Posted: 10th December 2013

A Review Of The Lettings Market

We started letting houses in the mid 1990’s and since then every year has broken records in the number of properties successfully let. 2013 has been no exception with the figures being 20% up on the previous year. With the fast paced nature of the lettings market tenants have to act quickly and quite often this year we have seen three to four families after one property which inevitably leads to higher rental returns! 

For investors with available capital, now is a good time to invest in the Buy to Let market. There are some exceptional deals around on properties in prime rental areas as you can see from our ‘Top Ten investment opportunities’ each month! Rental values remain steady with demand outstripping supply means there is great potential for generating good yields if you invest wisely!  Because we work so well alongside our Residential Sales team we have helped some investors achieve yields in excess of 6%! In the UK, one in every six properties is now let in the private sector, now more than ever there is a need to regulate the lettings industry therefore there will be a number of new regulations set to be introduced in 2014.

Since landlords now have to pay Council Tax when a property falls empty the need to have longer term tenants is now more important than ever. One question tenants now ask more than ever is - ‘Is the landlord intending on selling in 6 Months?’  Tenants are seeking security, which, for investment landlords is good news! We have noticed the average time our tenants are staying in our managed properties is now just short of two years which is of course much better than having new tenants every 6 months!  Interestingly 60% of the lets we have arranged during 2013 has been to tenants who are currently renting, for many they are moving due to owners wanting their property back.

During 2013 we have put a lot of work into new helpful literature to make sure our landlords and tenants are kept up to date and fully advised at all times. 2013 has seen the introduction of a new ‘Tenant Handbook’ 43 pages packed with vital information we feel tenants need in order to look after a property to the best of their ability - these are given out at every signing, We have also introduced a monthly newsletter to keep new and existing landlords/tenants up to date with legislation and to get a better insight into our world of Lettings, we have also assigned Account Managers for all our landlords who we manage properties for,  so now you can speak to one person in our property management department - which has proved to be a worthwhile change.

Our aim for 2014 is to have all our staff working within the department fully qualified with a recognised industry qualification. We are pleased to say that already over half our staff have passed the National Federation of Property Professionals (NFOPP) Technical Award in Residential Letting and Property Management. As members of the Association of Residential Letting Agents we are licenced agents, so peace of mind that all tenancies are handled with upmost professionalism.

Finally I would like to wish everyone all the best for the festive season and the year ahead. Thank you all for your business and continued support.

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I would definitely recommend Barbers. Their staff are very helpful, reassuring, have all the answers to your queries, keep you advised throughout the transaction and extremely professional. They...
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Very prompt, efficient service. Property particulars and photographs led to a very quick sale. Mrs D - January 2020
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Property was well valued. All the staff were knowledgeable, polite and friendly .They knew their market and made selling our house a stress-free event . We would certainly not hesitate to use them...
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Barbers of Market Drayton are a great team of proactive professionals. Selling and buying properties can be extremely stressful in the wrong hands but the team at Market Drayton really do go out...
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I ask you to pass on my very grateful thanks to you all for making it look easy to sell a home and then buy another. That takes a bit of skill. And all done with cheerfulness and...
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Could we also just add that your accompanied viewer (Suzanne) Is marvellous. This is the second time we have viewed with her and she's a credit to Barbers Estate Agent. She's very welcoming and...
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Super helpful, efficient and experienced team. Very impressed with their service and approach. Mr & Mrs H - May 2019
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Barbers have provided an excellent service, they have been very efficient. I was more than happy with the way my property was marketed, they gave useful advice and all comments from viewers were...
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They sold the property very quickly and dealt with my and the buyer's concerns in a very efficient and professional manner. They are always helpful and responsive. One of the reasons for choosing...
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Excellent service from Barbers - both a purchaser and a seller. Very clear communication; all staff are friendly, helpful, have a good sense of humour and willing to give 100%. I wouldn’t...
Excellent service from Barbers

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I found Barbers, pleasant efficient helpful and proactive. All staff were excellent all aspects of the service was explained to me and showed staff showed empathy as it was a stressful time for...
Pleasant, efficient, helpful and proactive.

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  Barbers restored my faith in estate agents. T hey arranged all the viewings, rang with feedback & recommended tradesmen when needed. When I needed advice not always related to...
They restored my faith in estate agents.

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  Excellent Service!! A* Team. Very friendly and dedicated to their jobs. Julie Armstrong went above and beyond and deserves a medal. Brilliant at what they do and I absolutely love my new...
Excellent Service!! A* Team

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Thank you all so much for overseeing the sale of our house and also helping me find a new, temporary place to live! Your efficiency, friendliness, professionalism, reassurance and kindness has...
Mrs Hadebe

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This was the best decision I ever made. Jess was amazing and patient with me. Everything was clear and pain free. I would use this service again - highly recommended. Miss Cox – Vendor...
Modern Auction Method

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The Barbers team at the Wellington branch are polite and friendly. They kept me informed and responded to queries quickly and coherently. Their behaviour was exemplary and I felt reflected the...
To treat everyone as you would expect to be treated yourself

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Thank you for all your help and patience. You have made the moving process a lot less stressful for us. Ms H, Shrewsbury
Thank you for all your help and patience

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The agent did accompanied viewings as the property was empty and being disposed of by relatives after probate. They liaised and negotiated well with me and the vendor, and provided support and...
The agent did accompanied viewings as the property was empty

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No hassle, Barbers were fantastic. Will use again should I ever move. Listed in The Property Ombudsman Survey for Barbers Wellington/Telford Branch
No hassle, Barbers were fantastic

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The service was very good. We would recommend them to others. Listed in The Property Ombudsman Survey for Barbers Wellington/Telford Branch
The service was very good.

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Initial contact professional and fully understanding of our needs. Always available and acquainted with the ever changing services. Good team effort from all those involved in the transaction....
Initial contact professional and fully understanding of our needs

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Information was accurate. Guarantees about seller leaving property by a deadline I was working to were met. Trouble free purchase. Listed in The Property Ombudsman Survey for Barbers...
Information was accurate.

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Very friendly efficient staff who kept us up to date with any development. Listed in The Property Ombudsman Survey for Barbers Wellington/Telford Branch
Very friendly efficient staff

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I am just e-mailing you to thank you for the incredibly smooth transaction of letting our new rural cottage in South Shropshire. To enable our move you have also found us an excellent tenant for...
I am just e-mailing you to thank you for the incredibly smooth transaction of letting our new rural cottage in South Shropshire. To enable our move you have also found us an excellent tenant for our own property in Wem. From the moment we saw our cottage

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We are very pleased with the prompt and efficient manor you and your team, helped to prepare Keeper's Cottage for letting again, and finding suitable tenants for the property, within two weeks of...
We are very pleased with the prompt and efficient manor

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Thank-you for seeing us through our roller coaster move to Market Drayton, at times we wondered if we would even make it. Thank-you for your patience and efforts on our behalf and thanks to all of...
Thank-you for seeing us through

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Barbers were very efficient and despite the market conditions it took only 5 weeks to sell our property. We would use them in the future (if we ever move again!) Listed in The Property...
Barbers were very efficient

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Very helpful and friendly did their best to market the property and provided a lot of viewers. Always kept me in touch. Karen was very efficient approachable and charming. Listed in The...
Very helpful and friendly

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All the staff at Barbers were all fantastic in their approach to our sale. We cannot thank them enough. They went beyond our expectations and we would not hesitate in contacting them again when...
All the staff at Barbers were all fantastic

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Karen was my contact @ Barbers, Newport. So helpful, friendly & efficient. Nothing too much trouble. What as asset to a company! Listed in The Property Ombudsman Survey for Barbers...
Karen was my contact @ Barbers, Newport

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Very satisfied with Barbers service over whole sale process. Listed in The Property Ombudsman Survey for Barbers Market Drayton Branch
Very satisfied with Barbers service

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We would use this company again & would be happy to recommend them to friends. Listed in The Property Ombudsman Survey for Barbers Newport Branch
We would use this company again

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I would say that Barbers, Market Drayton were very helpful, approachable and much mofe efficient than some estate agents I’ve dealt with in the past. Listed in The Property Ombudsman...
I would say that Barbers, Market Drayton were very helpful

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Barbers were instrumental in assisting progress of our sale and purchase and preserving the chain for which we were grateful. Listed in The Property Ombudsman Survey for Barbers Newport...
Barbers were instrumental in assisting

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To you both, we so appreciate all the help and support you have given us. We’d never have lasted the course without you. Our very best wishes. Mr and Mrs R, Shrewsbury
To you both, we so appreciate all the help and support!

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thanks for efforts holly cottage

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To Mark, Sarah and Trine, Thank you for all you’ve done with selling the house and securing our rental property. Mr and Mrs S , Whitchurch
sale and rental

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Thank you - I have to say Barbers has been one of the best estate agents I have dealt with.  Ms A, Whitchurch
Thank you - I have to say Barbers has been one of the best estate agents I have dealt with

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Thanks for everything, you all have made our dreams come true, we feel like we have won the lottery. Mr & Mrs R, Shrewsbury
dreams come true

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Dear Trine, A big thank you Trine for all your help last year throughout our “moves”. We’ve just unpacked now and feeling settled in our new home, which we are all very pleased...
Trine a big thank you

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To all of the staff at Barbers. Thank you for all your help & kindness in selling my mother’s house. We were very grateful to you all. Mr & Mrs P, Shrewsbury
Thank you for your kindness

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To Sophie, Julie and all the Lettings team, we are over the moon with the excellent service we have received in letting our property; it is such a weight off our mind. Our only regret is that we...
Lettings excellent service

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Jayne- May I thank you for your advice, efficiency and professionalism throughout the matter. I have dealt with many agents during my 40 year legal career, and the service Barbers provided was...
I thank you for your advice

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To all the team at Barbers. Many thanks for all your efforts over the past couple of years. Mr & Mrs J, Whitchurch
Many thanks for all your efforts

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Thank- you for everything you have done, you have been amazing. Mr and Mrs A, Market Drayton
Thank- you for everything you have done

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To all the staff at Barbers- Many thanks for your kind and professional help during the duration of this nail-biting and difficult sale. Many Thanks. Mr and Mrs O, Shrewsbury
To all the staff

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Just a short letter to thank you all so much for your help and support in the sale of our property. The professionalism and help has been first class at all times from all of our dealings with...
Just a short letter

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Thank you for everything you've done and for giving a little of yourself. Thank you. Market Drayton
Thank you for everything

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To everyone at Barbers, Thank you for all your help. Mr & Mrs B, Market Drayton
To everyone at Barbers, Thank you for all your help.
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