Relocating to London and other parts of the UK is not easy. Demand is high for rental properties and stock levels are low. You talk to some estate agents, and they are down to the last few properties. This article from Sky news, highlights the extreme competition. It is very much a landlord’s market with some even refusing to do any work to a property between tenancies. They know someone will just take it as is. Why incur extra costs.
By the time a property is on a portal, there are so many rushing to do a viewing. Some people offer on a rental by just seeing a video. Sometimes, the property is on for a few hours before it goes to sealed bids.
I have been in London property for over 25 years advising clients on buying, selling and finding rentals. With Pets Lets, letting to people with pets is my line of expertise. During that time, I have got to know a lot of estate agents. One senior agent said to me recently, ‘I have never seen such a ‘crazy’ market in all my time in the property industry’. That sums it up.
It has got to the point, if you ‘blink’, miss the estate agents call as you were in a meeting, the property is gone. The portals are great, but you have to move quickly. Some properties just don’t make the portals. Why wait for the photography when you have the keys when you know you have a backlog of potential tenants.
A tip when talking to property professionals; if the property has been let, ask what else is in the ‘pipeline’ / coming on to the market. Try and get ahead of the competition.
For example with Open Rent, the concept is great that you contact the landlord direct. However, it is based a lot on a first come basis. If you are renting with a dog or cat, you are most of the time at a disadvantage as landlords prefer to say no to pets. Even those on the site that say yes to renting with pets, would prefer to say ‘no’ and go for a non-pet owning tenant. Nine times out of ten, a landlord will go for the easy option.
Another tip; don’t assume the property will be professionally cleaned before moving in. Put it in your rental offer, otherwise some landlords refuse to do it as it was not in the original agreement. Do not assume anything!
With the Pets Lets Relocation Service, we are busy helping clients with pets relocate to London and other parts of the UK. We experience the Soaring rents and cutthroat competiton outlined in this Guardian article. It is no exaggeration. If you like a property, go for it. Otherwise, you will look back and wish you had. We all look back on a property, whether buying or renting, and wish we had been more proactive. yet another tip; if you like a property go for it. If you secure it and have second thoughts as it was too rushed, you can say no. be careful though as some holding deposits are non-refundable.
This article was written by Russell Hunt, Founder of Pets Lets, a UK pet friendly property portal offering properties where landlords consider pets as well as a pet friendly relocation and buying service. Prior to setting up Pets Lets, Russell was a London property search consultant for over 20 years for clients looking to buy and rent in the Capital.
Click here to see useful pet cv’s and pets clauses, as well as other pet friendly rental tools on the Pets Lets Portal. A [Pet CV]( have a look at our example Pet CV’s, landlord references as well as template pets clauses, which can make a huge difference in convincing a landlord to accept pets.
For useful advice or to find out more about the UK pet friendly rental market, feel free to join our Pets and Property Tips Facebook Group for helpful professional advice on pets and property.