Best Letting Agent In Edinburgh - How To Choose

For landlords looking for help in managing their property for the first time, or considering switching letting agency we explain here how to choose the best Letting Agent in Edinburgh for you when letting out your property.

So, how do you choose the best Letting Agent in Edinburgh? It can feel daunting deciding between several different agencies all promising different things and perhaps even managing the property yourself. If you are deciding between using an Edinburgh letting agency and self-managing, check out our Landlord FAQ section which answers some of the most typical questions which landlords ask when choosing a letting agent to manage their property.

Below we outline the most important questions you should ask when deciding which is the best letting agent for you in Edinburgh, with the aim of making your choice easier.

 

 

How Do Charges Vary Between Agents?

Edinburgh letting agencies all charge differently. Generally, an Edinburgh letting agent will charge a percentage fee of the monthly rent collected, but many letting agencies in the city also charge ongoing and often 'hidden fees'. For example, some of our competitors charge extra for arranging a works order, or carrying out an inspection. Make sure you know what will be charged before placing your property with an agent. Read the Terms of Business and check the fees page (this should be clear and unambiguous) so you know what is included within your agreed percentage management fee.

Also check when fees will be applied. At Cullen Property, if for some reason we can't find tenants for your property or don’t receive rent on time (rare!) we can’t be paid either. Therefore, it is in our best interests to do right by both landlords and tenants and ensure that properties are let and managed well, so that our tenants’ experience is the best it can be. Happy tenants means happy landlords!

 

 

Are There Any Hidden Fees?

It’s definitely worth asking about extras, as these can reduce your income unexpectedly, so make sure you are fully aware of additional charges over and above the monthly management fee. Check what these are and how often they are billed – for example, is there an annual fee, or a fee for new tenants? How much will be charged for drawing up leases, processing deposits, preparing inventories etc? Are events such as viewings, inventories, checkouts etc sub-contracted and charged for above and beyond the normal management fee?

What about maintenance and repairs? How are those charges calculated and do you have to use their contractors?

At Cullen Property, there are no hidden fees whatsoever, which means you can move forward with confidence knowing that there is full transparency about what is being charged and when.

In fact, our no hidden fees, all-inclusive pricing goes one step further. When letting with Cullen Property, our fair management fee is deducted from rent when it is received from tenants, and before it is sent to your bank account from the client account. In short, what is sent to your account is 100% yours and leaves you with nothing to worry about!

 

 

What Is Their Approach To Customer Service?

Are they hands-on or hands-off? Are they easy to reach or rather distant? Do they check-in frequently or do they rarely get in touch? Most importantly, what are your preferences and does their approach match?

At Cullen Property, we believe that property management, by its very nature, is hands-on. We seek to match that with our approach to customer service too! Our unique trio teams assigned to each client (Property Manager, Contracts Manager and Client Accounts Manager) keep in regular contact with each other and indeed you, the landlord. We approach managing your property with the same care and attention to detail that we would if we were managing our own property.

We want to know you, your property and your tenants well, so when you contact us, you know who you’re talking to, and we already know what you wish to talk about!

All that said, we are fully flexible when it comes to your individual communication preferences, and will always be hands-on with your property, and acting in your best interests by providing a fantastic service to you, and your tenants!

 

 

Do They Go Above And Beyond For Their Clients?

You’d rightly expect the best letting agencies in Edinburgh to have various ‘success stories’ to exhibit how they’ve gone ‘above and beyond’ expectations when discussing their services with potential landlords.

At Cullen Property, we have many. In fact, over 98% of our landlords stated that they are happy with the level of service they receive, would recommend us to other landlords, and believe we offer fantastic value for money. To hear some of our success stories, simply contact us and we will happily give you a few examples. Or simply take a look at our 260+ Google reviews with an average 4.6 out of 5.0 rating!

At Cullen Property, our reviews are 100% authentic, and we are proud of the fact we are one of the highest rated Letting Agents in Edinburgh. We feel that the abundance of 5-star reviews that we receive from happy tenants and landlords who describe their positive experiences and often name their points of contact at Cullen Property proves our unique approach to providing high levels of personalised service for both types of customers.

 

 

Are They Forward Planners Or Just Reactive?

A big part of successful property management is about forward planning and dealing with new and potential legislation. It also means constantly evaluating the property and being acutely aware of market forces and being able to be pro-active.

At Cullen Property, we’re always thinking about how we can help your property perform to its maximum potential, for your benefit.

We pay close attention to Government policy and proposed changes to regulations and legislation and keep our clients informed. 

We’ll provide advice on any changes that we believe are necessary to ensure that our landlords’ properties comply with the latest requirements, and will manage the implementation as required.

Our landlords like our proactive approach when making recommendations for property development and improvements as it means we can ensure that the quality of their properties remains high, tenants want to stay, and landlords continue to receive market-leading rent in line with that quality. Our 99% occupancy rate and 60% retention rate for tenants in 2023 show that this approach works well.

In short, a good agent will be pro-active, engaging, informative and be able to engender that sense of trust to you as the client, so you can enjoy ‘stress-free ownership’.  Letting your property to someone to use as their home is a serious undertaking, and it needs to be well managed and operated on your behalf. The best approach to dealing with problems is by avoiding them in the first place, so it’s worthwhile taking time to ensure that whichever Edinburgh letting agent you choose is of the same mindset.

 

 

Do They Have Specialist Local Knowledge?

Edinburgh’s letting market is one-of-a-kind in comparison to other villages, towns and cities around the UK. In fact, it’s so distinctive that we believe it requires specialist, local, expert knowledge to operate within it well!

With over 30 years of industry experience within the city, our savvy team would consider themselves pretty clued up on the unique problems that properties and their owners can face. With four world-class universities, Edinburgh has a very large, and growing, transient student population. As well as being market leading letting agents for one and two bedroom properties and family flats and houses, we are also specialists in HMO student letting.  We have the best student letting reputation in the city, earned over 25 years of delivering a good, caring and respectful service to student tenants.

 

 

Are They A Registered Letting Agent?

With heightened regulatory requirements and an ever-changing letting legislation landscape, finding a letting agency that is registered through ARLA is extremely important.

ARLA Propertymark is a voluntary scheme which demonstrates that your agent is trustworthy, operates transparently and is committed to providing a high standard of service. It gives clients peace of mind that their money is protected and complaints are dealt with properly if anything goes wrong. Propertymark agents have relevant qualifications that have to be kept up to date to guarantee that they understand recent legislative changes and current best practice.

This is perhaps the most important question to ask when looking for the best letting agent in Edinburgh. If they can’t demonstrate a professional commitment to regulatory compliance, we would strongly suggest you consider a different option!

 

How To Choose The Best Letting Agent For You

Do your homework. Talk to the different ones you are considering. Ask for references – a good agent will happily provide several. Read the Term and Conditions in detail and ask as many questions as you like.

If you are then comfortable with the answers to all of these questions then you have probably found the best letting agent for you! It’s important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all agency, and all landlords have a different set of criteria when deciding who the best letting agent in Edinburgh is for them.

However, if you would like to enquire about our Edinburgh Letting Agency services, please feel free to click the ‘free rental valuation’ at the top of the screen to receive a free and instant rental appraisal of your property and we will get in touch with you, or contact us to discuss your unique needs as an Edinburgh landlord.  Our valuation and initial advice is all free and without obligation so we’re always delighted to chat to potential new clients about their needs and plans for their property.