Renting to Tenants Who Haven’t Viewed Your Property
For most landlords, and indeed many agents, the idea of letting a property to someone who’s never stepped inside it feels like a recipe for trouble.
After all, viewing a home is one of the most basic parts of the letting process, surely?
Nevertheless, some of our best results at Your Home Managed have come from tenants who never actually saw the property in person before moving in.
It might sound counter-intuitive, but handled properly, it can lead to smoother lets, stronger offers, and happier tenants in the long term.
Let’s talk about how to make it work, though…
Why would tenants ever rent without viewing first?
There can be any number of reasons that viewing a property is difficult for tenants – and at times, simply not possible. Professionals relocating for work, for example; international students; families in particular, moving for long-term contracts from overseas, often don’t have the luxury of hopping on a plane just to view that property that just popped up in their ‘Streatham’ saved search.
For these tenants, renting remotely isn’t about cutting corners or abandoning all sense, it is simply about practicality. They’re under pressure to find somewhere safe, comfortable, and ready to move into, often within tight timelines – and they know as well as you and I that the lettings market here in South London moves so quickly, they can’t risk waiting for a time to possibly view.
How we make it work
At Your Home Managed, we’ve developed a transparent, detailed process that allows tenants to make fully-informed decisions, even if they’re thousands of miles away.
It starts with comprehensive video viewings. This isn’t a quick spin round with a phone camera, but a clear, guided walkthrough where we show everything: the layout, storage options, condition, and even the street view. We’ll happily revisit and record extra footage if tenants want a closer look at a particular room or feature.
In many ways, this becomes a more detailed viewing than that in-person tour where viewers, there for all of five minutes, only really take in what they see on the surface. Remote viewings by video-link, by contrast, can sometimes feel forensic!
We also undertake detailed inventory reports as a matter of course, meaning tenants can see exactly what they’re taking on – from the condition of the flooring to the inside of the oven. This level of openness not only builds trust but helps set clear expectations from day one – not to mention, accountability for all parties.
Tenants renting this way tend to be incredibly engaged. They can’t rely on “vibes” from a quick site visit, so naturally they study every detail. They’ll ask more questions, read every line of the listing, and often come better prepared than tenants who’ve had an in-person viewing.
The results speak for themselves
You might expect tenants renting remotely to be more demanding or uncertain, but in our experience, the opposite is true.
We’ve had some of our best tenancies start this way: careful, conscientious renters who treat the property with real respect. Many of them are professionals relocating for secure employment, so they bring stability and long-term commitment. International students? Most often, some of the most polite, well-meaning people we have the pleasure to come across.
And because these tenants are often keen to secure a good home quickly, we find that we often achieve no-nonsense offers, in several cases higher than others bidding. It’s not about taking advantage, but about matching the most motivated tenants with well-presented homes – and we believe that the detail we go through in our remote viewings process helps them to feel that, as an agency, we are the most transparent and responsive agent they have met. We become the agent they know they can trust.
Reassuring South London landlords
Understandably, landlords can be cautious and have some doubts. Questions about references, ID checks, and deposit protection always come up – and rightly so.
But of course, our first rodeo was many years ago. Every tenancy we arrange, remote or otherwise, goes through the same rigorous referencing and compliance process. We verify employment, income, previous landlord feedback, and obviously immigration and right-to-rent status with the same attention to detail as any let that came from a conventional in-person viewing.
The added benefit is that by taking time to answer tenants’ questions properly and show them every corner of the home on video, we’re often resolving concerns that might otherwise only appear after move-in day. It leads to fewer surprises, fewer early complaints, and a stronger landlord-tenant relationship from the outset.
When trust meets transparency in the lettings process
The truth is, letting a property out to someone who hasn’t viewed in person doesn’t have to mean taking a gamble. Done properly, it’s simply another version of what good letting should always be: clear, transparent, and anchored in solid communication.
For the right tenant, the lack of a physical viewing doesn’t reduce their commitment; on the contrary, it can actually deepen it. They’re making a big decision from afar, so they take it seriously. And when they move in to find everything exactly as described, it sets the tone for a respectful, positive tenancy.
At Your Home Managed, we’ve seen it work time and time again. With the right preparation, the right systems, and the right people guiding the process, renting to tenants who haven’t seen the property isn’t a risk. It’s just the modern way of doing things… and when it’s done well, everyone benefits.
