What tenants think about ludlowthompson

As we head into winter the rental market shows no signs of cooling down. The competition is fierce between lettings agencies and there is a shortage of properties to rent.

Stephen Ludlow says, "In this aggressive market, where demand exceeds supply, we have focused on fairer service values for tenants. Within the structure of the lettings market, where the landlord decides on which tenant to accept, we advise tenants about how to stand the best chance of being accepted.

"It's really important to pay more attention to communication when the market swings in favour of landlords.  Our real-time online services keep tenants alert to what's available, which is the easy part. But once you've chosen a property to rent multiple offers from other tenants can leave everyone but the chosen tenant feeling let down.

"In the current situation some rental properties are on and off the market within 24 hours. Nevertheless we try to ensure that the tenants who come to us experience a fair route to property to rent, such as the sealed bids process. There is also a lot that tenants can do to help themselves, mostly this is about being best prepared to rent to demonstrate to the landlord that you are the most attractive tenant.

"It sounds obvious, but when looking for property you stand a chance of being first in line if you've got your references and deposit ready, and a nominated decision maker for a group of sharers. Decide in advance about what you need from a property and where you can compromise. Then when you see something that ticks most boxes you can go for it on the spot. It's understandable that most people don't want to make such snap decisions. It feels pressured but in a competitive market this is a reality that tenants need to accommodate."

Mr M.T., a customer who rented through the Kennington/Oval office in December 2010, comments on the service received from ludlowthompson:

"Ash was always professional, helpful, and very clear on every aspect of the processes involved. He made us feel comfortable... The website is clear and comprehensive. I appreciated the dimensions, property photos and floor plan of each property. This gives a much clearer picture of the property than many competitors website.

The 'My Account' service was very easy to use, and made it very efficient to turn things around - within minutes of receiving specific forms, we had them completed, returned and acknowledged within minutes. This gives ludlowthompson a genuine competitive edge over some of London's other estate agents. I also liked that the site was fully transactional - all payments were easily made online."

Stephen Ludlow, director of ludlowthompson says: "It's always nice to have good feedback and I am delighted to hear that Mr M.T. is happy with his rental. We put a great emphasis on meeting our customers' needs during our staff training programme and it is good to have reports that show our staff have taken this on board.

"In accordance with our customer focus we have invested heavily in our website to try and make it as user friendly as possible. In today's high tech and fast-paced society we understand how infuriating it can be not to have relevant information at your fingertips."