If you’re looking to invest in rental properties in an area like Camberwell or Denmark hill, make sure you do your research into the surrounding area – it will help you identify what type of tenants are looking for homes in the area, what benefits the locality has to offer and what kind of rental income you can expect.  

Even if you have lived in the area yourself (or still do) you should try to see it with fresh eyes as a landlord. For example, you might not have children, but your ideal tenant could – what schools are nearby, parks, children’s centres, activities for teenagers? Camberwell and Denmark Hill are popular are now for raising children thanks to excellent schools, plenty of green spaces and that ‘urban village’ feel, but they’re also popular with young professionals looking for community, good food and drink, and an easy commute.  

South East London has an incredibly varied rental market, with in-demand properties ranging from magnificent period dwellings to house-share opportunities for young professionals and students. Yet what brings all of those properties together is that a majority of tenants are actively looking for homes specifically in these areas: they are desirable postcodes, thanks to the community feel and local amenities.  

If you’re looking to rent out a property in the area – whether it’s one that you already own, or a potential investment – it’s important that you understand the value of both the local area and the property itself to successfully market it to the most viable tenants. In Camberwell, rental prices at time of writing (June 2022) range from £1,100 for a studio or house share, to £6,000 for a 7 bedroom Georgian townhouse, but the average for a three or four bedroom family home is between £2,700 to £3,800 a month.  

This doesn’t only apply if you’ve lived in your property. Landlords often develop personal attachments to investment properties without even realising it, especially if it’s your first professional let or you’ve poured a lot of energy and emotion into renovations. If you want to rent your property successfully, you need to let go of any personal attachments – it will make renting less stressful and emotionally draining, as well as improving your professional relationship with your tenants.  

Daniella Aspland, Urban Village’s Property Manager, says: “My advice is always: think of this as an investment. This is your business. Don’t think of it personally. It can be particularly tough if it’s your former home, but the more you can separate yourself from it emotionally, the better. It’s easier if you have an agent that you know will care about the property.”  

Compliance in crucial to renting a property, and you need to make sure you understand your obligations in relation to your particular tenancy: for instance, a family home can be covered by different rules to a multi-occupancy property. Pay close attention to fire and gas safety, energy performance certificates and Right-to-Rent checks.  

Aside from compliance, it’s also important to be aware of what’s expected of you as a landlord. There are rules and regulations in place to make tenants feel protected, such as giving 24 hour notice to access a property: if you’re a new landlord, you might not know that a friendly ‘just dropping by to check in’ visit could land you in hot water and damage relations with your tenant. Understanding obligations doesn’t have to be complicated: get the right advice and support from the start, or appoint an agent to make it a stress-free process.   

Don’t fall into the trap of taking on additional responsibilities once the tenant moves in – there are certain things that don’t need to be your responsibility, so make sure these are covered clearly in your tenancy agreement. For example, if you have a garden, it can be the tenant’s responsibility to keep it in (or at least return it to) the state it was in at the start of the tenancy, as long as gardening tasks don’t require expertise (like pruning tall trees).  

Taking an inventory at the start of the tenancy, with photographic evidence, serves two functions. One, it can help you keep on top of maintenance, as you’ll have a visual record of how the property looked at the beginning of the tenancy. Two, it plays a vital role if you need to deduct any costs for damage from the tenant’s deposit. You should be careful though, as not all damage can be assigned to the tenant, particularly when it comes to décor in long-term lettings: there is a difference between ‘fair wear and tear&rsq