(Newswire.net — February 21, 2013) London, UK — Professional services specialists Deloitte recently reported that a total of 183 retailers went into administration during 2012 and predicted that the situation could be set to worsen further in 2013. With the UK’s economy experiencing a period of slow growth, excessive company expenses, including business rates, staff wages and rental costs of premises, has been cited as the main contributing factor in the demise of these companies.
In terms of the housing industry, current economic conditions have given rise to a number of online letting agents, who are able to undercut their high street counterparts by virtue of having significantly lower operating costs. Whilst these services are cheaper, landlords are usually responsible for conducting their own viewings, although some have perceived this positively since the landlord has the opportunity to meet applicants before a decision is made.
“Whilst traditional online letting agents offer a host of benefits to their clients, they aren’t able to compete with high street agents in terms of local knowledge of the area” an Ash Parker spokesman said recently. “Many high street agents will also possess a database of prospective tenants that are actively searching for a property in the area, allowing them to offer instant exposure to a pool of qualified leads.”
Ash Parker recently announced the launch of its new service, which combines the financial benefits of an online letting agent with the professional support of a high street agent. “When working with Ash Parker, landlords get the best of both worlds” the spokesman added. “A favourable fee structure enables them to maximise their rental yield and we can also assist with viewings and take care of the paper work if required.”
Ash Parker is one of the first companies to offer this type of service, but with the internet’s marketing power becoming increasingly influential and landlords seeking the best deals possible, it wouldn’t be surprising to see more London based letting agents adopt this model.