Member Article

GFW Letting show transparency about fees is crucial

One Newcastle based law graduate turned letting agent and her team of young professionals is showing why being transparent about fees is so important in an unregulated letting industry and how a strong background in law can help agents stay ahead of the game. In recent months, the lettings industry has attracted negative press attention regarding tenant charges, which was supported by the charity Shelter. Now, in a crackdown on ‘rip-off’ letting agent fees, the Advertising Standards Agency, has called for all letting agents and private landlords to publish their fees by November 1st in any form of property advertising. It is a move that is welcomed by GFW Letting, the new urban letting division of the George F. White Group, headed up by law graduate Holly Armstrong. The GFW Letting team are championing a more transparent, knowledgeable and trustworthy service across the board. If you have ever been hit with a series of unexpected charges when renting property, you will know that these seemingly unaccountable charges, are having a huge impact on the finances of people already priced out of the sales market. Millions of people now choose to rent, in order to give themselves the freedom and flexibility they need to live the lives they choose, as well as a more cost effective option. After experiencing poor levels of service for herself and knowing only too well what a big financial commitment renting is for the millions out there who choose to do so, Holly, decided GFW Letting needed to offer something different – a regulated, transparent and personal service for its clients, charging a flat-fee rate to both landlords and tenants, without additional charges hidden within contracts. Both Holly and her team have the qualifications to back up their claims and are equally passionate about providing an end to end service to every one of their clients. Holly and fellow law graduate, GFW Letting Property Manager, Stacey Hogg, completed their law degrees at Northumbria University before starting their careers at rural property specialists, George F. White. With a background in everything from housing and property law, to contract law, litigation, legislation and policy, Holly and Stacey have a strong understanding of client care from both a legal and ethical point of view. As part of the George F. White Group, GFW Letting, is also a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), a regulated industry body. Speaking about the driving force behind the company ethos, Holly said: “At GFW Letting, we are passionate about what we do and we know that being upfront and honest and only charging for the work that’s been done, is essential. The private rental sector is experiencing an exciting growth trajectory but in order to continue in the right direction, transparency around fees is so important and vital in ensuring that landlords and tenants trust us as letting agents. “Renting is a big financial commitment to all concerned and we believe it’s not fair to our tenants to hide additional charges. The simple truth is, at GFW Letting, we only charge a flat-fee rate for the service we provide and our tenants will never face hidden extras, no matter what the monthly rental fee is.” GFW Letting Lettings Manager, Fran Mulhall is also a member of the Association of Residential Letting Agents, ARLA, and has a duty to her clients to stay on top of the ever-changing legislation within the letting industry. Letting residential property covers complex areas of the law with stringent rules and regulations that can face severe fines and even imprisonment if they are not adhered to. Fran’s advice to landlords is not to get caught out. Disagreements between tenants and landlords can be long and bitter and the potential legal implications of ‘DIY letting’ or using a poorly informed letting agent can be costly. With up to date legislative advice and comprehensive legal documents that are designed to outline both the tenants and landlords roles, landlords can stay ahead of the game when it comes to the letting industry and according to Fran, it’s vital that they choose a regulated letting agent to help them manage these requirements. Fran said: “As a member of ARLA, I have continued lettings professional development, which enables me to offer a better, all-round service to each and every one of my clients.” “One of the core values of GFW Letting is its transparency about fees and the service on offer. I personally am delighted to be a part of a team that is passionate about connecting quality properties with the right tenants without stinging clients with large fees, disproportionate to the amount of work that has been carried out. We charge a flat-rate referencing fee and this is how it’s meant to be.” With their background in law and registration to professional industry bodies, the GFW Letting team are passionate about providing the highest quality service to their clients. It’s a breath of fresh air in an unregulated industry and GFW Letting is demonstrative of a team who have the instinct and knowledge to provide a fair, transparent and honest service.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by GFW Letting .