All good letting agents will have key processes in place that make life easier for tenants and landlords alike. There’s a lot that goes into being a letting agent but with years of experience under our belt, we’ve got it down to a tee at Ultralets. 

In this blog post we’ll share some of the main responsibilities we have as a letting agent:

Advise on rental expectations 

We know Hull like the back of our hand and have a keen grasp on the rent that different areas will achieve. We’ve been managing properties for over 10 years and will always make sure properties are a lettable standard and meet all the legal requirements to keep landlords out of bother and provide tenants with a pleasant place to live. 

Hull is a fantastic place to invest in property but one thing’s for sure - you need to know where to look. The difference in rental expectations from one street to the next can be significant but we’re always on hand to guide landlords where necessary. Sign up to our investment marketplace to get opportunities sent straight to your inbox.

Market properties

Our aim is to connect quality tenants with responsible landlords. We want to help tenants find their ideal home and advertise properties to them in many different ways. Not only does our website achieve high traffic volumes, our social media channels also have high engagement rates and reach. We also advertise properties through Zoopla OnTheMarket which contributes to keeping void periods to a minimum. 

Did you know that we let more homes over the 6 month lockdown period than we did the 6 months prior to that due to our contactless approach to lettings? Find out more here.

One thing we prioritise with our marketing is ensuring the property is represented in the best way possible with high quality professional photographs and even online video tours. 

Tenant referencing 

There’s a rigorous process we follow to make sure tenants are right for the property they’re applying for. We’ll only present the best quality applications to the landlord to cut down their admin time. Our application forms can be completed online to make applying as straightforward as possible for tenants. See what details we collect from applicants.

Tenancy agreements and deposit collection 

Renting a property out to someone without a tenancy agreement is a disaster waiting to happen. Our agreements are transparent, easy to understand and protect both parties. There are a lot of legalities surrounding letting properties so using a trusted letting agent will help to minimise issues. 

We collect deposits to give landlords security if damage has occured to their property during a tenancy or there are any rent arrears. Of course if there’s no damage or arrears, the entire deposit is returned to the tenant which happens in most cases. All of our deposits are held in the Deposit Protection Service. This is a legal requirement and it protects the money for both the tenant and landlord. Read more about deposits here.

Rent collection

We make it as simple as possible for tenants to pay their rent. It can be paid via our website, direct bank transfer, over the phone or bank standing order. With our payment processes being entirely digital, this made rent collection over lockdown a breeze.

Property inspections

Every 6 months our team will visit the rental properties we manage to assess the general condition and ensure the tenancy is running smoothly. Tenants are always informed beforehand and landlords will receive a full report after the inspection.

Property maintenance 

There’s a level of upkeep that needs to be maintained with any rental property. We recommend setting aside around 10% of your rental income to accomodate for ongoing maintenance (although this wouldn’t cover if a big project needed to be done like a new bathroom).

We have our own in house property maintenance team dedicated to working on our landlords properties. Our online repair reporting software, FixFlo, allows tenants to flag up repairs and track the status of the job.

Landlords may wish to carry out the works themselves, however we do have a duty of care to the tenant to ensure that works are carried out safely and in good time. If the repair is to do with hot water, heating or the security of the property then landlords are required to take immediate action. 

Do you need help with ongoing property management?

If you’re looking for a letting agent to manage your properties then you’ve come to the right place. We have a wealth of experience, quality local knowledge and a straightforward tried and tested letting process. Not only do we pride ourselves on our customer service, we also know our onions when it comes to the legal side of letting properties. Get in touch with our team today to find out more about property management in Hull: 01482 562562