Advertising

How we go about letting properties

Timing

We work on a slightly different timescale to Oxford's letting agencies, who tend to release their student housing bookings in November or sometimes earlier. Our bookings open in February because we consider it unfair to panic students into booking a property 10 months in advance, expecting them to enter binding, joint liability contracts to live with people they've probably only just met. Such pressure to book early often results in unhappy households, unsustainable tenancies and difficulties with studies.

We seek to confirm the renewals of tenancies to those already occupying properties during January, then advertise what we have available to the wider student population at the end of the month. This means it is important to have our portfolio confirmed by the new year.

Advertising

We create adverts on our website of what we have available, including floorplans, photos and sometimes videos. It is hugely helpful to get good quality photos whilst properties are unoccupied, so we ask that our landlords supply these if possible. Having a property that is well presented in adverts makes a huge difference to it's lettability, so it is in the interest of landlords to assist with advertising where they can.

Viewings

In the majority of cases, we operate a friendly 'self-viewing' approach which has worked well for many years. Students will be asked to knock on the door and request the current occupiers let them have a look around. Where the occupiers are unhappy with this or the property is not yet managed by us, we conduct staff assisted viewings.