Renting Direct From A Landlord Or A Letting Agent

Renting Directly from your Landlord

Advantages

• Dealing with a landlord direct, rather than through a letting agent, cuts out the middleman and can speed up requests for repairs.
• Renting direct from a landlord can build a stronger relationship between the landlord and tenant, which can minimise the potential for a tenancy dispute.

Disadvantage

• Without a letting agent there is very little legal redress should issues arise such as failure to carry out repairs.

Renting through a Letting Agent

Advantages

• Finding a home through a letting agent can give you a wide choice of properties to view.
• Renting a home through a letting agent can give a tenant a right of redress through The Property Ombudsman scheme should disputes occur. This right of redress is only available to agents that are registered with the three main letting agents' trade associations. Ensure that the letting agent is a member of Propertymark or Safeagent, formerly known as The National Approved Letting Scheme, before renting a property through them.

Disadvantages

• Having an agent can slow down a landlord's response to problems as it creates another tier to deal with. A good letting agent should arrange with a landlord provision of a fund for emergency repairs in case the landlord is away or cannot be contacted.

See also: Find Letting Agents