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Why Do Landlords Need a Lettings Agent?

Date Published 03 March 2025

Most people have a pretty good idea of the work an estate agent does, although most don't realise just how much work we actually do!

Less well known is what Lettings specialists do for clients. It's been a fast growing area for many years and today at Matthew Anthony have an extremely busy team specifically dedicated to the rental sector in Worthing.

So what exactly does an estate agency do for someone who doesn't want to buy or sell a home?

Landlords
Owning a rental property has changed quite a lot in recent years. New laws and legislation comes into force all the time and the economic landscape has also altered significantly.

Many people became landlords in the booming 'buy to let' years, while some find themselves 'accidental landlords' through various circumstances. Others see the rental sector as a perfect opportunity for achieving a great return on investment (ROI) and take on the role in the same way as they might any other business.

What ties all of these different types of landlords together is the need to navigate an ever-changing landscape of rules and regulations that effect the rental sector, whilst also trying to maximise their ROI.

Lettings agents
At the very basic level, a good Lettings agent can lift the weight of responsibility from a landlord's shoulders. At a 'one property' buy-to-let level right through to a large rental portfolio, this can cover everything from looking after maintenance issues to making sure rents are collected on time.

The very first step is of course matching the right tenant to the right property. That's something estate agents are well used to doing, as vetting potential buyers is a key part of a successful sale.

We use the same level of detail when it comes to a potential tenant, therefore minimising risk right from the start.

Compliance
The ever-evolving demands on landlords when it comes to complying with new energy efficiency measures and safety regulations can be hard to stay on top of for landlords. For a lettings agent it's part and parcel of their daily work.

This translates into practical matters on a daily basis too because keeping your property in good order is good business practise as well as being your legal duty.

As a landlord you might not want your phone to ring in the middle of the night to tell you to about a leaking radiator or something else that needs fixing. Having a lettings agent involved means that a leak, electrical repairs or any other number of small problems can be dealt with quickly without bothering you.

It also means catching potential problems before they can become something more serious.

Rents
Knowing the level to set a rent at can be difficult too. As well as covering all the various expenses and outgoings involved in maintaining a rental property you also need to achieve a good ROI.

As a dedicated lettings agent in Worthing we know the 'sweet spot' for rent values locally.
There's more to it than that of course, because dealing with rent collection is something many landlords don't want to do. Making sure all the arrangements are made and payments are made on time is all part of the job we will do for you.

Many landlords also just like to have a buffer zone between them and their tenants - that's why we can deal with everything on your behalf.

Even more...
Beyond the basics there are other aspects of being a landlord which can become a headache - end of tenancy inventory checks and the need to serve legal notices are examples that we look after for you.

Of course, having a successful relationship with a lettings agent also comes in handy if you ever want to expand your portfolio or sell a property you already have. As our Lettings team work alongside our Sales department you'll already have a specialist estate agent who you know and trust right there!

We make life as a landlord simpler, stress free and more profitable and our lettings team would love to help you. Call 01903 608080, email us or come in to see us at our office at Worthing House, 6 South Street just around the corner from the pier.