Consider this, not any old stranger would be allowed to stay over in your spare room. So why treat your rental property any differently? At the end of the day, a buy-to-let property can be an investment that you need to protect, so think carefully before giving the keys to tenants to your home.

Finding tenants with good references is always advised. Securing good references may appear like common sense, but be sure that you (or your broker) get your potential renters referenced precisely.

Most agents likely use professional referencing organizations, which undertake checks such as credit reports, preceding landlord references and employment references. If you secure such a service such as this on each renter, then you can be much more certain that they are going to take care of your home and pay their rent. Search the web for the names of big referencing businesses or talk to a lettings broker. read more »