may not mind taking your calls whenever you need any help and can be available all the time. You do not have to call your landlord only on weekdays.

Drawbacks of Renting a Property directly through Landlord:

Interference in private life
Landlords may not be too considerate of your privacy and can plan a surprise visit for no good reasons which can disturb your privacy.

Lack of professional service support
There is no reason for a landlord to have any tie-ups with the best-in-class professional service providers in the town. Services that you may receive from the landlords for any property repair or maintenance work may be of sub-standards.

Legal compliance
All landlords may not be fit to handle all the legal compliances regarding renting a property.
Rent agreements crafted by them may have discrepancies and may not cover all the aspects that could address your interests.

Considering all the points above, you can cheery pick the option which fits you the best.
Our RentonCloud is a unified platform for landlords, renters, and service providers. We attempt to collaborate various services related to renting a house under a single roof. Our platform uses technology to help you with all requirements related to renting a house. It also provides an around-the-clock chat option that allows landlords, renters, and service providers to sync together.
Once connected to our platform, you may not be required to look beyond for anything relating to property renting and related services. Finding it interesting, wants to know more…