Tenants get AHEAD of the game with 5 EASY steps.
Claudia Perez, Lettings negotiator shares 5 easy to follow steps to help tenants looking for property become a Confident & Prequalified Tenant. Claudia's job is to match tenants with landlords & here she shares tips on how you can become a PRE-QUALIFIED TENANT, ensuring that you don't miss out on your dream home.
1. Prove Your Rental Affordability
When you decide to rent a property, you need to work out your rental affordability which the
referencing company will need to verify. They will look at income of all tenants who will be on the tenancy agreement and are over the age of 18. Most of them work on a simple calculation which is that your annual income needs to be 30 x the monthly rent. An easy example to show this is assuming a rent at £1,000 pcm, they would be looking to confirm your annual income at 30 x 1,000, meaning it would need to be £30,000 per annum.
Top tip: Jacksons use a company called Canopy for referencing. They offer all tenants a
PASSPORT SERVICE meaning you can complete an online checker and it will run a soft credit check and qualify you as a potential tenant. This will confirm the amount of rent that you should be looking to pay based on your income and put you in pre-approved position ahead of
other tenants on the viewing list for any property with Jacksons. It can be completed by following this link https://go.canopy.rent/LToJbuBGC4Byow3L7
2. Don’t Rely On The Property Portals
Over the last few years, the way in which we browse, view and rent property has changed radically. This means that there is a temptation to just look online at what is available and react to what comes up. If you are taking moving seriously you need to get out and meet the agents, or at least get to know them over the phone. When an agent takes on a property to rent, they will have mental checklist of who they will notify first. Make sure that you are at the top of that checklist. By completing and passing the rent passport you will earn a place on our call list for newly instructed property.
Top tip: At Jacksons we use a dynamic software system which allows us to boast a multi-platform marketing strategy. In some cases, our landlords will only market on our website. They may elect to only disclose their property details to prequalified tenants receiving our 'HEADS UP' Property Alerts. In the last year we have LET many properties which didn’t even appear TO LET on Rightmove, Zoopla, Prime Location or On The Market.
Don’t miss out on your dream home register at https://jacksonsproperty.web.lifesycle.co.uk/properties/register
3. Property Presentation IS Important
This is completely at odds with what we recommend to potential buyers. When you are renting a property, the landlord may be reluctant to let you put your own stamp on things, especially within the first year. If the styling of a property is important to you feeling ‘at home', choose a property with a neutral backdrop which you can accent with your own furnishings, rugs and pictures to create a look which is pleasing to you.
Top TIP: Moving home is costly and you do not want to waste money moving from one rental property to another. Make a checklist which is divided into three sections. These should be headed:
Needs (what the property must have, i.e. number of bedrooms)
Wants (things you would like to have but could manage without)
No Nos (things that you couldn’t live comfortably with i.e. a third floor flat with no lift if you
have mobility issues)
4. Viewing Appointments - Turn Up On Time and Be Polite
On lots of occasions you will meet the landlord or the letting agent at a viewing. This is your
opportunity to show who you are, how you conduct yourself and ask any questions about the
property and the tenancy. Turning up on time, being polite and have a list of relevant questions can demonstrate how serious you are to find a home. Make yourself stand out for all the right reasons. If the landlord has a choice of tenants, you want to be the one at the front of their mind.
Top tip: Prepare a mental list of 3 questions to ask which are relevant to the property. Ask
about running costs, which facilities are close by, or the availability of access to public transport. It can be anything which is important to you and relevant to the property.
5. Practice Patience
Don’t just bid for a property because you think it ‘will do’. If you bid, then withdraw repeatedly, you will be in danger of landlords and agents not taking you seriously, and it will cost you a lot of money. Be certain that the property is right for you before you make a bid.
Top Tip: Take someone along with you whose opinion you trust. Give yourself time to think.
If it feels right and you are prepared when you bid for it, it will come good in the end.