A Short Guide on Letting Your Portobello Flat
Being located just three miles to the east of Edinburgh’s city centre, Portobello is a popular tourist suburb of the city. Historically, Portobello was a town in its own right but today it is actually a suburb of Edinburgh and thus would be considered more of a neighbourhood than a town. Because of the fantastic ocean views and miles of coastline visible any time of year, flats in Portobello are in great demand. What better life could there be than living in a suburb so near to a major metropolitan area but with a seaside resort kind of atmosphere that can help you transcend the drudgery of a long and gruelling work week? For this reason and so many more, anyone looking to let their flats safely and securely might want to look at a few key points to be aware of.
Why Portobello Is a Prime Area for Lettings
One thing that is a key ‘selling’ point when reaching out to potential tenants is the fact that just a few years ago, Portobello was named a “Best Neighbourhood in the UK and Ireland” at the 2020 Urbanism Awards in London. Since that time, it has lived up to its well-deserved reputation that honoured the neighbourhood with an award such as that.
With one of the best beaches in the UK for visitors and residents alike and a wide assortment of shops and restaurants along that strip, there is always something to see and do. While winters can be a ‘little’ cold for beachgoing, there are still those who love to walk the shore to see the sea birds in flight and landing along the beach. With such a prestigious award as this, UpperKey can help you let your flat to tenants we feel would be best suited to your property.
A Look at Some Key Ways to Let Flats
As the owner of the flat, you can always post adverts and then do your own due diligence in checking out the references of anyone submitting a rental application. However, it should be known right up front that there is a massive amount of work to be done with each and every applicant, so it could be weeks, if not longer, before you found a suitable person or family to let your flat out to.
Then there are property management companies that take on that part of the process for you. They will almost always collect the rent, taking their ‘cut’ before passing on your rent to you. Many of these property management companies Portobello has registered will also offer maintenance and general upkeep services as well.
Then there’s UpperKey and our focus is above and beyond all of the above. We will agree a price with you and will ultimately be your tenants. From there, we will let out your flat to renters who have been thoroughly vetted. They make rental payments directly to us, but you are not involved in that process at all. Whether we’ve sub-let the flat or it lies vacant, you will still collect your rent because we are your tenants.
UpperKey is a Portobello property management company with a different approach than any other property management Portobello has to offer. This is why so many property owners like to work with us. Whether or not the flat is rented, they still get their agreed upon rent and so there is no risk of months without being paid.
Seeking the Right Tenants for Your Flat
Since UpperKey does all the advertising for potential renters, we aim to target the audience most suitable for each and every flat. With Portobello being a suburb of Edinburgh, we can literally place any demographic you have in mind. If you feel most comfortable with business professionals in your property, then that’s the market we will go after.
Some property owners like to cater to an older crowd because they are more likely to stay for the entirety of the lease and most will often stay longer than that. However, with that said, there are laws against discrimination and sometimes it’s like walking a fine line. You cannot rule out people with different ethnic backgrounds because that is discrimination and among the easiest forms to identify.
Sometimes, landlords frown upon families with children but here you are getting into a slippery slope as well. Since there are so many variables, it takes but one complaint to have you in court with a legal team at your defence. It really is better to work with a Portobello property management and protection team that understand the various nuances of the law. We can find suitable tenants without breaking any anti-discrimination rules and regulations. That can be a vital difference, saving you time and money finding the right tenants.
No Need to Choose Between Short- and Long-Term Leases
Since Portobello is a seaside resort area, there is another consideration when seeking ways to let your flat. Above we discussed the options for property management but then there’s the option for going with long- or short-term lettings. It goes without saying that letting a flat through Airbnb can bring in much higher rates but with those rates come much more work in between occupancies. There is always the cleaning and sanitising before the next group of guests arrive, so unless you live close and have time to spend diligently preparing the flat, it can become more bother than it’s worth.
A Portobello property management team has maintenance and cleaning crews on staff at all times so they would probably be the best option for managing that kind of property. With that said, it’s something to discuss with us at UpperKey because we want you to be satisfied with the way in which we manage and let your flat. We have what it takes to advertise, prepare and let your flat without ever worrying about being paid. We are the tenants so you can be assured your flat will be let in the way you are most comfortable with and that you will be paid as per a contractual agreement. It’s a win-win for everyone.