r/Glasgow Tools

Title
Author	Lox_Ox
Comment	Its not just you! I have found it difficult to comprehend to people just how competitive the rental market in Glasgow is atm! I just managed to get a place after a few months of searching. I'll put any advice I can think of below. I initially took an 'on it' stance but quickly learnt I needed to take an 'aggressively proactive' stance!!! Its tiring and stressful though. * Always phone, don't bother emailing (unless it's on OpenRent through the online messaging thing) cus you will never get anywhere with it. Viewings for properties are being booked up within minutes of them being listed. If you see a listing go up on an evening, you need to make sure you phone as soon as the office opens the next morning. If you can't get through - keep trying. If they only provide an email address, find a phone number for them online. * Set up email alerts for various websites (Rightmove, Zoopla, S1 Homes, City Lets, OpenRent, Prime Location, any others you can find). Make sure your new emails appear as notifications on your phone. Make sure you stay with your phone so that as soon as you get a new email alert through, you look at the property and phone the letting agent immediately to book a viewing. You can even phone up to book the viewing before looking at the details of the property and then cancel the viewing later (though do this in plenty of time before the viewing so someone can fill your slot!). Some websites don't seem to have an alert function (e.g. LettingWeb) so I just bookmarked those and checked them when I could (though I aimed for more than once a day). * Always be overly friend, polite and professional to all the members of staff you speak to at the letting agent. Treat it like you are trying to impress them at a job interview, no matter who you speak to. Having them on your side may (/is likely) to help you. You never know which people play a part. If someone who is taking the calls likes you, they may include a positive comment about you in the notes which may help your case. * Know what you have to offer/how to present yourself in the best light (that you have a job will put you higher on the list than others! Make sure you mention will be (I presume) full time). Have some notes or a small spiel to hand. This is also useful when you need to fill in online notes of interest as you can copy and paste. If there is a section to include extra information about yourself, then do. Again, with the same approach as though you were applying for a job. Things that they like include a full time job, saying yes when they ask if you can provide a UK guarantor, and saying you plan to stay a long time in the property (always say 1-2+ years if they ask! Though legally you can leave your tenancy at any time with 28 days notice). If using OpenRent, make sure you add the personal friendly touch, as well alongside mentioning the money/professional based items. In general, always express your enthusiasm for a property - it is better to start by saying you are really interested in a property and you want to book a viewing, rather than just asking if it is still available. * Treat everything with absolute urgency. Have all your documents to hand\* (ready to submit if required) and complete/submit any paperwork they ask you to do ASAP because it may make the difference whether you are in for the running or not. \documents you need to have to hand (I would recommend giving them clear document names - they'll be thankful for anything which makes their job easier): copy of photo ID, last 3 months bank statements, last 3 months payslips (if you have them), your passport number, proof of employment (e.g. confirmation letter/contract), details of employment referee (this should be someone in HR or similar - it is a financial referee (confirming your salary) rather than a character reference), details of your current landlord (who they will get a reference from), details of UK guarantor, bank statement showing rental payments for last few months (I had just one agency ask me for the latter) If you have a choice of viewings, always pick the earliest/soonest one. Those who see the flat first also have the first opportunity to say they will take it. Different letting agents all operate slightly differently. Mostly they take a 'note of interest' from multiple people and then the landlord looks at the list and makes an arbitrary decision, but sometimes it is very much first-come-first-served and they accept an application from the first applicant, hence the need for speed! Hopefully that is of some help. Good luck!!
Reddit Link	https://www.reddit.com/r/glasgow/comments/pur0g6/struggling_to_find_a_place_to_live_in_glasgow_its/heiym9o/
Created	Mon 27th Sep 2021 11:49pm
Status	normal ()

Its not just you! I have found it difficult to comprehend to people just how competitive the rental market in Glasgow is atm! I just managed to get a place after a few months of searching. I'll put any advice I can think of below. I initially took an 'on it' stance but quickly learnt I needed to take an 'aggressively proactive' stance!!! Its tiring and stressful though.

* Always phone, don't bother emailing (unless it's on OpenRent through the online messaging thing) cus you will never get anywhere with it. Viewings for properties are being booked up within minutes of them being listed. If you see a listing go up on an evening, you need to make sure you phone as soon as the office opens the next morning. If you can't get through - keep trying. If they only provide an email address, find a phone number for them online.
* Set up email alerts for various websites (Rightmove, Zoopla, S1 Homes, City Lets, OpenRent, Prime Location, any others you can find). Make sure your new emails appear as notifications on your phone. Make sure you stay with your phone so that as soon as you get a new email alert through, you look at the property and phone the letting agent immediately to book a viewing. You can even phone up to book the viewing before looking at the details of the property and then cancel the viewing later (though do this in plenty of time before the viewing so someone can fill your slot!). Some websites don't seem to have an alert function (e.g. LettingWeb) so I just bookmarked those and checked them when I could (though I aimed for more than once a day).
* Always be overly friend, polite and professional to all the members of staff you speak to at the letting agent. Treat it like you are trying to impress them at a job interview, no matter who you speak to. Having them on your side may (/is likely) to help you. You never know which people play a part. If someone who is taking the calls likes you, they may include a positive comment about you in the notes which may help your case.
* Know what you have to offer/how to present yourself in the best light (that you have a job will put you higher on the list than others! Make sure you mention will be (I presume) full time). Have some notes or a small spiel to hand. This is also useful when you need to fill in online notes of interest as you can copy and paste. If there is a section to include extra information about yourself, then do. Again, with the same approach as though you were applying for a job. Things that they like include a full time job, saying yes when they ask if you can provide a UK guarantor, and saying you plan to stay a long time in the property (always say 1-2+ years if they ask! Though legally you can leave your tenancy at any time with 28 days notice). If using OpenRent, make sure you add the personal friendly touch, as well alongside mentioning the money/professional based items. In general, always express your enthusiasm for a property - it is better to start by saying you are really interested in a property and you want to book a viewing, rather than just asking if it is still available.
* Treat everything with absolute urgency. Have all your documents to hand\* (ready to submit if required) and complete/submit any paperwork they ask you to do ASAP because it may make the difference whether you are in for the running or not.
\*documents you need to have to hand (I would recommend giving them clear document names - they'll be thankful for anything which makes their job easier): copy of photo ID, last 3 months bank statements, last 3 months payslips (if you have them), your passport number, proof of employment (e.g. confirmation letter/contract), details of employment referee (this should be someone in HR or similar - it is a financial referee (confirming your salary) rather than a character reference), details of your current landlord (who they will get a reference from), details of UK guarantor, bank statement showing rental payments for last few months (I had just one agency ask me for the latter)
* If you have a choice of viewings, always pick the earliest/soonest one. Those who see the flat first also have the first opportunity to say they will take it. Different letting agents all operate slightly differently. Mostly they take a 'note of interest' from multiple people and then the landlord looks at the list and makes an arbitrary decision, but sometimes it is very much first-come-first-served and they accept an application from the first applicant, hence the need for speed!

Hopefully that is of some help. Good luck!!