How do you find a (good!) letting agent

[Losos]

I have been contacting various letting agents in the area where I want to rent out my house. They are answering my questions, but what I really need are landlords opinions on the good, and not so good agents. The area is West Suffolk / Norfolk, specifically Bury St. Edmunds, Newmarket, Mildenhall, Thetford (OK Newmarket is technically Cambridgeshire but it's often thought of as Suffolk!!)

Any Landlords with knowledge of these areas please post here, anomity guaranteed

[oaktree]

I would try the ARLA website as a first stop, its not guaranteed but at least they will have shown willing to be regulated, so going with someone with Client Money Protection in place is a no brainer.

There are a lot of very good unregulated agents out there but there are an awful lot of bad ones too and most of the time you find out which they are until they owe you money!

[Kelway Law]

Look on the ARLA website and find out which agents are licensed in the area. Then go onto www.propertylive.co.uk and see which of those deal with the most properties and your type of property.

Talk/invite on valuation 2 or 3 of them and the one or ones you think you can work with, ask for clients of theirs that you can call. If in Hindhead, Liphook or Haslemere I would have advised Kelway Law!

[Losos]

Oaktree / Kelway - Thanks for that, I've seen ARLA mentioned but it never occured to me to check their web site, much obliged

most of the time you find out which they are until they owe you money!

Yes, that is what I want to avoid !!!

[Snorkerz]

Although you tend not to get much in the way of 'recommendations' on here (against forum rules?), recommendation is by far the best route to finding a reliable and reputable agent. Maybe there is a 'landlords association' in your area who between them will have tried all the agents!

I was using an ARLA member, but I know that some of their 'practises' were dubious, and some of their advice was downright wrong. Not all ARLA members will be like that, but just be aware that whilst ARLA is better than nothing, it doesn't equate to a guarantee of a good agent.

[Losos]

Snorkez, thank you, as it happens one of the LA's I was talking too recently appears to not be an ARLA member, she was ticking all the boxes up to when I checked the ARLA website. As you say there is no substitute for independant, unbiased, recommendations, I am in no rush so I think I will do a bit of detective work and try to speak one to one with a few LL's in my area of choice.

[Snorkerz]

Snorkez, thank you, as it happens one of the LA's I was talking too recently appears to not be an ARLA member, she was ticking all the boxes up to when I checked the ARLA website. As you say there is no substitute for independant, unbiased, recommendations, I am in no rush so I think I will do a bit of detective work and try to speak one to one with a few LL's in my area of choice.

From my recent experiences:

Ask if you will get to see the tenants full references and credit checks (un edited) before you accept the tenant. My favourite trick question is "I don't want it sub-letting - what would I/you do if that happens?" If the answer includes the phrase "section 21" or "section 8" then reconsider.

The reason for this is section 21 & secrion 8 only apply to assured (shorthold) tenancies. If your tenant doesn't live there, it can't be an AST.

[Polar Property Services]

I would try and get recommendations from other landlords. Our business grew by landlords refering us to their friends.

I have been contacting various letting agents in the area where I want to rent out my house. They are answering my questions, but what I really need are landlords opinions on the good, and not so good agents. The area is West Suffolk / Norfolk, specifically Bury St. Edmunds, Newmarket, Mildenhall, Thetford (OK Newmarket is technically Cambridgeshire but it's often thought of as Suffolk!!)

Any Landlords with knowledge of these areas please post here, anomity guaranteed

[LesleyAnne]

I would try and get recommendations from other landlords. Our business grew by landlords refering us to their friends.

And the forum here grew by members reading and understanding the rules that posting advertising your own business or services is not allowed!

(Already reported member to mods re their blatant advertising in another post)!

[Lawcruncher]

The opinion here is worth reading - not least because I think we would all agree with it!