choosing a lettings agency or a private landlord in London
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Rent through an Agency or Private Landlord in London?

There are no rules set in stone that dictate the benefits of either a letting agent or a private landlord. They vary depending on a variety of circumstances including your situation, the policies of the landlord, the policies of the letting agent, and the terms of the tenancy.

Nonetheless, as a general guideline we have detailed some of the pros and cons of both Letting Agents and Private Landlords.

Letting Agents
 
Pros
 Professional service
  Good knowledge of the area in which they operate
  Experienced at handling tenant issues & know about tenancy law
  Maintenance work carried out swiftly
  Usually an experienced company with a reputation to uphold
   
Cons
 A lot of companies are not ARLA registered and create deceptive contracts and charge hidden fees
  Tenancy is often managed "by the book" with little or no room for negotiation
  You are dealing with a company rather than an individual
   
Private Landlords
   
Pros You always deal with the same person
  Rent is often cheaper than through letting agents
  No middle man if you are dealing direct with the landlord
   
Cons Maintenance work can take longer to be carried out
  Service could be less professional
  No guarantees of long term experience in the field
  Can be less organised than a professional company
  May not adhere to the law

Overall a lettings agent can offer the prospective tenant a more professional level of service with more piece of mind. Whereas a private landlord does not necessarily have the same level of expertise, it does depend very much on the individual landlord.

CLICK HERE for Residential Letting Agents in London

 
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