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Letting house - to let with agent or privately?

  • 20-09-2012 7:55am
    #1
    handlemaster
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,003 ✭✭✭


    HI;
    I will be letting my house in the new year. Is it best to go with an agent or rent it privately myself. Its in Dublin. According to local agent it would take 1 week to 10 days to let. So there is obviously demand. Advise needed on pit falls etc. What about references etc


Comments

  • #2
    ebixa82
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,289 ✭✭✭ebixa82


    handlemaster wrote: »
    HI;
    I will be letting my house in the new year. Is it best to go with an agent or rent it privately myself. Its in Dublin. According to local agent it would take 1 week to 10 days to let. So there is obviously demand. Advise needed on pit falls etc. What about references etc

    Agents cost money.

    That's about the only con.


  • #3
    Uriel.
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,062 ✭✭✭Uriel.


    ebixa82 wrote: »
    Agents cost money.

    That's about the only con.

    What about agents who don't bother to ask for or double check references?

    OP, if it is just one property and providing it's not on the other side of the country, you'd be far better off handling the letting yourself.


  • #4
    Yawns
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,255 ✭✭✭Yawns


    Out of the last 3 estate agents I have gone through covering the last 8 years, only 1 asked for references and even at that they didn't check them out. The other two didn't ask for references. The one that asked for it, only wanted it for on file. They took it from when I signed the lease. So it was useless to them to check afterwards seeing as I had signed the lease before they even looked at it.

    IMO you'd be better off renting it yourself and saving that bit of cash. Double check any references.


  • #5
    handlemaster
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,003 ✭✭✭handlemaster


    thanks for the replys.

    any landlords out that have an opinion on this ?


  • #6
    wandatowell
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,435 ✭✭✭wandatowell


    My old chap went through 2 agents with his property and each tenant (3 in total) over the course 5 or so years left the house in a state.

    Last year he rented the house out himself privately and as he was able to hand pick his own tenant they have proven to be trustworthy.

    In my opinion you may be better off going it alone.


    Best of luck


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  • #7
    odds_on
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,869 ✭✭✭odds_on


    I would suggest that if you do not know all the laws as regards renting, you could well get yourself into deep trouble should a tenant make a claim against you which could cost you thousands of euro. Are you familiar with the process in evicting a tenant for rent arrears; deposit retention; anti-social behaviour of the tenants; encroaching on the tenant's right to quiet and peaceful enjoyment of the property; landlord's rights to enter the property etc.

    If you are not, IMHO, you would be better with a good agent, but finding a good agent can be a problem!!


  • #8
    handlemaster
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,003 ✭✭✭handlemaster


    odds_on wrote: »
    I would suggest that if you do not know all the laws as regards renting, you could well get yourself into deep trouble should a tenant make a claim against you which could cost you thousands of euro. Are you familiar with the process in evicting a tenant for rent arrears; deposit retention; anti-social behaviour of the tenants; encroaching on the tenant's right to quiet and peaceful enjoyment of the property; landlord's rights to enter the property etc.

    If you are not, IMHO, you would be better with a good agent, but finding a good agent can be a problem!!


    An agent doesnt deal with that unless you pay them for the full management. Even then its really left up to the landlord.


  • #9
    BostonB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,056 ✭✭✭✭BostonB


    Most of my experiences of agents have been poor tbh.


  • #10
    xper
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,077 ✭✭✭xper


    odds_on wrote: »
    I would suggest that if you do not know all the laws as regards renting, you could well get yourself into deep trouble should a tenant make a claim against you which could cost you thousands of euro. Are you familiar with the process in evicting a tenant for rent arrears; deposit retention; anti-social behaviour of the tenants; encroaching on the tenant's right to quiet and peaceful enjoyment of the property; landlord's rights to enter the property etc.

    If you are not, IMHO, you would be better with a good agent, but finding a good agent can be a problem!!
    I would respectfully suggest that any prospective landlord, whether they are going to engage an agent or not, should be familiarising him/herself with all of the above before entering the market. An evening browsing the net would cover the basics. Having an agent, even a good one, does not absolve the landlord of all responsibility and it would be foolhardy for any landlord to assume that their chosen agent is playing everything by the book. God knows, there's plentiful evidence on this and other forums that there are lots of letting agents that willfully ignore or are ignorant of the basic tenancy laws and regulations.

    I concur with the opinion given above that, if it is in any way feasible, advertise the property, vet your prospective tenants and manage the property yourself. (Tip: Consider getting a cheap pay-as-you-go mobile number separate from your regular mobile for this purpose). If you are going to be a huge distance away, an agent may be necessary but even then, I would have final say on your tenant before any lease is signed. If you are near Dublin or other large urban centre and priced competitively, you should not have a problem at the current time getting multiple candidates to pick from.

    Personally, as a discerning tenant, I would be loathe to rent a place that is going to be managed by an agent as there are too many cowboys out there. I would prefer to meet the landlord at the outset and would be evaluating him/her as much as the property itself.


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