Meanwhile many homeowners who are already on the housing ladder, are struggling to sell or are in a position where offers are being made, but at prices far to low for them to accept and are now looking to the lettings market as a suitable alternative to selling their family home.

Earlier this year, the Landlords of Coombe Bridge Avenue, in Stoke Bishop Bristol found themselves in exactly the same situation.  They had been trying to sell their property and finance a move to Scotland, but had struggled to receive any interest or suitable offers and were rapidly running out of time to achieve their aim.

Having found a perfect property to buy and move into, they were facing not being able to fund the move until they looked at the possibilities of lettings, and asked Intire to provide them with a market appraisal of their property for rental, as opposed to selling. 

With 4 good sized bedrooms, a master en-suite and generous living space downstairs, Intire were confident that the property would let quickly, and command a premium rental.  With the added bonus of top Bristol schools in the neighbourhood as well, the Landlord’s were advised that the property would be perfect for a family who were re-locating or looking for additional space.

Fortunately the projected rental income was more than enough for them to be able to build a suitable financial plan for themselves with their mortgage advisor in Scotland, and all they needed was a quick let to ensure everything could go as planned.

With the property ready to enter the lettings market, Intire had a number of registered applicants looking at similar properties in the area and were able to arrange a viewing at very short notice before the particulars had even been published for marketing.

Both the tenants and landlords were bowled over by the speed and efficiency of Intire and an offer was made the following morning.  Once the finer details of the negotiation were finalized, arrangements were made for the tenants to move in shortly after the landlord had completed their move, and the tenants were also able to complete the move before school places were allocated, ensuring their children had a bright future ahead of them.

Ultimately, not only was the property let with quick speed and precision at the first viewing, the best market price was achieved for the landlord, and the tenants were able to end their search for a suitable property.  Intire was happy to help in any way possible and takes pride in the success their staff have made for all parties involved.

When a child grows up and leaves home to attend university, many parents use this time as a prime opportunity to enter the lettings market, by way of purchasing a property for their son or daughter to reside in whilst paying a subsidised or peppercorn rent with their friends. 

While this guarantees peace of mind for many parents, safe in the knowledge their child has a secure property to live in.  However upon graduation, the question is posed up and down the country, “what to do with the property now?”.

Student properties tend to be much larger than normal residential properties, often consisting of 4-5 bedrooms in most cases but sometimes extending to 6 or more as landlords look to maximise their returns by converting dining rooms or lounges into additional bedrooms.  The student market can move in very different patterns to the normal residential market as well, with many student tenants looking to move to the comfort of their parents home during holiday periods, meaning that tenancy agreements can often only be for 10 months rather than a year.

Students also look for properties at very different times of the year, often securing a let on a property by way of a holding deposit many months before occupation, which can cause headaches for landlords if they come to the market at the wrong time, or fail to secure a let on a property at all.

In mid 2010 a landlord came to Intire in this exact situation, they had a student property occupied by their son, but had not secured a let for the next academic year.  With 5 good sized bedrooms and a spacious open plan living area, the property was a prime student property, but had come to the market at the wrong time of year.

The market was especially buoyant at the time, but there was a large shortage of student applicants browsing for properties as most had already secured lets for the following year.  At the suggestion of Intire, the landlord opened the property up to other areas of the market and started to see more interest from other sectors.

One such sector was the corporate market, and Intire received an enquiry from an organization looking for a property with equal sized rooms, for the rehabilitation of ex service men and woman.  The property in question was recommended, with a viewing arranged at short notice, following a swift negotiation from Intire, the property was let on a three year contract to the benefit of both the tenant and the landlord.

In this case the property was let out on a company let, which uses a particular type of tenancy agreement which differs from other standard agreements.  As specialists in all types of tenancy agreements, Intire were able to complete the formalities in a brisk manner, including complex special conditions, with no stress to either party, and the landlord was able to rest assured that their best interests would be looked after throughout the three year period.

Case Study 4
Landlord - Property Refurbishment

In today's fast paced lettings market the best properties let first, and those with modern decor or open spaces that invite tenants into them with a homely feel often result in quick lets at the best possible prices.  For most landlords investing in a new build property therefore often seems a sensible option, but what about those landlords who choose to invest in older properties, which can boast larger rooms and command higher prices as a result?

Bristol has a wide and varied lettings market, from the modern apartments in Old Market conversions, to period grandeur in Clifton town houses and everything in between.  Quite often it is these properties ‘in between’ that can be forgotten about, but by investing in a good quality refurbishment and finish, properties in alternate areas such as Knowle and Sea Mills which have strong local communities and great transport links, can be just as appealing to tenants as those properties in traditionally popular areas.

Two such properties can be found in Stoneleigh Crescent (Knowle) and also East Parade (Sea Mills), both of which are professionally managed by Intire.  These properties had been occupied for some time by tenants or owners, but were both in need of modernisation to varying degrees, having not been decorated or modernised for a number of years.

As specialists in the lettings market, Intire were able to discuss the options with both landlords as to what modifications would be needed or could be considered, in order to let the property at the best possible price.  It was therefore decided that investment would be made and Intire were also able to project manage the works on the landlords behalf, as neither of them were local to the Bristol area.

Each property underwent a transformation from top to bottom, including repainting of all the rooms and matching neutral carpets, new kitchens and bathrooms as well as garden clearances, so the tenants had an enjoyable outside space to use in the summer months.  Both properties also needed specific maintenance due to their age including new boilers and re-tiling of the roof, all of which were taken into account and handled swiftly with minimal fuss.

The advantage for the landlords in both instances was that Intire were able to be secure tenants prior to the works starting on the basis that they would be completed prior to occupation, as opposed to trying to secure tenants once the work had been completed, which would have resulted in an extended void period for the landlord.

The key to success, is choosing an agent such as Intire, who are in tune with the demands of tenants in today's lettings market and know what options will provide the best result.  Also, Intire have a number of specialist contractors who are able to provide landlords with the best possible prices for any works required. 

Intire are also able to co-ordinate multiple contractors, from painters and decorators through to carpet fitters, electricians and plumbers for whatever works may be required, as well as providing a detailed break down of costs and liaising with tenants regarding move in dates and timescales for the works being completed.  Although ultimately it means less stress for landlords, and better rental prices.