The landlord's guide to letting property in Crouch End

Letting a property in Crouch End is rarely difficult. Letting it well — quickly, at the right rent, to tenants who stay — comes down to decisions made before the first viewing.

Start with price. The rent that matters is what comparable properties have recently let for, not what similar properties are currently advertised at. Asking prices tell you what landlords hope for; achieved rents tell you what tenants agreed to. A property priced a little above the market spends weeks empty, and empty weeks cost more than the difference.

Then presentation. Period conversions make up much of the local stock, and tenants viewing them notice the same things: whether the kitchen works for cooking, whether there is anywhere to put things, whether the heating looks like it will cope with a cold flat in January. Fresh paint and a properly cleaned bathroom do more than a new worktop.

Be ready before you market. A property that is still being finished during viewings shows badly and slips down the list of an applicant considering three others. Get the certificates, safety checks and paperwork in order first, so that when a good applicant appears you can move at their pace rather than yours.

Reference thoroughly, and don't skip the previous landlord. Employment and affordability checks tell you whether someone can pay. A previous landlord tells you what they were like to deal with.

Finally, the first fortnight. Most tenancies that go wrong go wrong early: something doesn't work, nobody responds, and goodwill drains away. Deal with the small snags in the first two weeks and you'll usually spend the rest of the tenancy hearing very little.

If you'd like a view on your own property, call our Crouch End office on 020 8202 7686 and we'll give you an honest one.