1. home and garden

How To Avoid
Empty Rental
Properties
The 7 Major Mistakes
Landlords Make
“If you’re looking to fill an empty property or want to know how to find tenants this
book is for you. Daniel tells you the mistakes that landlords make and how to avoid
them. You need not worry about finding tenants again. A must read for any landlord.”
Ryan Pinnick – Landlord & Property Investor, Speaker & Mentor – www.ryanpinnick.com
Daniel Burgess | www.discountletting.co.uk
How To Avoid Empty
Rental Properties
The 7 Major Mistakes
Landlords Make
Daniel Burgess
Published by
www.nabo.biz
First published in Great Britain in 2010 by
NABO, 39-43 Putney High Street, Putney, London SW15 1SP
Tel: 0208 788 9064
info@nabo.biz
www.nabo.biz
Copyright © 2010 Daniel Burgess, Discount Letting.
Daniel Burgess asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publishers.
Edited by Marie-Louise Cook
Design and layout by Clever Marketing Systems Ltd, Waterlooville, Hants.
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Printed and bound in Great Britain by
PPG Print Ltd. 18-21 Ordnance Court, Ackworth Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO3 5RZ
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This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent,
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of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition
including this condition being imposed upon the subsequent purchaser.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data.
ISBN
Contents
FOREWORD
5
INTRODUCTION: The 7 Biggest Mistakes Landlords Make...
And How To Avoid Them
7
11
CHAPTER 2: How To Pitch Your Property At The Right Price
19
CHAPTER 3:
How To Choose The Best Images For Your Advert
25
CHAPTER 4: How To Describe Your Rental Property To
Attract Tenants
29
CHAPTER 5: How To Choose The Best Time To Market
Your Property
33
CHAPTER 6: How To Choose The Best Contact Method For
Potential Tenants
37
CHAPTER 7: How To Present Your Property In A Way To
Win Over Tenants
41
-3-
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1:
How To Choose The Best Place To Advertise
Your Property
CHAPTER 8: How To Make Things Really Easy...
And Avoid Empty Properties For Good
45
READER OFFER
47
Foreword
Have you ever had trouble finding tenants?
Have you stayed awake all night worrying where the next
tenant will come from and who will pay the mortgage on your
rental property?
In the last five years I have presented for Rich Dad Education,
Building Wealth (formerly Whitney UK), Martin Roberts
‘Making Money from Property’, Triumphant Events and other
leading investment seminars in the UK.
Throughout my experience as a property investor, landlord
and entrepreneur I have learnt that the most important part of
owning any rental property investment is proactively managing
tenants in the property. It is really simple; if you don’t have a
tenant occupying your property you won’t get paid and your
returns on your investments will be reduced (or worse still, you
could make a loss).
-5-
FOREWORD
Well... you’re not alone. Most landlords at some point in their
landlord career encounter difficulty when they don’t have a tenant
for their property. If you’re like most landlords, when a tenant
calls to hand in their notice you start worrying if and when your
property will be occupied again. I have been involved in property
for five years and during this time I have built a substantial
property portfolio and experienced exactly the same concerns you
have. My passion for property and building a successful business
has meant that I now not only run a successful property portfolio
but I also work with landlords and property investors across the
UK offering guidance on how to build their portfolio and avoid
the most common pitfalls of being a landlord.
How To Avoid Empty Rental Properties
FOREWORD
I am delighted to write a foreword for Daniel’s new book as I
have worked with Daniel and successfully used the services of
Discount Letting on many occasions. Daniel is an extremely
knowledgeable landlord and business owner as evidenced by
the excellent business and service that he has created. The
Discount Letting tenant finding service is an amazing system
that every landlord should be using when looking to proactively
manage their property thereby eliminating voids. I have often
found more tenants and better quality tenants quicker than so
called professional local letting agents using Discount Lettings
Services.
The information Daniel offers within ‘How To Avoid Empty
Rental Properties’ makes you aware of the mistakes that many
landlords make time and time again. If you put in place all the
tips and guidance found within this book you will not only
increase the returns on your property investment but you may
even enjoy doing so at the same time.
Best wishes,
Ryan Pinnick
Landlord & Property Investor, Speaker & Mentor
www.ryanpinnick.com
change@ryanpinnick.com
-6-
INTRODUCTION
The 7 Biggest Mistakes Landlords
Make... And How To Avoid Them
Are you worried about getting new tenants for your rental
property?
Do you lie awake at night, wondering why you can’t find the
right tenants?
Would you like to find a less expensive and more effective
way of reaching tenants than advertising in the local weekly
newspaper or in your local shop?
Finding suitable tenants quickly and minimising the time your
property lies vacant is an essential part of making a success of
your rental investment.
Unfortunately, it’s a part that many landlords get wrong – they
make blunders that mean their adverts don’t get seen or they
do things that repel prospective tenants with the result their
properties are left vacant for weeks, even months.
Rather than bringing in profit, their empty rental investment
ends up costing them dearly.
Instead of extra money, their rental property brings sleepless
nights, tension, stress, and additional costs as they struggle to
think of ways to meet the mortgage.
-7-
INTRODUCTION
Are you facing hefty mortgage payments for your rental
property because you can’t find tenants?
How To Avoid Empty Rental Properties
If that’s you – if you’re struggling to find tenants for your
property - this book will show you where you’re going wrong
and how to fix it. By the end of this book, you’ll know exactly
where you should be advertising to attract tenants, what to say
in your adverts, what images to use to show your property in
its best light, the most effective contact method to use with
prospective tenants and how to give the best property viewings.
INTRODUCTION
And if you’re just starting out as a landlord, this book will show
you how to avoid making costly blunders to ensure you get off
on the right foot.
I want you to avoid the mistakes that so many landlords make
– so that your property investment fulfils your expectations and
helps your bank balance to grow.
You’ll find the seven biggest mistakes that many landlords
make in this chapter – and in subsequent chapters you’ll find
detailed information and tips to help you avoid making those
expensive mistakes.
But before I tell you what those disastrous mistakes are... I
want to explain why I’m qualified to help you turn your rental
‘white elephant’ into the money earner you’d planned it to be.
I’m Daniel Burgess, owner of Discount Letting. I started
investing in rental property 10 years ago.
Like you I had high hopes for my ‘property portfolio’ but
before too long I was tearing my hair out, frustrated by the
service I was being offered by letting agents. To be totally
honest, I got so sick of shoddy service and of being ripped off
that I decided to do it myself – I set up my own letting agency
to service my properties.
-8-
The 7 Biggest Mistakes Landlords Make... And How To Avoid Them
I thought setting up my own agency would make life easier but
I’ve got to admit it was really, really hard work. I had even less
time than before. I was running around doing viewings for my
own properties and then, as other landlords heard about what
I was doing and begged for my help, I was doing viewings for
their properties as well.
I started thinking there had to be a better, more effective way
of doing what I was doing... and that’s when I came up with the
idea of Discount Letting – something that took away the most
stressful part of being a landlord – finding tenants.
We advertise landlords’ properties on the five major UK
property websites which attract millions of potential tenants.
And that helps our clients avoid one of the biggest mistakes that
many landlords make: advertising their rental property in the
wrong place.
In the 10 years that I’ve been running my personal portfolio
of rental properties I’ve never experienced an empty property.
Okay, a few tenants have decided to move out just before the
end of their tenancy term because of work commitments and a
couple of tenants have given me very little notice that they wish
to leave but even then, I’ve been able to find tenants for every
one of my rental properties and with enough time to complete
the necessary administration work.
-9-
INTRODUCTION
My experience has helped me to grow this product into exactly
what landlords want – it gives them the choice of managing
their own rental properties or of having a professional agency
like ours manage it for them - whilst benefiting from the
maximum exposure provided by a UK-wide letting agent that
advertises their properties on the UK’s largest property portals.
How To Avoid Empty Rental Properties
Follow my advice and you’ll find a system that works. You’ll
realise that being a landlord doesn’t need to be a stressful
occupation.
So what are the 7 Biggest Mistakes Landlords Make?
1. Advertising rental property in the wrong place
2. Setting the wrong price for the rental property
3. Not using images (or using the wrong images) in rental
adverts
INTRODUCTION
4. Giving a poor description of the rental property
5. Marketing the property at the wrong time
6. Not allowing prospective tenants to get in contact quickly
7. Presenting the rental property poorly
In the following pages, you’ll discover what happens when
landlords make those mistakes and most importantly, how you
can avoid following in their footsteps!
Follow the advice in this book and you’ll be able to attract the
tenants you want and make the sort of money you dreamt of
when you first invested in property – without stress, without
sleepless nights and without massive expense.
Daniel Burgess
www.DiscountLetting.co.uk
- 10 -
CHAPTER 1
How To Choose The Best Place
To Advertise Your Property
There are several ways to advertise a rental property, but the
fastest, most efficient way to find tenants is to advertise your
property online. It can open up your property to a much larger
audience and massively increase interest in it.
Print adverts are nowhere near as effective as online
advertising.
For a start, they’re more expensive.
And they’re very slow in comparison with online advertising. If
you place an advert in your local weekly newspaper, you might
have to wait six days until it appears. If there’s a mistake in your
advert – for example, if the contact telephone number is incorrect
or the property details are missing – it’s unlikely any prospective
tenants will respond. That means you’ve wasted your money on
the advert. And you’ll have to wait another week until you can
place the correct version of your advert in the newspaper. That
time delay could mean you have an empty property.
1. Internet
a. When using the vast resource that is the internet to attract
new tenants it’s vital that your property can be seen on the
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CHAPTER 1
Online, your property can be viewed by millions of home
searchers. Professional websites offer full descriptions without the
need for abbreviations. They offer clear images of the property, a
map facility offering the exact location, and much more.
How To Avoid Empty Rental Properties
largest property websites. The top five property websites
are:
CHAPTER 1
i. Rightmove (www.rightmove.co.uk)
ii. FindaProperty (www.findaproperty.com)
iii. Primelocation (www.primelocation.com)
iv. Zoopla (www.zoopla.co.uk)
v. Fish4homes (www.fish4.co.uk/homes/)
b. Millions of visitors go to the biggest property websites.
But to truly take advantage of the vast opportunities
offered by the internet, you must choose the right website
to advertise your property. Choose the wrong website
and your advert might not be seen by anyone. By making
sure your property is positioned on every one of the five
property websites listed above you’ll be placing your
property in front of millions of home searchers every
month and greatly improve your chance of eliminating
empty periods. The collective views from each of the
mentioned property websites is about 75 million views per
month (December 2009).
c. Approximately 80% of tenants use the internet as their
first port of call when looking for a new rental property,
according to Rightmove. This percentage is likely to rise
over time so it makes sense to place your rental property in
the first place that tenant’s look.
d. Rightmove reports that 58 million home searchers visit
its website each month (December 2009). Virtually all of
them will be looking for property somewhere in the UK.
e. When home searchers visit property websites they have the
option to complete a search of their desired area and the
facility to specify and view the following details:
- 12 -
How To Choose The Best Place To Advertise Your Property
i. Price
ii. Property type
iii. Furnishing type
iv. View Images
v. Full property descriptions
f. By offering adequate data into a property search facility
the potential tenant can search through thousands of rental
properties. They can even expand their rental search to
show similar properties a couple of miles out of their
desired location. This is a valuable feature for tenants who
are locating to a new area. It’s also valuable for landlords
who want to attract new tenants from further afield.
i. Changing the images
ii. Changing the description
iii. Offering incentives
iv. Changing the rental price
Being able to change information instantly is a fantastic benefit
of internet adverts. The last thing you need when looking to
find tenants quickly is that an essential price reduction due to
a miscalculation cannot be completed for a couple of weeks or
amended with the next print run.
2. To Let Boards
a. To Let boards are a cheap form of advertising that work
for a localised tenant audience. If your property is located
in a remote position or you own an apartment within an
apartment block that doesn’t allow To Let boards to be
displayed then this is obviously not an option for you.
- 13 -
CHAPTER 1
g. The speed of the internet enables landlords to keep the
property details fresh and up to date by easily carrying out
the following tasks:
How To Avoid Empty Rental Properties
If you do own an apartment always ask the freeholder
if you’re allowed to display To Let boards. A freeholder
cannot stop you placing a To Let board in your property
window but there again, how many people will pass by
and notice a window sign?
CHAPTER 1
b. If a tenant is prepared to go searching the streets for To Let
boards and you’re allowed to display a To Let board then
they can be an effective and cheap form of advertising but
don’t make the mistake of relying solely on a To Let board
to attract tenants. If you want to increase the likelihood of
your property being rented, link online advertising with a
To Let board.
c. If you have a standard To Let board that you can use as
and when you like then To Let board advertising is a good
tool since it doesn’t cost anything. It’s a no brainer.
3. Local Newspapers
a. Tenants rarely search local papers anymore for rental
properties. Instead they begin their search on the internet
(source: Rightmove.co.uk). Lots of local papers have
stopped trading and others just aren’t delivered on a
regular basis. Tenants find the internet more convenient
to use - they can simply type in the sort of property they
want and the search is done for them whereas in local
newspapers, they have to spend time reading through the
entire property section in the hope of finding something
that suits them.
b. From your point of view, the information provided in the
newspaper can become outdated really quickly. It will
take a few days if not weeks for the print advertising to
be in the hands of potential tenants. By that time you may
have decided that you want to change the rental price
- 14 -
How To Choose The Best Place To Advertise Your Property
of the property or that you want to let the property out
unfurnished. But it’s too late: the advert has been printed.
What a waste of time and money!
c. You’ll also find that newspaper advertising is expensive. (If
you can find a free printed advertising service then go for it!)
d. Paper advertising is nowhere near as effective as it once
was. When newspapers were the main form of advertising
for agents and landlords, everyone knew to check the papers
for new rental adverts. Today, however, newspapers can’t
possibly compete with the power and speed of the internet.
4. Text Message Marketing
a. Text message marketing is an excellent service but one that’s
really only used by agents. Letting agents (or at least good
letting agents) store the contact details of potential tenants
that enquire about their rental properties. When a new
property becomes available they send a text message to all
potential tenants that have enquired about similar properties
in the past. Make sure your agent uses this service.
b. Potential tenants can request information by texting their
interest to the estate agent’s designated text number 24
hours a day, seven days a week. The agent receives the
text and an automated system will arrange a viewing or
prompt the agent to call within business hours. It’s a very
clever and effective system when it’s used properly. If
you’re using an agent make sure they use text messaging
as a form of marketing.
- 15 -
CHAPTER 1
e. Local papers only attract local tenants. Tenants from
further afield won’t receive a copy of the local paper so
won’t get to see the property section.
How To Avoid Empty Rental Properties
5. Email Marketing
a. As with mobile text marketing, email marketing is an
excellent service but one that’s really only used by agents.
Agents (or at least good agents) can send an email to every
potential tenant that has made an enquiry for similar rental
properties in the past.
CHAPTER 1
b. Tenants can request information by email 24 hours a day,
seven days a week. Agents may have an automated system
in place which arranges viewings for them or they may use
the email service as a prompt to call the tenant direct to
arrange a viewing. Email marketing is a must so make sure
your agent is using it.
6. High Street Locations
a. High street offices only receive enquiries from passersby
or local searchers who are following up the information
they’ve spotted on To Let boards. A high street agency is
dependent on foot fall traffic. If the foot fall is low then
there’s simply no point operating an office there. And
that means the days of the high street-based agent are
numbered. Many agents won’t want to continue to pay
expensive high street rents when they can accomplish the
same task in a cheaper office that’s off the beaten track.
The problem for landlords is that the more expensive the
high street agent’s office, the higher the fees will be. It is
important to bear this in mind: those high street offices
need to be paid for somehow.
7. Display Advertising In Shop Windows
a. You can place adverts for display on notice boards in shop
windows, supermarkets, post offices, community centres
and any other place where members of a local community
gather. It’s a cheap form of advertising that’s worth a try.
- 16 -
How To Choose The Best Place To Advertise Your Property
As a landlord you have nothing to lose by using display
adverts but don’t rely on them alone. As with To Let
boards and high street locations, only passersby will see
the display advert.
b. Your advert will probably be one of many offering a range
of services so if you’re going to use this medium, create an
advert that will stand out. Consider putting the advert on a
luminous card.
b. Be very careful however about renting your property to a
friend or family member. Mixing friendships and family
with business is never a good idea; your property portfolio
is a business and should be run like one. Only use word
of mouth advertising if you’re 100% certain that you
can work with family and friends. If you’re unsure about
renting to a family member or friend then don’t use it - it
could cause problems further down the line.
9. Local Contacts
a. If you’re willing to accept housing benefit tenants contact
the local council. This is a free form of advertising and
will normally result in an immediate tenancy. If this option
is of interest to you, start the ball rolling by calling the
local council.
b. Many large employers offer housing to their employees
and are only too happy to pay a local landlord for their
- 17 -
CHAPTER 1
8. Word Of Mouth
a. Word of mouth is the cheapest form of advertising. Tell
your landlord associates, friends and family, tenants of
other properties you may own, and anyone else you can
think of. If you find a tenant via word of mouth you’ll have
saved money on advertising.
How To Avoid Empty Rental Properties
rental property so if your property is in close proximity to
large local employers, call them.
CHAPTER 1
c. If you’re aware of a current accommodation project
running in your area, get in contact with your local council
or visit www.shelter.org.uk.
10. Success Tip: Making the most of the internet and online
advertising is a must when looking for a new tenant. The
key to finding a new tenant and eliminating empty periods
now and at anytime in the future is to ensure your property
can be seen on the UK’s largest property websites. If you
only use one form of advertising make sure it’s online
advertising so that your property can be found by millions
of home searchers on the biggest property websites. It
makes perfect sense to advertise your property where
tenants look first.
Getting the online advertising right will greatly improve
your chances of eliminating empty periods forever.
Call 0208 697 0984 or visit www.discountletting.co.uk
for further information.
- 18 -
CHAPTER 2
How To Pitch Your Property
At The Right Price
Pitch your property at the wrong price and you can be sure
you’ll be facing an empty period.
Although overpriced properties do attract tenants it takes much
longer and costs much more in advertising. Is the increased
advertising spend and the threat of empty periods worth the risk
when all that is needed is a sensible rental price from day one?
Here’s an example of the loss incurred when an overpriced
property is put on the market. The market rate for this type of
rental property is £180 per week.
Scenario 1:
Property is let immediately at £180 per calendar week for a
full year. A total rent of £9,360 is achieved.
[£180 x 52 = £9,360]
Scenario 2:
The property is offered at £200 per calendar week. After an
eight-week search for a tenant the property is let at £200 per
calendar week for a full year.
- 19 -
CHAPTER 2
1. Get The Price Right
Pitching your property at the right rental price is an extremely
important part of marketing your rental property and should
not be based on guesswork. The rental price and the advertising
media that is used to advertise the property will either prevent
an empty period or attract one. Getting the price and advertising
method right are essential.
How To Avoid Empty Rental Properties
A total rent of £10,400 is achieved.
[£200 x52 = £10,400]
However because there was an eight-week delay in finding a
tenant the rental must be averaged out over 60 weeks
[8 weeks without a tenant + 52 weeks agreement.
£10,400/60 = £173]
CHAPTER 2
1. Research The Internet Before Setting Your Rental Price
a. Market research can be carried out by visiting the
following websites.
i. www.rightmove.co.uk
ii. www.findaproperty.com
When you use either rightmove.co.uk or findaproperty.com
property portals for your rental research, you’ll need to enter
the first half of the rental postcode into the search facility.
When you’re selecting the rental property criteria to be
used within the rental search, keep the information as
close as possible to the property detail you’re researching,
with the exception of the rental price.
To research the market rental prices for your area and
property type put in a range of rental values, starting £300
below your anticipated rental price and £300 above your
anticipated rental price.
b. The search results will give you an indication of similar
properties that are available in that particular area of the UK.
It’ll give you a guide to the quality of available rental
properties, the rental price of similar available and let
properties, and the way that other properties are presented.
- 20 -
How To Pitch Your Property At The Right Price
From your research, you’ll get a clear idea of a realistic
rental price for a particular type of property located
anywhere within the UK.
c. To get more in-depth results, expand your area search by
between one and three miles.
d. If you collate enough data you’ll be able to pitch your
property at the right price.
This exercise will take you about 15 minutes but will save
you hundreds, even thousands, of pounds in unwanted
empty periods, as well as untold stress caused by those
empty periods.
b. Tenants can choose to search rental properties based on a
‘lowest to highest’ scale which will mean that overpriced
properties will be found last.
c. Because tenants can search through thousands of
properties so quickly, those that are overpriced stand out
like sore thumbs.
Don’t fall into the trap of trying to gain high returns on
your rental property at the tenants’ expense. Instead, make
your main goal to have a tenanted property.
Now that you own the rental property you should be
- 21 -
CHAPTER 2
2. Don’t Over Price Your Property
a. Tenants can search thousands of properties at the click
of a button. An overpriced property won’t receive many
enquiries and is almost guaranteed to remain empty. Bear
this in mind and make sure that your rental property price
is pitched correctly.
How To Avoid Empty Rental Properties
looking to eliminate empty periods and find a suitable
tenant quickly.
High returns and great rental profits should have been
calculated when buying the rental investment in the first
place. If you overestimated the rental valuation before you
bought the property you may now find that the returns are
not so good.
3. Decide On Your Target Audience: DSS Or Professional
CHAPTER 2
a. If you only want to attract professional tenants then make
sure that in your rental advert you say ‘Professionals only’.
b. If you’re happy to accept DSS tenants then make sure you
say so within the rental advert. Better still approach the
local council and let them know that you wish to take DSS
tenants. There are many housing associations that will
take on your property and guarantee your rental payments
in return for a slightly lower than market rental. Some
housing associations pay open market rates.
You’ll be expected to sign a five-year deal and the housing
association will find the tenant. This is a guaranteed way
of eliminating empty properties.
Before you take this route, remember to research all your
options.
c. If you’re happy with professional or DSS tenants then
obviously use both options above. Make sure your rental
advert indicates that you are happy to accept DSS or
professional tenants.
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How To Pitch Your Property At The Right Price
4. Look At A Tenancy Deposit Solution That Suits The Tenant
a. Some tenants will have trouble finding the first month’s
rent in advance and the six-week deposit payment that are
normally required at the start of a tenancy. Some tenants
won’t want to part with that sort of money even if they
have it.
To place your property in a good position in the market,
why not try an insurance solution that requires no deposit
from the tenant? There are a number of products on the
market at the moment that can do just that. Remember:
always carry out an advanced credit check on your tenant
before signing your tenancy agreement.
Most tenants will accept that a reasonable charge is required
and will pay it. However, when it’s clear that landlords
are trying to make extra money at the start of a tenancy
agreement, tenants will move on and find another property.
6. Success Tip: Before setting your rental price make sure
you’ve done your research. If you’re advertising your
property at the wrong price, it’s likely to remain unoccupied.
It could cost you thousands of pounds in mortgage payments.
A good property offered at the right price will be snapped up
within two weeks. So make sure your property is offered at
the right price from day one if you’re looking to eliminate
empty periods.
Remember, just because you have high mortgage payments
doesn’t mean the rental rate should cover them. Tenants
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CHAPTER 2
5. Try Not To Charge Tenants Extortionate Fees
a. Tenants are put off by large charges for administration,
check-in inventory, etc.
How To Avoid Empty Rental Properties
CHAPTER 2
will pay the going rental rate but it’s up to the landlord to
make sure the rental property is a good investment and that
adequate research is completed before purchasing the rental
investment. If your mortgage is too high and the rent doesn’t
cover the mortgage then you’ve bought or inherited a bad
investment. It may be worth selling the property as quickly
as possible otherwise you may end up losing the property
completely.
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CHAPTER 3
How To Choose The Best
Images For Your Advert
Photos will rent a property 10 times quicker.
1. Photos will attract a tenant’s attention. Using photos in your
rental advert will help you to tenant a property 10 times faster.
Ultimately it’s the rental price that attracts tenants but if you’re
pitching your property among tens or hundreds of other rental
properties at the same price it will be the photos that make the
property stand out and attract the tenant’s attention.
Unlike sales properties, photos for rental properties don’t
need to be taken by a professional photographer. The
exception to this is if you’re tenanting a top end property in
which case your agent would arrange for the photos to be
taken professionally. A good rental property photo can easily
be taken by a landlord.
3. When adding photos to your rental advert remember that
tenants are most interested in seeing either a good kitchen
photo or a good living area photo. This is the complete
opposite to sales adverts and many professionals will tell you
different. However it’s been proven that good internal photos
tenant properties quicker than external photos. Tenants will
normally only stay in the property for 12 months, so they’re
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CHAPTER 3
2. The quality of the images you use does make a difference.
However that doesn’t mean that each photo has to be an
award-winner. As long as the image is clear and has been
purposefully taken that’s all that matters.
How To Avoid Empty Rental Properties
more interested in the interior rather than the exterior. To
attract tenants fast you need to appeal to what the tenants
want and not what you or an agent think they need. It’s all
about the tenants.
CHAPTER 3
4. Provide your photos in the following order:
a. Good internal photo of the kitchen or living area.
b. Good internal photo of the kitchen or living area (opposite
to above).
c. Good bedroom photos.
d. Good exterior photo.
e. Views from the property.
5. Use at least three good photos. Not only will this attract
tenants to your rental advert but it’ll also prevent time
wasters from enquiring about the property when they can see
from the photos that it simply doesn’t suit their needs.
6. Don’t go overboard with photos - no more than 10 photos
should be shown.
7. It is important to know what images not to show. A photo
that seems to have been taken by mistake (photo of a wall,
chair etc) should not be offered, even if the purpose is to bulk
out the photo section. If it’s not a good photo don’t use it
with the rental advert.
A point to bear in mind is that if you’re taking a photo of
the bathroom, the tenant doesn’t need to see a close-up
of the toilet. It’s unnecessary and will put the tenant off.
Instead, provide photos that show a complete overview of the
bathroom (showing the bath, shower, sink, and toilet). The
photo should also incorporate a window if possible and show
the decor of the bathroom.
- 26 -
How To Choose The Best Images For Your Advert
8. Success Tip: When advertising a rental property the very
best photo to use as the main image (the first photo that
tenants will see) is one of either the kitchen or living area.
Rental property adverts work differently to sales properties
and need to be displayed in a different way. Most estate
agents show an external shot when selling a property. With
rental property it’s the reverse. Tenants don’t want to buy the
property: they are looking to rent the property for an average
period of 12 months. They’re mainly interested in what the
inside of the property looks like. That’s why you should
appeal to tenants’ top priority by showing a great internal
shot first. Forget what you’ve been told in the past and
simply provide what your future tenant wants.
- 27 -
CHAPTER 3
If you’re looking to eliminate empty periods then make sure
a good kitchen or living area photo is the very first image that
your potential tenants see. This will greatly increase your chance
of attracting tenants quickly and eliminate empty periods.
CHAPTER 4
How To Describe Your Rental
Property To Attract Tenants
Get the description basics right and you’ll be well on your way
to a life with fully tenanted properties.
a. Price
b. Location
c. Property type
d. Number of bedrooms
e. Furnishing type
f. Condition
g. Decor
h. Features of kitchen and living area
i.Bonus features, e.g. parking, garage, views, swimming
pool.
j. Glazing type
k. Heating type
l. External features
m.Local facilities, transport links, and venues close to the
property
n. Contact details
- 29 -
CHAPTER 4
1. What detail should be offered? Below is a list of the detail
that tenants will be interested in when looking at your
property advert. [At the viewing stage or sometime before,
tenants will also ask about the council tax, utilities and any
other additional charges they may be faced with.] Here are
the details you must provide in your advertising:
How To Avoid Empty Rental Properties
Example template (tried and tested layout that works):
CHAPTER 4
Price: £775 Per Month
A recently decorated 2 bedroom Terraced house located
in Smithfield Road, Town Centre, London, LL1 123. This
property comes with a garden and garage with parking for 2
cars. Offered part furnished with white goods to the kitchen.
The living area is presented in a clean and tidy condition
and has been nicely decorated in neutral colours. There is a
fitted kitchen with a tiled floor. The kitchen offers access to
a 50ft garden. Upstairs there are two good sized bedrooms
both offering good storage space and carpets. Bedroom one
has been recently decorated in neutral colours and bedroom 2
is offered in good decorative order.
Property benefits include double glazing throughout, and
gas central heating.
External features include a 50ft garden, a garage with
parking for one car, and allocated parking for one car on the
front driveway.
The property location is just 5 minutes walk from all local
amenities and local schools. Ideal for transport links into the
town centre and motorway network.
Professional and DSS tenants considered.
To arrange a viewing please call John Smith on
12345678912 or email 1234@1234.com
The above description offers 187 words [and 1119 characters
including spaces]. The benefit of using online advertising is that
you can post an advert this size to a massive audience. When
using paper advertising, you’ll be constrained by the extremely
limited number of characters that are allowed.
Important Note: You’ll be unable to show your contact details
within the larger property websites. The contact details that will
- 30 -
How To Describe Your Rental Property To Attract Tenants
be shown will be those of the agent since it is the agent who
is promoting your property. To advertise your property on the
UK’s largest property websites visit www.discountletting.co.uk
or call 0208 697 0984 for further information.
2. How much detail should be offered?
a. For some reason landlords up and down the country
seem to believe that a rental property description should
be really long. This simply isn’t the case. A good rental
property description will be between three and four
medium-sized paragraphs long and offer good detail.
(See Number 1 about what to put in your description the advertising template is tried and tested and always
generates a good response.)
3. What is too little detail?
a. A rental property description that simply states ‘One
bedroom flat, furnished, nice view, and close to town
centre’ will not attract any tenants. If this is the very best
description that can be offered then the need to find tenants
is not high enough on your agenda.
Example template that should be avoided:
2-bedroom flat, furnished, London.
Offers gch, dg, wm, re, dw. Outside features gr, dr.
Call 01234 567 8911
- 31 -
CHAPTER 4
b. A future tenant is not going to sift through pages and pages
of text describing a rental property. Tenants will read the
parts that are of interest to them and skip through everything
else. It is for this reason that the text is best split into a few
paragraphs and offered with bold subtitles. This will break up
the text and make it more visually appealing plus it allows the
tenant to pick out the sections they find most interesting.
How To Avoid Empty Rental Properties
4. Don’t use lots of abbreviations.
a. Not all tenants know what the abbreviations mean. If a
tenant is confused about the rental description in the early
stages they won’t take time to interpret them – they’ll
move onto the next property instead.
5. Success Tip: Remember that you’re trying to attract a new
tenant and eliminate an empty period for your property. The
example template of a bad rental advert should be avoided at
all costs.
CHAPTER 4
Take at least half an hour to think about the good features
that your property has to offer and write them in the style of
the tried and tested template.
This template will attract tenants who’re interested in the
features you’ve listed.
And it’ll discourage those who aren’t interested in the
features of your property, thus saving you from potential
time-wasters.
A well written rental advert offering the appropriate detail
will eliminate empty periods when used with the advice
contained in other sections of this book.
- 32 -
CHAPTER 5
How To Choose The Best Time
To Market Your Property
When should you start marketing your rental property?
1. How early should a rental property be put on the market?
a. A good property offered at the right price in the right area
will go in one day. If rental property is in demand in your
area you’ll have tenants queuing up to request a viewing. In
these circumstances you can command a higher rental price
and some tenants may even offer over the asking price.
b. If you’re unsure of the rental demand in your area I advise
you to advertise no later than one month prior to the end
of a tenancy term if you’re looking to move in a tenant the
day after the previous tenant moves out.
c. You can always advertise your property two months prior
to the previous tenancy expiring but most tenants don’t
tend to look for a new property that far in advance. Most
will look for a property four or five weeks before the actual
date they wish to move in.
2. When is it too late to market a rental property?
a. It’s never too late to market a rental property. If your
property is going to become empty, take immediate action.
b. Marketing the property less than a week before the
- 33 -
CHAPTER 5
A new property is most likely to attract an offer in the first
two weeks, providing that the rental price is right and the
presentation of the property is as it should be.
How To Avoid Empty Rental Properties
property becomes empty is very risky unless your property
is either very cheap or located in a high demand area.
Leaving it so close to the date the property becomes
empty means you won’t haven’t allowed sufficient time
for viewings, credit checks, signing of agreements, an
inventory to be conducted, or for check-in.
CHAPTER 5
3. What is the busiest time of the year for tenants?
a. The busiest time of the year for new tenants looking for
property is between March and May. Surprisingly, January
is always a busy time too, although that doesn’t last much
beyond the second week. The January rush has been
attributed to family disputes and couples splitting up over
the Christmas period.
4. What are the worst times of the year for attracting tenants?
a. The summer holidays can be very slow which can make
the search for tenants a painful one. Most tenants are
thinking about their holidays, and the last thing on their
minds is searching for a new rental property.
Tenants who are searching for properties during that time
can often negotiate fantastic deals as interest on rental
property is low. However this doesn’t help landlords
eliminate empty periods.
Be aware that the summer months can be slow so either
start advertising early or if possible, ask the current tenants
if they would like to stay for an additional month or two at
a reduced rate.
b. The run up to Christmas is always slow. After about the
second or third week in December interest peters out.
Tenant enquiries pick up again in the period between
Christmas and New Year, which is again believed to be
- 34 -
How To Choose The Best Time To Market Your Property
the result of relationship disputes and break-ups during the
Christmas holiday.
5. Success Tip: Always allow at least one month’s full
advertising of your property. If you do receive a request from
a tenant to move in early you can always ask the current
tenant if they could move out sooner.
Most tenants will be happy to take up your offer but will require
a refund on rent paid. If at all possible, try to avoid looking for a
new tenant during the lead up to Christmas and over the summer
months. These are always slow so avoid them and you’ll have a
greater chance of finding a tenant quickly.
CHAPTER 5
- 35 -
CHAPTER 6
How To Choose The Best Contact
Method For Potential Tenants
How should potential tenants contact you?
1. What methods of contact should be used?
a. When you want to arrange a viewing, the main form
of contact between you and the tenant should be by
telephone. Any other form of contact may result in the loss
of a potential tenant. Emails and texts are fine but they are
no substitute for a phone call.
When creating a rental advert always check, double check,
and triple check the contact number that you have offered.
If the contact number offered is incorrect, the advert will
not work no matter how good the property is.
2. What methods of contact should not be used?
a. Tenants like to talk to someone when arranging a viewing
or discussing a property for the first time. Agents use email
messages and text services as an initial form of contact but
then follow up with a telephone call. Don’t use emails and
texts to arrange viewings: take the time to call the tenant
and arrange the viewing properly.
Whilst speaking to the tenant you can also gauge if you
- 37 -
CHAPTER 6
If you offer a phone number in a rental advert always
make sure that the phone will be answered or, at the very
least, that there is an answering service. If you do receive
a voicemail message, return the call as soon as possible to
ensure a viewing time and date is arranged.
How To Avoid Empty Rental Properties
actually want them to rent your property.
CHAPTER 6
b. Don’t use a box number. Some landlords believe it is a
good idea to offer a box number so that they don’t get
bombarded with phone calls from prospective tenants.
This is crazy! The majority of tenants won’t spare the time
to sit and write you a letter to request a viewing – they’ll
move on to another property.
Making tenants jump through hoops before they’ve even
had a chance to see the property is insane. Make things
too difficult and time-consuming for prospective tenants
and they’ll move on to look at other properties. By making
it hard for the tenants to get in touch with the person
carrying out the viewings you’re one step closer to that
empty period.
Remember: the aim is to find tenants. Having potential
tenants calling to arrange a viewing is exactly what you
want. Offer a number that works and that is monitored at
most times of the day. Always make it as easy as possible
for the tenant to arrange a viewing.
3. When is the best time to arrange viewings?
a. The best viewing time for a property is basically the time
that is best for the prospective tenants. Yes, tenants will
want to view a property at 6pm, 7pm, 8pm, and even later
sometimes. They’ll also want to view the property at the
weekend. Most tenants work so this is understandable.
On occasions, arranging a viewing late in the evening or
at the weekend can be a massive pain especially when
you have other commitments. But it’s worth remembering
that not having tenants will be more painful – think of all
- 38 -
How To Choose The Best Contact Method For Potential Tenants
the mortgage payments you’ll have to make if your rental
property remains empty. Leaving the comfort of your
own home a few evenings a week is far less of a pain than
thousands of pounds in unpaid mortgages.
4. Should bulk viewings be arranged?
a. Bulk viewings are an excellent time-saver for the person
carrying out the viewings. One trip to the property and
you can carry out multiple viewings at one time. However,
put yourself in the tenants’ position. If you turned up to
a viewing and found that five other couples were also
viewing the property at the same time would you feel
comfortable?
5. Who should do the viewings?
a. Viewings can be carried out by anyone. Conducting a
property viewing is not a hard job – it’s one that almost
any person can do. What is important to bear in mind is
that you want the tenant to take the property, so simply
escorting the potential tenant around the property as
quickly as possible may not be good enough to entice the
tenant to take the property.
If viewings are conducted in a slap dash manner, potential
tenants will not take the property. It’s important that the
person conducting the viewing really ‘sells’ the property
and its features whilst also paying attention to the tenant’s
needs.
- 39 -
CHAPTER 6
If the person conducting the viewing takes one person or
one couple around a property on their own they can sell
the property and it benefits on a one to one basis which
will be much more effective than five couples all traipsing
around a property at once.
How To Avoid Empty Rental Properties
When prospective tenants are shown around by someone
who’s enthusiastic about the property and obviously
interested in them, they’re more likely to want to rent.
That means allowing prospective tenants the time they
need to explore the property and ask questions.
CHAPTER 6
6. Success Tip: On occasions arranging a viewing late in the
evening or at the weekend can be massively inconvenient,
especially when you have other commitments. Bear in mind
however that the biggest inconvenience for you as a landlord
is an empty period that lasts for weeks on end and which
could potentially cost you thousands of pounds.
So remember the next time that a prospective tenant wants to
be shown around your property in the evening or during your
weekend that leaving the comfort of your own home is far
less of a pain than thousands of pounds in unpaid mortgages.
Try to accommodate potential tenants as much as possible
when arranging a viewing. A little effort will go a long way
to eliminating an empty period.
- 40 -
CHAPTER 7
How To Present Your Property
In A Way To Win Over Tenants
Win your future tenants over with the right property
presentation.
Think of a viewing as job interview: to give an immediate
and good first impression, make sure your property looks
its best rather than scruffy and dirty.
b. If you have the funds and the time a quick splash of paint
around a property is a very worthwhile investment. It will
give prospective tenants the impression of a clean, tidy
and almost new property. Recently decorated properties
tenant quicker than properties offered needing attention
throughout the new tenant’s tenancy term. If you can
afford to give the property a quick decoration and time
permits, do it.
c. Always use neutral colours. Don’t pick the colour scheme
that you like. Tenants will want to see neutral colours.
This also applies to carpet and flooring if they are on the
redecoration list too.
- 41 -
CHAPTER 7
1. How to present a property.
a. When you show a prospective tenant around your
property it’s crucial that it’s clean and tidy. Although
they will understand that not all properties are kept in
great decorative order all of the time, don’t imagine they
have the ability to ‘overlook’ dirt and squalor. Even if
the existing tenants are to blame for the mess, it will still
reflect badly on you and the property.
How To Avoid Empty Rental Properties
2. What should you promote?
a. A clean and tidy property allows the prospective tenant to
actually see what the property is like. Showing a tenant
around a dark, dingy property is a sure way to turn the tenant
off. Avoid this by allowing as much light as possible to flood
into the rooms - keep the lights on and the curtains open.
b. If the property has great views make sure they are pointed
out.
CHAPTER 7
c. If the property features great storage solutions then make
sure they are pointed out.
d. Whatever benefits will attract a tenant’s attention and
generate interest should be pointed out by the person
conducting the viewing.
3. What should be removed?
a. Get rid of clutter and mess. The hallway and entrance of a
property is the very first area that a tenant will see. They
don’t want to have to pick their way over a pile of mail
or bikes, bags, kids’ toys, shoes, or coats. If necessary,
remove the clutter from the property for the short time that
the tenant will view the property.
b. Get rid of dirt. There is nothing worse than an untidy kitchen
when carrying out a viewing. The potential tenant will want
to see that the area where they will be preparing and eating
food is in good order. No tenant will want to take over a
property that is offered with a serious lack of hygiene. This
also applies to the bathroom and toilet facilities.
4. Success Tip: When presenting a rental property to a potential
tenant think of it as an interview. That’s an interview with
the tenant that is completed by the person conducting the
- 42 -
How To Present Your Property In A Way To Win Over Tenants
viewing, and an interview of the property that is carried out
by the tenant.
Make sure the property is at the very least clean and tidy.
Prospective tenants don’t want to see a cluttered property
with the current tenants’ belongings spread everywhere.
Make it a priority to show a clean living area and kitchen.
Remember that as a landlord you’re running a business
and your rental property is your product. The tenant has a
right to be choosy so make sure you have a good product.
If at all possible a quick lick of paint will greatly enhance a
property’s appearance. However this isn’t essential.
CHAPTER 7
- 43 -
CHAPTER 8
How To Make Things Really
Easy... And Avoid Empty
Properties For Good
In today’s internet age the process in which tenants are found
has dramatically changed for the better, as landlords and agents
are now able to tap into a fast internet resource when looking
for the right tenant.
Discount Letting is a UK wide letting agent who offers
landlords this service and more.
Visit www.discountletting.co.uk to register your property in
front of millions of home searchers.
Discount Letting offers you, the landlord, a unique £59
Tenant Find Service, which allows you to manage your own
rental property whilst benefiting from the maximum exposure
provided by a UK-wide letting agent. The Discount Letting
Tenant Find Service will place your property in front of
millions of potential tenants.
- 45 -
CHAPTER 8
Gone are the days when tenants walked up and down the high
street visiting one rental agency after another. Eighty percent
of home searchers now simply go to their computer and
visit the larger property websites such as Rightmove.co.uk,
Findaproperty.com, Zoopla.co.uk, Primelocation.co.uk, and
Fish4.co.uk. At the click of a mouse button, they can search
through thousands of rental properties across the UK to find
exactly what they want in terms of property and location.
How To Avoid Empty Rental Properties
Discount Letting also offers a Full Management Service
throughout England and Wales and showcases your rental
properties on the largest property portals including
Rightmove.co.uk, Findaproperty.com, Zoopla.co.uk,
Fish4.co.uk, Primelocation.co.uk and others.
CHAPTER 8
At present, those five partner sites attract over 75 million views
per month, so you can be sure that when you use Discount
Letting your property will be placed in front of millions of
potential tenants and the chances of your rental property staying
vacant are greatly reduced.
Whether it’s a Tenant Find Service or a Full Management
service you can be sure to find the right rental product at
Discount Letting. Simply visit the easy to use website
www.discountletting.co.uk and choose the right product for
you.
- 46 -
Dear Reader
What would an empty property cost you?
Don’t manage an empty property that costs you £100’s; advertise your property to
82.1 million home searchers every month on the UK’s largest property websites from
just £59, and find your ideal tenant.
And Guess What?
Waiting tenants who have registered with Rightmove.co.uk, FindaProperty.com,
Primelocation.com and Discount Letting will be sent your property details.
My guarantee to you...
In 48 hours your rental property will be shown on the UK’s largest property websites
viewed by 82.1 million home searchers or your money back.
Features of our tenant finding services:
• Your property will be advertised to 82.1 million home searchers a month via the
largest property websites in the UK including Rightmove, FindaProperty and
Primelocation.
• An email of your property will be sent to 1000’s of registered tenants looking
for a property like yours.
• You’ll have access to four credit checks.
• Your property will be promoted within a Premium Display box on the
Rightmove website.
• You can request a rental report that will let you know exactly what price to
advertise your property at.
• A full rental description (3000 characters) and 10 images will be offered to
potential tenants.
• Enquiring tenants can request property details or arrange a viewing of your
property by; Telephone, Email, and SMS (mobile text).
• The arrangement of accompanied viewings* and unaccompanied viewings will
be made with all potential tenants who make an enquiry regarding your rental
property.
• Landlords have access to a weekly report which details the number of enquiries
that have been made by potential tenants.
• Your property can be updated or refreshed at anytime.
• You’ll have access to a Legal Pack worth £69 including;
1. Tenancy Agreement: Flat or house with a non resident landlord.
2. Tenancy Agreement: Flat or house with a resident landlord.
3. Tenancy Agreement: For a room with a non resident landlord.
4.Inventory Form
- 47 -
READER OFFER
Discount Letting is the UK’s leading online letting agent. Providing letting agent
services to 6829 landlords across the UK and presenting 23,762 rental properties
since November 2004.
5. Notice Requiring Possession Notice 21(1)(B)
6. Notice Requiring Possession Notice 21 (4)(A)
7. Standing Order Mandate
8. Rent Guarantor Form
• You’ll be able to download our guide book on how to avoid an empty property in a
handy pdf version.
Did you know...
Jessica Blackwell from Thames Ditton, Surrey, KT7, advertised her property with Discount
Letting and found a tenant within 5 days and successfully eliminated a void period.
Jessica said...
READER
CHAPTER
OFFER
1
“Thank you for your fantastic service. I was able to let the property within 5 days of
the advert appearing and would now be grateful if the property could be removed
from the listings. I appreciate having this wonderful alternative to having to go
to an agent for their services. It has allowed me to personally vet and meet with
potential tenants, which is very important to me. Again, I thank you, Jessica”
So if...
You’re serious about finding a tenant,
Then...
Take the next step.
• Register your property and select your service option.
• See your property on the UK’s largest property websites in 24 hours.
Allow tenants looking for a property like yours to receive an email of your property.
Find your perfect tenant and make void periods a thing of the past.
Jo Ross from Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, OX7, advertised her property with
Discount Letting and successfully eliminated a void period.
Jo said...
“Please remove the advert from the site as it has now been let. Once again a
very efficient and quick service, we have been lucky enough not to have had any
voids since we started using Discount Letting!”
Remove the fear of an empty property and look forward to a successful landlord future.
Best wishes,
Daniel Burgess
P.S. What’s more, if you register today at www.discountletting.co.uk, I’ll give you
a £5 discount on the standard price. Just type in the discount code 0q1garv9 when
completing the registration form and we’ll deduct £5 straight away.
- 48 -
How To Avoid Empty
Rental Properties
The 7 Major Mistakes Landlords Make
Packed with highly practical advice and tips, this
book will help you to find the right tenants for your
rental property fast.
Letting Expert Daniel Burgess reveals how you can
avoid the 7 major mistakes most landlords make
plus...
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The best place to advertise your property
How to pitch your property at the right price
The best images for your advert
How to describe your rental property to attract
tenants
The best time to market your property
The best contact method for potential tenants
How to present your property in a way to win
over tenants
How to avoid empty properties for good
“If you are serious about attracting the very best tenants
and avoiding costly voids, then this is the best book for you
– I highly recommend you read it.”
Nick Lyons, MD, No Letting Go.
Award-winning UK-wide inventory company.
www.nolettinggo.co.uk
“This book will show you the mistakes landlords make
when looking for tenants. If you’re looking to fill an
empty property you must read this book.”
John Parish, MD, Landlord Forum
www.landlord-forum.co.uk
NABO
Accelerating your business success
Daniel Burgess
I’m Daniel Burgess, founder
and Managing Director of the
UK’s leading online letting agency.
I have run my own property
portfolio for over 10 years.
My years of experience as a
landlord and letting agent have
equipped me with the skills and
knowledge required to avoid an
empty property. In the early days
I found that finding a tenant
for my rental properties was a
daunting task. I made many
mistakes and learnt a great deal
the hard way.
“How To Avoid Empty Rental
Properties” tells you how to
avoid the mistakes most
landlords make and how to find
ideal tenants every time.