My world is in your hands...

Not all letting agents are bad guys after all! I had a few agents round earlier this week with mixed impressions. Some just didn't seem interested in what I had to say. As if they were going 'through the motions' with it all. This isn't a good way to start, considering how scared I was about letting her out. I think anybody would be pretty scared about letting complete strangers come and stay in your house ... or more aptly your home.

One evening I was minding my own, trawling the internet with the obligatory Facebook page open as the first tab. I was flitting back and forth reading travel blogs, twitter posts and generally surfing when a notification popped up on Facebook. An old friend had messaged me a whole ream of paragraph upon paragraph of text!

He went on to say that he didn't usually read blogs but mine took his fancy, he had travelled for 6 months in his late teens and 'loved the word Vagabonding' (I do too!) he really enjoyed my writing (which I think is terribly lumpy!) and it was a big compliment to hear that he was eager for more.

Then the surprise. He had worked in lettings and was willing to exchange some advise and information in exchange for me continuing my blog (more compliments). But then he noticed that his firm were already coming round to meet me. Not just his firm but his Mum!

Jill from The Pinnacle Letting Company was the last of the agents I'd scheduled in for that day and I was pretty on edge after the other firms performance, but Jill was brilliant. We spent a good 45 minutes chatting and discussing all of the questions I had. It felt like nothing was too silly or complex to ask and I knew there and then that, however hard the others had tried (or not!), I would definitely leave my flat in Jill's care. 

She was able to give a brilliant rate and a massive flood of relief washed over me. It was on! Any doubt I had about letting my flat out had gone. The race has started! I hope to have tenants in there by 1st May 2012. Only 2 months! And there is still mountains of things to do.

Jill emailed over the proposed Shorthold Tenancy Agreement (which the other agents still haven't done 2 days later!) and all of the other documents so I could compile a 'Permission to Let' proposal to both the Housing Association and Mortgage lender. And here I am, tired but every i has been crossed and every t dotted. All I need now is a couple of stamps (The one thing you miss most from your Mums purse when you leave home!) and I am done.

Then this whole thing is in someone else's hands. I have done my best. Put together comprehensive proposals, sourced the best letting agency in Horsham if not Sussex and paid (admin fees for Housing Association) for the privilege of them to make the decision.

Either the Mortgage company or the Housing Association could say no. The only option then is to sell her, which I'm really not keen on. But there we go ... C'est la vie.