Are you looking to sell or rent out a property? You need to make sure people know about it in order to make the sale. The most effective way to let the world know about your property is to advertise it. Here are some tips for advertising a property:

• Advertise on relevant websites. Think about using specific property listings websites. You will normally need to pay, but it is one of the quickest ways to sell as so many people using moving websites.
• Use an estate or letting agent. They will advertise the property for you on their websites and some will also put it on external sites for you, depending on the package you choose.
• Make your own website. If you are a developer or a landlord, it may benefit you commercially to have your own website for your properties. Make sure it is well designed and uses lots of aspirational photos.

Service charges are usually paid by people who own a flat with a leasehold contract within a larger block or building. These charges go toward the general upkeep and maintenance of the building, making sure it runs efficiently with contributions from all the owners and residents.

The landlord will usually be responsible for paying the service charges on a flat. Property management companies may manage the company on behalf of the landlords who own individual flats on a long lease. There may alternatively be a residents’ association run by the flat owners, who take care of maintenance and day to day running. Ultimately, whoever is the landlord of the block of flats will receive ground rent and service charges in order to look after the building.

Service charges will pay for construction work and general upkeep, like window cleaning and heating in the hallways and corridors. They will also pay for major works, like a roof replacement.

Choosing a letting agent is one of the most important things you will do. A letting agent will help to free up your time and help your property to become more profitable, making it a very important decision when you choose your letting agent. Here are some of the reasons why you may choose a certain agent:

• They have a good reputation. Letting agents will have a reputation with other local landlords. Find out what others have to say about them.
• Their fees are not extortionate. Some agents will overcharge both landlords and tenants, which could make it more difficult for them to source a tenant for you.
• They are located in a convenient place. Make sure they can get to your property easily to carry out maintenance and look into any issues.
• You can get in touch with them easily. Make sure they have emergency lines for tenants as well.

Whether you manage a property yourself or you employ an agency to manage your property for you, it’s really important that you ensure your property is inspected on a regular basis. You should probably arrange an inspection every six months to check that everything is as you would expect.

Inspections are very important for you as a landlord. They are your opportunity to look the property over and check that everything looks ok. Look for things like marks on walls, damage to appliances and general cleanliness. These are all good indications of whether your tenants are looking after your property.

Inspections are also important for your tenants, so never neglect them. They will make your tenants feel more secure and happy that you are clearly looking after their home. Make sure to ask them whether everything is ok and to sort any problems they might be having as quickly as you can.