How to make more money from your buy-to-let property

This article was featured in The Chichester Observer's property section on 22nd January 2015.

To achieve the best return from your buy-to-let property, it is crucial to maximise the amount of rent you receive throughout the year.

This doesn’t, however, automatically mean charging as much rent as you think you can get away with.

The most successful landlords understand the greater importance of minimising the time their property is vacant and maximising the chances their tenants will stay as long as possible, whilst consistently paying them rent.

That’s why I advocate advertising your property at a realistic rent, perhaps slightly lower than what you “might” be able to achieve.

Many landlords fall down on this when receiving two rental valuations: for example, one at £1,000pcm and another at £1,050pcm. They assume they should advertise the property for the higher figure, thus receiving an extra £50 per month (£600 per year), to “maximise their income”.

Except, Home.co.uk indicates that advertising a property for rent in Chichester at £500-£1,000pcm takes 53 days to move-in a tenant, whereas at £1,000-£2,000pcm it takes 73 days. Those 20 additional days would cost the landlord £658 in non-rent!

Plus there’s the security risk of having a vacant property, along with the utility bills and council tax to pay (there are no empty property exemptions from the council anymore!)

Furthermore, you are likely to have a greater number of potential tenants wanting to rent the property at the lower figure. This means you can ‘cherry-pick’ the best of the bunch, increasing the likelihood they will look after the property and pay their rent.

Meanwhile, those tenants will be happier to stay longer in a property that is well-priced, as opposed to keeping an eye out for something that might offer them better value for money.

All businesses know it is more cost-effective to look after and retain a current customer, rather than having to go out and seek new ones. Buy-to-let is no different; tenants should be treated as your (highly paying) star customers.

There is of course a balancing act in all of this, but understanding the numbers and managing the property both professionally and pro-actively will pay dividends in the long-run.

Upon moving out, a previous tenant of mine said he had been thinking of leaving the year before but “you looked after me so well I thought I might as well stay”. That was one extra year’s rent I received from my reliable tenant before I had to endure the cost and time involved in re-advertising, experiencing a void period and moving new, unknown, tenants into the property.

If you would like an honest rental appraisal of your property, which takes in to account all of the factors that provide the best overall return, please get in touch.

Clive Janes, CRJ Lettings

www.crjlettings.co.uk

01243 624 599 / clive@crjlettings.co.uk

___________________________________

If you are looking for an agent that is well-established, professional and communicative in Chichester, then contact us to find out how we can get the best out of your investment property.

E-mail me on clive@crjlettings.co.uk or call 01243 624 599.

Don't forget to visit the links below to view my previous buy-to-let deals and Chichester Property News articles:

Follow The Buy-To-Let Property Investment Market in Chichester

Chichester Property Market LinkedIn Page for Clive Janes

CRJ Letting Agents Chichester Facebook Page

CRJ Letting Agents Chichester Twitter Page

Chichester Investment Property Management Specialist CRJ Letting Agents Website

c/o CRJ Lettings, 30B Southgate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1DP

__________________________________