Questions and answers

Nothing. A market appraisal is free and you are under no obligation to instruct us afterwards. We visit the property, look at what has sold nearby and tell you the price we would put it on at and why.

A valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), proof of your identity and address for the anti-money-laundering checks every estate agent must carry out, and proof that you own the property. If your EPC has expired we can arrange a new one.

It depends on the price, the property and the chain. Finding a buyer is usually the quicker part. The legal work after an offer is accepted commonly takes around three months, and longer if the chain is complicated. Pricing correctly on day one is what shortens it most.

Our sales fee is 1% of the sale price, confirmed in writing before you commit to anything. You will also need to budget for a solicitor or conveyancer and, if you do not have a valid one, an EPC.

No. We accompany viewings, so you do not need to take time off work or show strangers round your home yourself.

At minimum: a gas safety certificate renewed every year if there is gas, an electrical installation condition report (EICR) no more than five years old, an EPC rated E or above unless exempt, working smoke alarms on every storey, carbon monoxide alarms in rooms with a fixed combustion appliance, and the tenant’s deposit protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days. Some shared houses also need a licence from Luton Council. We check all of this with you before a tenant moves in.

With let only we find and reference the tenant and set up the tenancy, then you manage it yourself. With full management we also collect the rent, deal with repairs, carry out inspections and keep the safety certificates in date, so the tenant calls us and not you.

A fixed monthly payment to you for an agreed term, whether or not the property is occupied and whether or not the occupier has paid. In exchange the figure is normally below the full market rent. Our guide compares it with managed lettings.

Every applicant is referenced before a tenancy is offered. That covers identity and right to rent, income and employment, and previous landlord references where there are any. You see the result and you make the final decision.

Full management is 10% of the rent. The market rental appraisal is free, and the terms are given to you in writing before you sign anything. Guaranteed rent, company lets and long-term leases work differently: you receive an agreed fixed figure instead.

Photo ID and proof of your right to rent in the UK, proof of income such as payslips or an employment contract, and details for a previous landlord if you have one. Having these ready is the quickest way to secure a property you like.

Agents in England cannot charge tenants for viewings, referencing or administration. You pay the rent and a refundable tenancy deposit, which is capped by law at five weeks’ rent where the annual rent is under £50,000. A refundable holding deposit of up to one week’s rent can be taken to reserve a property.

Join the tenant register. Tell us the area, size and budget you are looking for and we will call you when something suitable comes in, often before it is advertised anywhere else. We let rooms, studio flats, one bedroom flats, two and three bedroom flats and houses, and four and five bedroom homes.

Yes. Tenancy deposits have to be protected in a government-approved scheme and you must be told which one within 30 days of paying.