Lets Talk with Citylets Podcast Our very own Angela Watt enjoyed meeting with Gillian from Citylets to talk all things property and to contribute to the fantastic podcasts published regularly by the Citylets team. Angela was anxious about the interview, but Gillian proved great at calming the nerves and the interview itself felt more like a friendly chat over coffee than anything else! In amongst all the chat, we talked through the changes being brought in to the Repairing Standards Act in March 2024 and in particular the legislation relating to lead in drinking water and how landlords are go ..read more

Landlords we need you! The current demand for rental property in Edinburgh and the Lothians is extremely high and many are finding it difficult to find accommodation. If you have a property that is currently vacant, or you have considered letting then we would be delighted to hear from you. We are able to carry out refurbishment, where required before let, and are aware this has become an issue for many as good contractors have extremely long lead times just now. We are also aware that the new legislation coming in is putting a lot of potential landlords off placing their property on the marke ..read more

What to look for from a Letting Agent…… Property Management can encompass a wide range of services from ensuring that the property complies with legislation, to finding tenants and signing lease documentation, to the day-to-day management of the property. It is important that you give thought to the services you require from a managing agent before you decide which one is best for you. We have prepared our top tips on finding your Letting Agent below. On arranging your Rental Appraisal appointment, you should consider the following; How did you hear about them and are they easy to find online ..read more

We are aware that tenants are struggling to find accommodation just now and we have concerns that they are taking anything even if it is not really what they are looking for just to have somewhere to stay. What is the best way to proceed? We would recommend phoning for appointments instead of emailing as we are receiving so many emails we are unable to respond to them all.  Last weekend we came back to 389 emails for two flats. We also suggest you listen to the instructions given carefully.  Our policy is to ask that viewings are confirmed by potential tenants one hour before the v ..read more

Industry News Citylets Quarterly Report Changes to the Repairing Standard – Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 Changes to EPC Regulations Scottish Government – Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Act 2022 Shared Repairs and the Tenement (Scotland) Act 2004 Landlords living abroad – NON-UK RESIDENT LANDLORDS Citylets – Quarterly Report Citylets most recent quarterly report can be found by clicking on the undernoted link. This report confirms what Scottish Agents have been experiencing during the first quarter of 2023 where the demand for rental properties is heavily outweighing the supply ..read more

Our Guide to Modernising & Refurbishing your Property Modernising, or refurbishing, a property can be a great way for landlords to attract tenants, increase rental income and improve the overall value of their investment. We’ve put together a step-by-step guide to help you with the process; Set your goals: Consider what you want to achieve with the refurbishment project. Is the purpose to target a specific type of tenant?  Do you want to achieve a higher rental income?  Once you know your goals, it will help you make those informed decisions throughout the process. Independent ..read more

5 Ways to better present your property for viewings Are you struggling to secure new tenants for your property? Quite often this can be down to the presentation of your property, either in the marketing photographs, or how the property is presented for viewings. We’ve put together a list of tips on how to better present your property for viewing; Clean & Tidy - minimalist Lounge with splash of colour Adding bedding improves presentation Splash of colour with bedding & cushions Sneak peak of garden area welcoming neighbourhood - park nearby Photo time ..read more

As a finalist in the Scottish Home Awards for Residential Letting Team of the Year, we are absolutely thrilled to have our hard work and dedication recognised by such a prestigious event.  The Scottish Home Awards are a celebration of excellence in the Scottish housing industry, and being named a finalist is a true honour. Our team is passionate about not only helping clients secure a rental income from their investment properties, but also about helping people find their perfect home and we pride ourselves in providing a high-quality, professional service to all our clients.  We b ..read more

When should I think about redecorating and making improvements in my rental property? As an experienced Letting Agency, Watt Property, aim to give as much advice to our landlords as we can on all matters relating to their rental properties.  Many of our clients have rented out their properties for a long period of time, be it to a long-term tenant or across many tenancies over a number of years. The Tenancy Deposit Scheme intimate that property owners should expect a certain lifespan out of furniture, appliances and decoration within their properties and when we carry out our routine insp ..read more

Tenancy Agreements In Scotland a tenancy agreement is often referred to as a lease. A lease provides what is legally known as a ‘real right’. This means that the lease bestows rights to the tenant that are inherent in law and are much stronger than a contract. As a result the tenant may have stronger rights to live in the property than the owner’s right to use or sell the property. It should therefore be remembered that the tenants will have rights in addition to the ones set out in any written tenancy agreement. However, there are types of lease that provide a balance between the tenant’s r ..read more