Online lettings agency reveals drastic overhaul of services

Online lettings agency Upad has drastically overhauled its product range, introducing a ‘pick and mix’ option allowing landlords to choose services they can opt in or out of.

There will also be a zero deposit option.

There is now a package called Choose (costing £149 including VAT) which requires landlords to upload details of their property “and within hours we'll advertise it on top sites like Rightmove, Zoopla and PrimeLocation.” 

There are eight additional services which landlords can choose, each attracting an additional cost.

There is also a package the firm calls UPay On Success, which costs £499 including VAT, and includes all services; the fee is payable only when the property is let.

The zero deposit guarantee costs tenants the equivalent of one week's rent and offers landlords the same protection as a six week deposit. It is free to landlords.

“Half of all UK landlords have been in business for over five years and understand the regular and ongoing demands of letting a property. In many cases, they have established tenancy agreements in place, inventories have been drawn up and amended on numerous occasions and an investment has been made in quality property images – they simply don’t require everything, every time they let a property - this allows them to pick and choose” says Upad chief executive James Davis.

“UChoose will, therefore, provide a menu of options that landlords opt in to, and pay for, according to their individual requirements. Gone are the days of signing up to a rental package where certain features simply aren’t needed" he continues.

“A significant proportion of landlords remain cautious of up-front versus success-based fees and whilst the reality is that eventually any agent will find you a tenant, the real issue is just how quickly that will be.  Void periods are, after all, a key concern for all landlords. 

“Such is our confidence in the way we operate, that we’re prepared to offer landlords a guaranteed results service where they’re only charged once we’ve been successful.”