Streamline Viewings and Find New Tenants Quickly - 7 Tips for Preston Landlords

Demand for rental homes in Preston is soaring, meaning that there is unprecedented demand for every single home that is put on the market. This in turn increases the number of applications that landlords need to filter through to select a tenant.

In this blog, we look at seven practical things that landlords can do to speed up the tenant selection process, increase their chances of finding their ideal tenant, and cut down on the time and work required to find them.

Detailed Property Listings
It's crucial to create comprehensive property listings when letting your property. Take some time to research the most common questions asked about comparable rental properties in Preston and include the answers in your property description. By outlining every relevant detail up front, such as the number of bedrooms, amenities, and local transport links, you can help potential tenants determine whether the property meets their needs before they even express interest. By doing this, you can make sure that prospective tenants are ready for viewings and save valuable time for both parties.

One handy tip from years of experience is to put the room measurements into the description, floorpans are even better.  The amount of times we have heard potential tenants say 'oh this is just not big enough' as they walk into a room and from that point are no longer interested.  That is time wasted that could have been spent on another more suitable potential tenant.

Video Tours
The time when images were enough to attract potential tenants is long gone. Video tours are becoming a very useful tool for landlords. A quick smartphone video tour of a property can be made to provide prospective tenants with a comprehensive viewing without them needing to leave their own homes. This gives them an understanding of the layout, size, and general appeal of the property and results in self-filtering, as unsuitable applicants exclude themselves at an early stage of the process.

Automatically sending video tours to people that initially request a viewing can quickly whittle down the number, reducing the time you are spending at the property with viewing after viewing.

Pre-Qualification Forms
This tip is a true time-saver! The tenant selection process can be streamlined by pre-qualifying applicants. Before scheduling viewings, have potential tenants fill out a pre-qualification form so you can evaluate their suitability for the property and determine whether they are ready to pass the reference check. Be strong and advise that a viewing can only take place once the form is complete. This approach minimises the possibility of wasting time on applicants who might not fulfil your requirements while allowing you to concentrate your efforts on those who are genuinely interested and likely to pass the reference checks. You will also find that time-wasters will not want to fill the form in, so again this reduces wasted viewing time.

Organise Block Viewings
Individual viewings for each applicant can be time-consuming and inefficient when a property attracts a lot of interest. Instead, think about setting up group viewings, where several potential tenants are shown the property simultaneously every 10-15 minutes. This strategy not only saves time for both sides, but it also creates a sense of competition among applicants, motivating them to make quicker decisions and apply promptly.

Confirm Attendance
Concentrate on confirmed viewings only in order to minimise no-shows and make the most of your time. Before the scheduled viewing, send applicants a reminder and request confirmation of their attendance. Advise them that if the viewing is not confirmed it will be cancelled. You can lessen the possibility of last-minute cancellations and make sure you are maximising your time during each viewing by doing this.

Maximise Your Time with Technology
There is frequently downtime during property viewings while waiting for potential tenants to show up or finish their viewings. Use technology to your advantage during this period. Use your mobile device to check the status of references, send out details to interested potential tenants, and manage other important paperwork. By doing this, you can make sure that the letting process keeps moving forward efficiently.  Of course, don't completely ignore potential tenants while they are actually viewing... give them 100% of your attention.

Prepare Tenants for Check-In
Once you have successfully whittled down your list of potential tenants, help your chosen applicants get ready for the next stage of the letting process by sharing comprehensive advice with them, such as a step-by-step guide, to help them understand what is necessary for a smooth check-in. This proactive approach will not only reduce the time spent on back-and-forth correspondence but will also demonstrate your commitment to providing a positive rental experience.

In over a decade of helping Preston landlords and tenants we have never seen such demand for rental properties as we are seeing now.  Over the last few years we have adopted all of the above and have seen the benefit when dealing with such high volume of enquiries, which is with every property we market.    

For landlords, the current rise in tenant demand offers both benefits and challenges. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the idea of having to find a new tenant or would like to know more about our complete property management options in Preston, Leyland, Chorley or surrounding areas please give us a call on 01772 284606 or send an email to office@prlettings.com.