LANDLORDS! Your letting agent could be costing you thousands…

6 August 2022

Whether you are a one-off landlord or seasoned property investor with a large portfolio, you need to make sure that your property is being managed in the right way to minimise cost and maximise income. In this article we will explore some of the biggest letting agent pitfalls to watch out for.

Managing a property can be overwhelming, thus in most cases landlords decide to put their trust in a letting agent to take away the stress and hassle. However, it’s important to understand exactly what your agent covers in their management service as any misunderstanding in this regard could lead to significant financial loss, fines or even imprisonment.

Here are six common letting agency pitfalls to lookout for:

Rent Review – According to Rightmove rents in the South-West have risen by 13.7% between July 2021 & July 2022. Is your agent reviewing the rental price each year to ensure that it’s in line with current market values & the retail price index? Having the right agent on your side will enable you to maximise your property’s yield potential and make sure it’s not lagging behind!

Marketing – Is your current agent utilising all of the marketing resources available in order to reach the widest audience and find you the most suitable tenant? Not all agents are created equal, so make sure you’re getting the best exposure for your money as marketing is what connects a tenant with your property.

Tenants – Does your agent source tenants quickly & efficiently to avoid any downtime and lost in rental income? Are tenants vetted properly before viewings & thoroughly referenced before moving in to give you peace of mind that they are the right tenants for your property?

Rent Protection – Does your agent offer rent protection? After the market turbulence of the last few years, rent protection policies have become increasingly popular as they offer landlords a guaranteed rent should their tenants be unable to pay. The cost of these policies is relatively low and can buy peace of mind should unexpected arrears occur.

Compliance – Is your agent well-informed and up to date on current, fast changing regulations and legislation that impact the rental sector? Are they keeping you up to speed? Whilst it isn’t always necessary to notify landlords of every single piece of legislation, certain changes should be discussed – especially if costs are involved. Lack of knowledge and compliance from agents can result in landlords being held liable and consequently fined or even imprisoned.

Maintenance – Are you receiving regular property inspections and maintenance updates from your agent? Communication is key to the smooth running of a rental property. Your agent maintaining good relationships with you the landlord, the tenants and contractors ensures that issues can be dealt with quickly and efficiently, minimising the risk of any spiraling costs.

Are you happy with your current agent and what should you do next?

With this information in mind, are you happy with the current service provided by your letting agent?

Can you sit back and answer a firm “yes” to this question: “Is the service I’m receiving worth the fee I’m paying?” If yes – great, if no – it’s time to consider switching!

What to consider when switching agents?

Service – Do they offer more than my current agents?
Reputation, Awards & Testimonials – Is the Agent trusted?
Previous Successes & Current Portfolio – Is the Agent successful?
Market Presence – Is the Agent well known?

At Lovett Estate Agents, we pride ourselves on providing a professional and personable service specifically tailored to your individual requirements. We understand the importance and value of your asset and treat it as if it were our own. Our local team is passionate about providing the best lettings service available and are delighted to be trusted by hundreds of landlords across Poole & Bournemouth. We were recently rated excellent in the 2022 Best Estate Agent Guide which puts us among the top 10% of Letting Agents in the country.

If you’re a landlord with a rental property in Poole, Bournemouth or Christchurch and you would like to talk about switching to agents, we want to hear from you!

Please feel free to contact us on 01202 303044 or info@lovettinternational.com

Lovett REVIEWS

The ladies at Lovett were absolutely brilliant from start to finish, highly recommend.

Hannah B.

19:16 16 Aug 22

Very professional, polite and helpful Office.Always available to help, and if answer not immediately possible, then I have always received prompt help later on.Would recommend Lovett for Landlords and Tennants without hesitation.

M C

14:35 09 Aug 22

We chose Lovett Estate Agents as we were impressed by their professionalism from the very first contact.Our apartment sold within the first few days of being on the market, Lovett’s had viewings lined up from day one, and offers coming in very soon after.A special thank you goes to James who was always helpful and extremely proactive in driving the sales process forward and remained with us every step of the way.We are very grateful for Lovett’s speed and efficient services. We are extremely happy to recommend Lovett Estate Agents to our friends and family.

Shaun S

16:33 05 Aug 22

We have just recently rent a property with Lovett International, since the view of the property until we actually have a answer all the process was very clear and straightforward. Appreciate so much Louise patience with all my questions and paper work mess. Thank you very much for the help and looking forward to collect my key on the 8th.Many thanksMariana Margarido & Tiago Rosa

Mariana M.

20:41 01 Aug 22

Very helpful and patient service. Very impressed!

Gentle M.

19:20 16 Jul 22

Ana Elisa Berro A.

20:54 05 Jul 22

Nothing was too much trouble for the superb team @Lovetts. Abbey and James were the height of professionalism - they gave us a fair and accurate valuation and handled our arduous process with ease.If you're looking to work with a team who keep you informed, push for your process to be speedy and take great care to provide excellent service, look no further.

Erin C.

15:43 04 Jul 22

After another estate agent had my flat on the market for three months without getting an offer, Lovetts sold it within 24 hours of putting it on the market. 100% recommend

David K.

10:33 02 Jul 22

We have recently completed on the sale of our property through Lovetts and we found them to be most professional and communicative throughout the whole process. This gave us confidence and peace of mind and would recommend them.

Richard A.

11:01 20 Jun 22

Great ladies

Toughmuck C.

10:55 12 Jun 22

We've had a great experience using Lovett to find our new home.Everyone was great! Many thanks to Nat and Duanne who helped us with all the questions and moving process.It didn't feel like dealing with an agency, it felt like dealing with people. Helpful and welcoming people.Thank you!

Curstenhaley_

09:50 06 Jun 22

Brought a beautiful flat from Lovett’s.Buying property’s can be very problematic as I just found out. .Lovett’s dealt with it very professionally and Patiently.Clair especially big thank you for all your help 🙏🏻Highly recommended 🥷🏻🥷🏻🥷🏻🥷🏻🥷🏻®

Rob M.

17:17 27 May 22

Great service all round. Clair Clarke helped progress the sale well and was wonderful to deal with.

Samantha B.

13:05 25 May 22

The best experience which I had with any agency. Really quick response from viewing the property to actually move in it took less than a week such a legend's. Special big thanks to Louise and Edyta.

Georgi K.

07:15 25 May 22

Couldn't wish for a more professional and warm service. James and Abbie have been helpful and reassuring every step of the way; with no pushy or aggressive sales tactics! Every email and telephone call has been answered and nothing has been too much effort for them.Quite simply, the best estate agent we have had the pleasure to work with. Thank you!

Matthew S.

16:14 24 May 22

I would just like to say a personal thank you to Clair Clarke from the Boscombe branch. She has gone above and beyond, in and out of working hours, to ensure that not only did the sale of my property go through but also the purchase of our new home, which might I add was even with a separate estate agents. Clair chased solicitors on both sides while keeping all vendors involved happy. I genuinely believe that if Clair hadn’t been involved in the process, the chain would have fallen apart. She is an asset to your team.Thanks again,Will

Will G.

14:29 24 May 22

We struggled for months trying to find our first letting, no other estate agents in the area have what Lovett have. A great selection of properties and a great selection of employees. From the start Natalia was prompt and welcoming responding to our enquiries, arranging a viewing for practically the same day! Duanne showed us around what is now our new home, she was friendly, informative and dealt with our application very efficiently. Within the next few days Duanne, Louise and Abi, had all our paper work put together. We had never rented before, however communication with the Lovett staff made it seem a very easy process. Within a few weeks we had our keys (With Abi happily staying in office later on a bank holiday weekend, as we were late - sorry Abi🙂)very impressed with our new home! Many thanks to you all.

Jake R.

09:57 07 May 22

This was a grateful experience, Duanne was very polite and pleasant with us and one thing that caught our attention was after seeing the property Duanne gave us a brochure with photos and descriptions of the place, that was very well presented and easy to understand.

Sebastian F.

16:30 05 May 22

James was absolutely brilliant to work with: friendly, helpful and professional in equal measure. Thank you for your fantastic service!

Mithma R.

16:24 05 Apr 22

Christopher S.

14:57 30 Mar 22

Abbey was fantastic. Professional and helpful without any of the stereotypical clichéd estate agent traits. I would fully recommend Lovett and especially Abbey.

Asia M.

10:43 28 Mar 22

We're first time buyers and have spent 6 long and at times painful months going through what turned out to be a very extended process. Clair Clarke was with us every step of the way and went above and beyond at each stage. She was in regular contact with me throughout - far more than the solicitor - weekly and towards the end, daily, to keep me updated and informed of action between all parties. She's approachable and professional and I'd definitely recommend her to others. 5*+!

Kate R.

23:05 26 Mar 22

Lovett’s have been amazing from start to finish with my sale, Dave, poppy, Josh and Roxy in the office have been fabulous! I originally lost my 1st sale due to issue with my maintenance company however poppy managed to get property re sold within 48 hours of losing my 1st buyer.Also cannot forget Clair, the Sale Progressor! She was constantly on the ball making sure everything was going through smoothly constantly updating me along the journey and of course answering my silly questions.Honestly I highly recommend using Lovett’s they have been wonderful from start to finish! Thank you guys for your support!

Ollie C.

16:52 25 Mar 22

Great service and support throughout the sale. Would highly recommend.

Jenny W.

15:30 24 Mar 22

Abi has been super supportive and extremely helpful. The entire process from initial application, through to collecting the keys was quick, efficient and free of complications. I highly recommend Lovett International Estate & Letting Agents.

Amy N.

09:28 23 Mar 22

We had a excellent time choosing our new homeAbigail bacon lettings manager met us at the property and was professional at all times and very polite we had issues getting in to Lovetts office to sort paper work out and Abi very kindly came out to our property we are in at present again explaining everything we needed to know could not do enough for us she is a lovely young lady and would recommend Lovetts to friends and family.

darren B.

14:29 17 Mar 22

I highly recommend Lovett International, they are professional, friendly and efficient. I had my property valued, on the market and sold within weeks, I couldn't have been more impressed. Everyone I dealt with were super friendly and went out of their way to help. Thank you Lovett International

Vicky H.

11:14 22 Feb 22

Lovetts were a joy to deal with throughout the sale of our apartment, from the initial contact with David, through to Josh who handled many of the viewings and Poppy who secured the sale and Claire who handled the completion and sale. A great team who did all they could to get us a proceedable buyer and a swift sale. Thank you all.

Sarah W.

13:54 18 Feb 22

Ewa S.

19:41 04 Feb 22

Since the summer of 2020 I have instructed Lovett on 5 occasions. I have taken the decision to sell our small portfolio of Leasehold flats that have served us well for the best part of 20 years. Time to move on to other projects.It's been a long journey that has culminated in the last two exchanging contracts within 24 hours of each other.The service we have had has been exemplary and special note has to be made of the effort that has been made by Clair Clarke who has steered all the sales from start to finish.Big weight off our shoulders as I write this. Cheers everybody 10 out 10.Ian and Christine.

Ian E.

19:26 04 Feb 22

James and Abbey and the team at Poole worked really hard with the sale of our property, they set up a whole day of constant viewings, leading to offers, the photos taken were exceptional and showed the property off really well.James was very supportive even with our purchase, advising us when we definitely needed advice, not having moved for over 30 years. Several purchases fell through and he kept both our purchasers and ourselves updated, helping to push and progress our purchase when needed.The sale went on for several months due to us losing properties and he managed to keep our buyer involved.No hesitation in recommending Lovett Estate agents in Parkstone they are a professional, supportive, friendly team.

Debbie W.

18:42 10 Jan 22

I have been dealing with Roxy and Clair in the purchase of my home and they have been amazing. Roxy met me at the property numerous times and they were both very understanding of my situation and timescales and did their best to push things through as quickly as they could.Thanks so much for getting me in before the deadline! :-)

Karen W.

16:08 22 Dec 21

We used Lovett for the sale of our property, it has been a very long process for us (through no fault of Lovett) and we have received a very good service from all that we dealt with throughout. One star lost through some minor issues early on in the process, including loss of our house key, but the situation was dealt with well and rectified. The sales progressor, Clair Clarke definitely warrants a specific mention as she was exceptional. Thank you all!

Naomi B.

08:52 16 Dec 21

Just completed on sale of a flat in Boscombe. Long drawn out process through no fault of the agents which I don't think would ever have gone through if it was not for the fantastic job done by the 'sale chaser' Clair Clark. Everyone we dealt with at Lovetts were professional, well informed, courteous and always responded quickly to any queries but Clair was a particular diamond. Prior to selling the flat was let via Lovett International for some time and the lettings department were also first class. Would not consider using any other agent in the area

Penny R.

16:20 03 Dec 21

Thank you for the whole Team in Poole. Your professional approach and care and unbiased approach from start to finish is brilliant.

Rainer L.

15:54 02 Dec 21

With Lovetts, I felt in very safe hands.James and Abbey were exceptional! Always keeping me informed and their professionalism and enthusiasm is second to none. They worked so hard for me and really go above and beyond.I highly recommend Lovetts.

dyanne M.

09:33 18 Nov 21

Brilliant estate agency!If you are a newbie like us, it's definitely the go to estate agency as they will guide you through the process and help you find the mortgage advisor that you are looking for and the solicitors.Special thanks to James who kept us informed during the whole process, providing updates and prompt replies to enquiries and Abbey who was the first one to see at the house and the one who handed us the key.We are looking forward to collaborate in the future!Thank you!

Gabor R.

23:48 03 Nov 21

C H

13:25 22 Oct 21

Poppy P

13:23 22 Oct 21

Fantastic local estate agent. Got an offer at asking price within two days and helped a rather struggled purchase through to completion. Straight onto any issues and helpful at every possibility. Clair Clarke who helped with completion of the sale was brilliant. Thank you for your assistance.

Tim K.

10:32 20 Oct 21

We’ve just completed on our first home, James and Abbey made the whole process stress free. Abbey was the agent that first showed us the property and she was lovely and told us loads of information. James was very good at keeping us updated throughout the whole process never felt like it was hard to get hold of anyone so we always knew what was happening! Would highly recommend😊

megane S.

18:22 11 Oct 21

Stress free move, great quality apartment with a professional team. Cailey was very helpful/welcoming

Katy D.

09:45 09 Oct 21

I recently bought a flat through Lovetts in Bournemouth, they were fantastic throughout the process, Clair in particular was very responsive and contacted the vendors for me with several questions, which really sped the whole process up.

Pippa G.

10:17 23 Aug 21

Me and my husband just purchased a house through Lovetts and I can't complain at all! We did have a bit of a long journey before finally exchanging which was stressful but Clair who was our main contact towards the end made sure to always keep us in the loop and worked so hard to get everything sorted, she was lovely to deal with! Would definitely recommend 😊😊

Jennifer J.

19:46 20 Aug 21

We bought a flat through Lovetts and have had friendly and professional service from start to end. We cannot thank Clair enough for her help throughout our sale. She has always been at the end of the phone to answer any questions we have and has always kept us updated in a timely fashion. Massive thanks to the whole team!

Hanna B.

19:42 20 Aug 21

Staffs are really good and helpful especially Cailey and Louise we dealt with. we were able to rent a house through Lovett and had overall a good experience.

Jinu A.

20:25 18 Aug 21

Friendly professional service.Excellent service from Dave and colleagues at Lovett estate agent.Special Thank you Clair for all your help throughout it was really appreciated.Highly recommend

Lynn B.

18:01 07 Aug 21

Denado S.

09:30 03 Aug 21

The staff were amazing from the viewings to keeping us updated on the process of moving. The Poole office staff were very friendly. Overall a great company.

Mel B.

08:47 26 Jun 21

I researched about 4 different Letting Agents. I liked the rates charged by Lovett the most, and although all the agents were lovely, I decided to go with Cailey. I was not disappointed and a lovely new tenant the next day at the full rental price agreed.

Moira D.

09:26 10 Jun 21

For some, selling a property is a rare experience that requires guidance and clear explanations with a prompt response to questions asked. By introducing the team members who will play key roles in the sales process it gave me more understanding of the timescales and processes, all very helpful when I am in a different country and restricted by travel regulations due to the pandemic. I felt reassured on many occasions when contacting any of the team by phone - they all understood my property and where we were in the sales process, making me feel valued. A great professional team. Thank you.

Jackie K.

06:55 18 May 21

I would just like to take this moment to say thank you to James And Abbeyand the team at Lovett's for giving us so much help,nothing was to much trouble always there when I needed advice, A very professional job well done.thanksSally Waterhouse

Sally W.

10:14 12 May 21

Thank you all at lovetts Poole. For your great service. Great people you did everything possible that you could do to help me. Knowing that I am not the easiest person to deal with they were really on the ball very professional. They deserve 6 stars thank you James and Abbey very much again for all your help and your hard work 👍

Pauline G.

16:20 07 May 21

This was such a positive experience from viewing to getting the keys. They treat you like a human being and not just a number. They consider everything and are very warm and welcoming (which I've never experienced with a letting agency) Cailey in particular was fantastic she was friendly, helpful, professional and patient. She supported us throughout the whole process that could have been very stressful but she made ita breeze. Would recommend to all!! Best experience I've ever had with letting agent.

M A

17:55 27 Apr 21

James, Abbey and the team did an amazing job for us in successfully marketing our property and then helping to complete the sale.The photos and video they put together were professional and of high quality- it generated instantly a full week of viewings.We didn’t though need the full week - it sold after the viewings on the first day, with many offers tabled by very happy prospective buyers.Lovett then recommended a conveyancing team who completed in six weeks, with James continuing to support both the buyers and us with questions and any paperwork etc.Lovett had successfully rented the property out for us for two years previously and we are delighted with their service over the years.Highly recommend them across all their branches in the area.

Rhianna E.

15:08 27 Apr 21

G T.

15:13 08 Apr 21

I have been very happy with the service from Cailey. She has been very helpful, cooperative and involved to find us a lovely new home. She is also always happy to text me back at any time if I had any questions. I give you maximum of points as you deserve it. As a person you are lovely and involved 100% in everything that you do. Thank you for all your help Cailey

Carmen T.

18:44 07 Apr 21

Amazing customer service, the whole team have been brilliant! Within a week of putting my house up for sale it got the full offer first time! Thank you everyone for all your help, I wouldn’t go with any other estate agent! Thanks again xxx

Beth S.

09:47 30 Mar 21

Elena B.

18:52 25 Mar 21

This is the first review in 40 years i have given regarding an estate agent.James came as agreed, took photo's and a video tour, and put the house on the market the next day as he said. We then received a call and email confirmations from Abbey regarding 8 viewings within 24 hours and have accepted an offer. (not the highest). The service and professionalism has been second to none. Fantastic service, really pro-active and extremely well escorted viewings by Abbey amazing to say the least. Thank you and can't recommend Lovett's enough.

Mark K.

16:34 22 Mar 21

I would highly recommend the team at Lovett - they say moving house is one of the most stressful events in your life and they are not kidding BUT Clair supported me through the whole process, she went way above my expectations. The quality and attention to detail of the sales team was excellent - I was regularly kept up to-date with what was happening on the general market but also provided with solutions to ensure I secured a buyer to a successful conclusion. I cant thank them all enough.

Sandra S.

14:35 09 Mar 21

Lovetts have looked after our rental property for over 7 years with faultless expertise. Staff are always friendly & willing to help nothing is too much trouble. On selling our property they have been exemplary & we would recommend them to anybody wishing to sell or let a property.We would like to thank James, Poppy, Annabelle, Emma, Abbey, Zdenka & most of all Clair for their fantastic help & support over the years from letting to selling our property.

Susan D.

10:17 05 Mar 21

Bought a 3 bedroom house through Lovett. Been dealing with Poopy and Clair. It was a pleasure dealing with them both. Great customer service and quick response.Thank you very much.

Sergiu D.

15:11 26 Feb 21

Emma was fantastic, really friendly & was knowledgeable about the property I was viewing. Prior to meeting her there the office were great to deal with and keeping me up to date. Highly recommend Lovett and huge thanks again to Emma x

Michelle B.

14:34 25 Feb 21

I found Lovetts to be the best estate agents I’ve dealt with when buying a property.Quite a long and sometimes frustrating process was made a lot more bearable by the professionalism and helpfulness of the Lovetts staff, especially Clair.I would definitely recommend and I would happily use their services again.

Damian G.

19:05 17 Feb 21

Amazing experience with the team, first of all James was fantastic showing me around the property. Then Clair took over to deal with the next stages, who was amazing, so responsive, friendly and just gets the job done. Couldn’t have asked for a better person to guide me through the process. Thank you to the whole team!

Marta Z.

17:16 05 Feb 21

Found Lovett to be very prompt and professional as well as pleasant to deal with. Clair, Julian and Abbey were all very good. Unfortunately our purchase fell through at a late stage but this was no fault of Lovett. I'd be very happy to deal with them again in the future.

Paul B.

19:21 04 Feb 21

Have 5 star to help you during these times.

Damian B.

14:15 17 Nov 20

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LANDLORDS! Your letting agent could be costing you thousands…

Here are six common letting agency pitfalls to lookout for:

Are you happy with your current agent and what should you do next?

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