For those in ownership of properties with the intention of letting to students, there are essentially two ways of going about the process. The standard – or some might call ‘old-fashioned’ – way is to manually list and promote the property, pretty much taking care of the process personally from start to finish.  The alternative option – which some would say is in fact the new standard – is that of hiring a student accommodation agency to take care of everything online.

Now, on the surface it can appear as though there’s not a great deal to be gained by hiring others to do a job you can technically do yourself. But when taking into account the incredible advantages of working with student accommodation agencies, it’s hardly surprising that the vast majority of landlords are doing exactly that.

So whether it’s shared student accommodation in St Andrews  or private student apartments on the other side of the country, what follows is a quick overview of just some of the key benefits of working with quality online student accommodation agencies:

1 – Incredible Ease

First and foremost, there’s really no disputing the fact that the process of listing and letting student accommodation isn’t particularly easy. Trying to get the property in front of the right people in the first place can be quite the job, let alone sorting out all of the administrative essentials and so on. With the help of an agency however, all such considerations become somewhat null and void as the accommodation agency itself takes over. And while all such services may not be offered entirely free of charge, it will usually work out considerably cheaper than the associated expenses of the manual approach.

2 – The Biggest Tenant Markets

Another of the biggest benefits of advertising properties through an agency is the way in which it ensures that the properties in question are given as much exposure as possible. And it’s not only the level of exposure they are given, but also the way in which they are presented in front of very specifically targeted tenant markets. These are the agencies that know exactly how to present your property to exactly the kinds of tenants you’re looking for, thus significantly increasing the likelihood of a quality letting process. When it comes to avoiding vacant inventory and ensuring that properties are let the whole year-round, there’s really no better approach than working with professional agencies.

3 – The Total Service Package

More often than not, the primary point of appeal for so many landlords is the way in which working with an accommodation agency means gaining access to a comprehensive package of services. Things don’t begin and end with the letting of the property as there will always be various things to address along the way. From dealing with the rent collection to essential maintenance to emergency repairs to questions to queries and so on, these are all the kinds of things that can be directed at and handled by agencies on behalf of the landlord.  Suffice to say that in the instances of those with multiple properties, the services of quality accommodation agencies can be worth their weight in gold.

4 – Outstanding Affordability

As already mentioned, it’s not as if these kinds of agencies are realistically able to offer their services 100% free of charge. But at the same time, when you consider what you’re getting out of the deal for the comparatively low price paid, value for money is simply off the scale. First of all, it’s important to remember that working with an agency can help ensure that the property both remains in use for the whole year-round and for the very best price. Statistically speaking, working with an agency also reduces the likelihood of missed payments and general rent arrears, once again bolstering revenues and income.  And when considering the fact that time doesn’t grow on trees, the amount of time saved by working with agencies compared to handling things manually is in its own right a quite monumental saving.

5 – Flexibility

Last but not least one more key argument for at least giving a student accommodation agency a try as a landlord is the way in which there is essentially nothing to lose.  First of all, it generally isn’t necessary to sign up for extensive and binding contracts – trail periods are almost always available.  Secondly, there’s always the option of continuing the manual approach alongside agency partnerships, simply to get a firsthand idea of the real benefits on offer. And of course, the fact that you can always go back to the old-fashioned way of doing things at any time without necessarily facing any heavy penalties makes it an option that’s absolutely worth considering and trying out.