The letting industry is booming. With most properties too expensive for people to get on the housing ladder, a dearth of lending instruments, the need for a flexible and transient workforce, high divorce rates, and an increase in immigrants coming to the UK, more and more people are looking for rental accommodation. The requirement for professional letting and managing agents is high. Providing you have some business acumen and determination, you can run a successful lettings business without any specific prior knowledge. This book will provide much of the information you will need, and shows you how and where to get additional information, training and resources. The book provides a complete guide to starting and running your own residential letting agency even if you have no previous knowledge of the industry. It will also provide valuable information for anyone buying into a lettings franchise, or for people already working in the industry.Contents: Acknowlegements; Preface; 1. Background to the property letting and Management Business; 2. Where do I start?; 3. Setting up the Business; 4. Marketing; 5. Business Finance; 6. Staffing your Business; 7. Customer service and Exceeding Customer's Expectations; 8. Business Legal Requirements; 9. Complying with the Latest Letting Regulations and Legislation; 10. The Letting Process; 11. The Property Management Process; 12. Client Accounting Procedures; 13. Additional Income Sources; 14. The Next Step - Expanding and Diversifying; Index