Derby Letting Agency

The City of Derby provides a flourishing background to the private property rental sector. For the average Derby letting agency, a client list of private landlords offering rental accommodation to established residents is supplemented by the demand for more temporary student accommodation generated by the ever-popular presence of the Derby University.

Landlords in Derby come from across the spectrum. Ranging from private individuals who have invested in a single property with the intention of letting it out to support finances, right through to those that hold a large multi-property portfolio. The demand for specialist third-party management from letting agencies is high as is the need for innovative client-led letting agency services. Something just a little bit …. different!

Monkey vs Owl – a progressive and versatile letting agency in Derby

At Monkey vs Owl we are lettings experts active in the property rental in Derby sector for many years. We speak to disillusioned landlords who have fallen foul of the traditional routes to property letting and management almost on a daily basis.

Many of them have experienced incompetency, high void rates, exorbitantly high fees, hidden extra costs and vague small print contractual clauses that have left them powerless not only over the fate of their properties, but also tied into end-of-tenancy contract continuation clauses and other forms of dubious practise.

Landlords tell us of their mounting suspicions that they have been charged high fees for some aspects of property management that they could easily have carried out themselves. These landlords come to us looking for something different.

A Property letting agency in Derby with a difference

Here at Monkey vs Owl we believe that landlords should have a range of options when it comes to renting out a property and the ongoing management of that property rental. Landlords that require a full management service will get a highly professional and cost-effective full-agency service.

On the other hand, we have produced a flexible system that allows landlords to choose which aspects of the rental they would like us to manage and which aspects they prefer to retain control of. But how do we do that?

The MOVO complete package

When a landlord moves across to Monkey vs Owl the first thing they notice is that we have cast aside the idea that an inflexible one-size-fits-all service is the best way forward. Instead, landlords can choose which aspects of their property rental they wish to self-mange and our online platform gives them the tools to do just that. The rest is taken care of by our flexible package of services discussed further on.

At the very heart of our system is an online platform supported by mobile Apps for landlords and tenants that keeps the communication flowing. Any device, from any location at any time of day or night is supported. Good communication is the backbone of successful property rental.

Check the table below to see how our platform enhances communication and puts all of the information needed in one easily accessible place for both landlords and their tenants.

The Monkey vs Owl Platform and mobile apps

Monkey vs Owl – our letting agency services in Derby

In addition to offering the flexibility, choice and enhanced communications provided via our platform to landlords who take our MOVO complete package, we also supply a range of traditional letting agency services. The difference between us and the competition is that the services we offer are modular. This means that landlords can pick and choose what they want without paying for services they do not.

So, let's take a closer look at what is on offer:

• Rental Valuations: Find out the level of income you could realistically expect to achieve with our valuation service.
• Tenant Finder Service: We find the best tenants for our landlords through dynamic property marketing both on and off of our rental platform aimed at your target market and backed up by public marketing events.
• Property Staging and Professional Photography: If you need your property presented in its best light and a professional photo-based marketing portfolio, we have the expertise, experience and the top photographers.
• Tenant Referencing: Let us use our experience and established procedures to thoroughly vet tenants and eliminate potential problems before they even occur
• Legal Documents: Don't let badly framed tenancy agreements, contracts, eviction notices and any other statutory or legal documentation come back to haunt you. Things might get expensive and you may even be breaking the Law. We are always on top of the latest legal requirements and our service makes everything absolutely water-tight.
• EPC & Gas Safety Certificates: We have our own team of in-house engineers certified and available to issue the safety certificates required by law. We also keep on top of when they are due for renewal.
• Repairs and Maintenance: We use in-house maintenance teams to respond to and resolve maintenance and repair issues that inevitably arise. We offer the best rates on the market and use our bulk buying power to secure trade prices on materials purchasing and equipment or furniture replacement.
• Landlord Insurance: Cover yourself for just about anything that could possibly go wrong during a tenancy. We find you top-quality insurance at the best prices going.
• Verified Landlord Scheme: We offer the opportunity to get verified with us, gain the verified landlord tick of approval to inspire that essential trust from potential tenants

Choosing the right property letting agency in Derby

Going down the path of instructing a letting agency to market and / or manage your rental property means that you have decided to off-load some of the heavy lifting involved in renting out your property and that you are prepared to pay fees as a result of that decision.

Self-managed property rental is a complex path to tread and there is no point denying that there are some pot-holes waiting to trap the unwary. Choose a bad letting agent and there is plenty of scope for things to go wrong and for the stress, anxiety and even costs to pile on.

Choosing a competent and trustworthy letting agent on the other hand, can have the opposite effect by taking a weight off your shoulders and leaving you free to concentrate on other things.

Primarily there are 2 main levels of service that you can opt for:

• A tenant finder service that proactively markets your property and possibly handles any initial paperwork legal and otherwise and then hands back management control to you. This is often negotiated on a fixed-fee basis
• A full property management service that incorporates tenant finding but also goes on to manage the day-to-day aspects of the rental. This usually means that you will be tied into a robust contract on a percentage fee basis, often with additional charges for certain situations that might arise. Particularly applicable to repairs and maintenance and tenant referencing.

At a Glance – Choosing a Lettings Agency

• Decide on an appropriate level of service that suits you
• Research local letting agents – history, satisfaction ratings, social media presence, membership of professional bodies, landlord and tenant reviews
• Compare fees – percentages, extra charges
• Check for adequate money and deposit protection schemes that are on the government-approved client money protection scheme list.
• Arrange a face-to-face meeting – clarify tenant referencing procedures, marketing strategies and future contractual arrangements

Moving forward with Monkey vs Owl

If you like what you have read here and still have questions and concerns, we would be very happy to hear from you. Whatever issue you have, we feel sure that we can provide a solution. You might also like to browse on over to our Landlord Guides. If you already let out property in the Derby area or are considering doing so, use the contact details available on the site to get in touch. Whether you own one property or several, it is time to move away from the traditional and onto a modern, dynamic and much more flexible and cost-effective way of engaging with a property letting agency in Derby.