THE RESIDENTIAL LETTING MARKET 1984 - 2004

In the 20 years since DORSET LETTINGS opened from a small farmyard office in Milton Abbas, there have been many changes in the letting market.

In the early l980's letting agents were few and far between. Outside Bournemouth and Poole, where a few established agents operated, only a sprinkling of small agencies provided a service for Dorset landlords and tenants. Country areas were particularly poorly served and very few estate agents dealt with the rental side of the market, preferring to concentrate on the more lucrative sales sector.

At this time too, would-be-landlords were often wary of horror stories of "tenants from hell" and afraid of being unable to regain possession of their property when they wanted to.

All this was to change for two major reasons. The first was the introduction of the l988 Housing Act which changed and simplified the rules regarding security of tenure and made letting a far more attractive proposition for property owners. The second was the property boom and bust of the late l980's when many home owners found themselves in financial difficulty with negative equity, unable to buy or sell and turned to renting and letting as an alternative.

At the same time parts of Dorset, particularly East Dorset, were becoming firmly established as ideal for business relocation and many found themselves moving themselves and their families to work in this area. As demand for rented accommodation grew so too did the number of letting agents many of them operating from departments in estate agency offices.

Over the years Dorset Lettings has established five more Branches, still specialising only in the letting and management of residential property and covering the whole of Dorset from their offices strategically placed in major towns with their Head Office in the Market Place in Blandford.

With the growth in the market, the entire letting procedure has become far more streamlined and sophisticated. Referencing is now quick, easy and reliable thanks to the internet and undesirable tenants are quickly "weeded out". The law is far more even-handed in dealing with both the rights of landlords and tenants and the buy to let investment market has boomed. Reputable agents now operate under the Rules of The Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) and comply with the highest ethical, business and accounting standards. Tenants Deposits are covered by a bonding scheme giving protection for both Landlord and Tenants.

Dorset Lettings East Dorset Office at 41a East Street, Wimborne are always delighted to hear from Landlords and Tenants alike and will give sound professional advice on any aspect of the now very buoyant letting market. Telephone: 01202 842248

Archive Winter 2004 | next

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