Documents & Guides

These documents and guides are provided free of charge. We can’t guarantee they’ll be suitable for your specific purpose, so please read through them carefully and seek professional advice if you’re not sure.

Documents

Deposit Release Process

Before starting the deposit repayment process, you should: Complete the tenant’s check out Establish whether you need to make a claim against the deposit Discuss the claim with the tenants If we have protected the deposit for you, when you are ready, please email accounts@theonlinelettingagents.co.uk to confirm whether you are happy for us to release…

How to Increase your Tenant’s Rent

We’ve seen an unprecedented rise in rents in the past year or so, and with landlord’s costs escalating, many are considering increasing their rents. Before you approach your tenants about increasing their rent, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, you should prepare yourself that your tenant may choose to serve notice rather than…

Photo Enhancement

Photo enhancement is an instant, low cost, way to give your images the look and feel of professional photography. We can add blue sky, brighten colours and contrast, sharpen edges, remove unwanted objects, and more. Order your photo enhancement now by clicking here! Blue sky and colour enhancement: Adjust brightness and shadows: Object removal:  

How to make a video tour for your property advert

Video tours are an invaluable way to show prospective tenants your property, without the requirement for a physical viewing. They have become popular during the Coronavirus pandemic, but are likely to continue to be popular with tenants forever after. How to create the video tour You can create a video tour quickly and easily with…

How to Create the Ultimate Property Advert

Your advert is the “shop window” for your property, and you need to make sure you’re promoting it to it’s maximum potential. It’s important to get your advert right from the start. The leading property sites email their subscribers as soon as the advert goes live, meaning that you target market receive the property details immediately….

COVID-19: Managed Landlord Advice

* Update 13th May 2021 – England Only * This page is specifically for landlords under our managed service and should be read in conjuction with our General Landlord Advice page. Guidance comes through from the Government on a regular basis and we’ll be keeping these pages updated as often as we can. All our staff…

COVID-19: General Landlord Advice

* Update 13th May 2021 – England Only * The government have released a detailed document with regards to moving home during the lockdown. You can find the government guidance for landlords and agents here, it was last updated on 12th April 2021. ******************* Using information from a number of sources including Government and trade bodies,…

How to deal with damp, mould and condensation

We get a lot of calls during the colder months with tenants saying they’ve got mould starting to appear in their property and “can the landlord fix it please”. There’s not usually any signs of it in the summer, it just starts in the colder months. Unfortunately in the large majority of cases, there’s really…

How to Conduct Viewings

Once your property is live, you should start receiving viewing requests. These will be sent to you via email and text message. What should I do when I get a viewing request? Check the email we’ve sent you as this will include additional details about the viewer. You should ensure that you are satisfied with…

Holding Deposit Template

Note: If we are not providing your tenancy agreement, you should also provide the tenant with a copy of the tenancy agreement you will be asking them to sign. Dear *** I am pleased to hear that you have completed your referencing application forms. Details of the proposed let are as follows: Rent: £*** Deposit: £***…

Holding Deposit Guidance

Holding Deposit Guidance

This document provides guidance on holding deposits taken from 1st June 2019. You’ll find an example deposit request email template at the bottom of this page. Do I need to take a holding deposit? We strongly recommend that you always take a holding deposit to ensure that your prospective tenant is serious about your property….

Tenant Fees Ban FAQ’s

Tenant Fees Ban FAQ’s

We’ve put together a few frequently asked questions about the new Tenants Fees ban coming into force 1st June 2019 (England Only at the moment). ********* When does the tenant fees ban start? Does the ban apply to all tenancies? Will tenancies I already have be affected? What can tenants be charged for? What can’t…

Your Guide to the Tenant Fees Ban

Your Guide to the Tenant Fees Ban

As you will know, from 1st June 2019 neither agents nor landlords will be able to charge tenants any fees in connection with a tenancy in England (joining Scotland where the ban is already in place, Wales will join on 1st Sep 2019). The new rules apply to all new tenancies (other than company lets and…

Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreements

A assured shorthold tenancy agreement (AST) is a contract between a landlord and tenant. It can be written or oral, and gives certain rights to each party. Both parties have rights and responsibilities that are laid out by law. The tenancy agreement can give you more than your statutory rights, but not less. If a…

New Tenancy Guide

It can be tricky to remember everything you need to do when you have a new tenancy starting. We’ve created a new tenancy checklist to help make sure you’ve got everything covered! Click here for our New Tenancy Checklist

Right to Rent Guide

*UPDATED FOR NEW LEGISLATION STARTING 1ST JULY 2021* Landlords are required by law to check that their tenant or lodger can legally rent their residential property in England. Here’s a quick guide for what you need to do. Although onerous, it’s really not difficult! You must: Check ALL tenants over the age of 18, whether…

How to photograph your property

To take a great picture of your property doesn’t require an expensive camera. Taking a bit of time to set up a good shot can make the difference between an adequate picture and a great one. Top tip: Landscape photographs display best on the property sites! A good photograph of the outside of the property…

Things to remember once you have found a tenant

Now that a new tenancy is about to start, there are a few things you need to remember to do and a few other things to bear in mind for later. Right to rent checks – You must check that all tenants over the age of 18, whether named on the tenancy agreement or not,…

How to value your property

The quick and easy way to work out how much rent you can realistically charge for your property is to take a look at what everyone else is asking. Visit one of the major property portals, such as Rightmove or PrimeLocation, and search for properties similar to your own. Be as wide in your search…

How to write a property description

A property description is made up of 2 parts: key features and property description. The key features section is your opportunity to tell potential tenants about the key selling points of your property, in a bullet point format. The property description section allows you to go in to more depth about your property. Key features…