How To Advertise On Rightmove Privately Without An Estate Agent

During Covid-19, smart technology has thrived in the property market. Virtual property tours and viewings, along with the ability to sign agreements electronically, kept the market moving during the lockdown. Property enquiries still remained strong as those working from home had more time to browse listings.

As people are now free to move again as long as social distancing guidelines are adhered to, the lettings sector is officially back open in England. And the rental market has seen a resurgence in tenant demand. Since the reopening of the housing market, Rightmove saw the highest level of rental demand ever recorded in one day on 18 May and demand for rentals is up by 22% compared to last year.

The market is now gaining momentum following the UK wide lockdown due to Covid-19. But even with lockdown measures being eased, many landlords and tenants are still staying virtual as some are anxious to leave the house. With that in mind, here’s how landlords can advertise on Rightmove and Zoopla privately, without an estate agent.

How to advertise on Rightmove and Zoopla through Treehaus

At Treehaus, we have digitised the lettings process by launching our online, low-cost lettings service for private landlords, Treehaus. With Treehaus, private landlords can advertise on Rightmove and Zoopla without enlisting a traditional lettings agent as long as they sign up to our code of practice. It costs only £150 to advertise on Rightmove with Treehaus. Private landlords upload the property details and photos straight to our online dashboard. We then connect tenant enquiries directly with the landlord, and they conduct the viewings themselves, whether they want to do them virtually or in person.

Can you advertise on Rightmove and Zoopla privately?

Landlords cannot advertise their properties on Rightmove and Zoopla privately, so you can’t go directly to the portals to try to market your property. Letting agents are the gatekeepers with the ability to list rental properties on these platforms. By only allowing verified agents to advertise on Rightmove and Zoopla, adverts are vetted and checked by property professionals before being uploaded onto the portals. Online letting agents are the closest option for advertising a rental property on Rightmove privately. These agents can save landlords thousands compared to using high street letting agents and can help landlords quickly and affordably reach thousands of prospective tenants.

Advertise on Rightmove Now

Why it’s imperative to advertise your rental property on Rightmove and Zoopla

Rightmove and Zoopla are the largest and most popular property platforms in the UK, and with the majority of property searches beginning online, these portals are a great place to start advertising a rental property. Rightmove is by far the biggest platform in the UK and generates a whopping 135 million visits per month. It’s used by an estimated 99% of estate agents and has become extremely popular among letting agents too. The portal even had its busiest ever day on 27 May with six million visits to its site.

Zoopla has battled with Rightmove for the top property portal in the UK for a long time. Alongside its sister website, PrimeLocation, Zoopla attracts 55 million visitors per month. As these platforms are visited by tens of millions of tenants and buyers each and every month, they are a valuable and effective way to advertise rental properties.

Advertise on Rightmove and Zoopla to obtain access to a wider audience of prospective tenants, which can help landlords find tenants quicker and easier and reduce void periods. With Treehaus, private landlords can start advertising their property on Rightmove, Zoopla and OnTheMarket within just a few hours.


10 tips for renting out property as a private landlord

  1. Calculate the rental yield. Rental yield is one of the most important areas to consider when renting out a property. To help you calculate this, get an up-to-date rental valuation on your property in only 60 seconds with our property valuation tool.
  2. Decide what services you need. Many online letting agents provide private landlords the ability to pick and choose what services they need help with. Treehaus offers landlords more choice, flexibility and the power to still have an active role in their rental property.
  3. Have proof of ownership handy. To advertise on Rightmove, you must prove ownership of the property, so it’s helpful to have this handy when starting the advertising process. An acceptable document to prove ownership could be a Land Registry title, mortgage letter, signed letter from solicitor or insurance certificate. You will also need to have a valid Energy Performance Certificate.
  4. Publish good photos from the start. The first 48 hours are the most important for a property advert on Rightmove and Zoopla as new listings appear at the top of searches and also are emailed to tenants with saved alerts. Because of that, it’s important to publish good quality photos and a detailed property description from the start.
  5. Get covered. Make sure your insurance policy covers the property being rented out as most standard buildings and contents insurance don’t typically cover this.
  6. Sort out your mortgage. If you have a mortgage on your property, you’ll need to get permission from your lender to rent out the property. And if you’re purchasing a property with the intent to let it, you should look for buy-to-let mortgages.
  7. Consider void periods. Rent guarantee insurance can help cover rental income if a tenant becomes unable or unwilling to pay their rent. Private landlords could also utilise short-term rentals to maximise revenue in between long-term tenancies.
  8. Create a comprehensive inventory. An inventory is a record of the property condition at the start and end of a tenancy. Walk through the property, assess any damage, write down descriptions and take dated photos. Go through the document with the tenant and sign and date every page. A thorough inventory can help avoid disputes over how much of the deposit the tenant should receive back at the end of a tenancy.
  9. Comply with legislation. Currently, there are more than 145 different lettings rules and regulations, and there have even been changes to lettings legislation due to Covid-19. Not adhering to the correct legislation when renting out a property can lead to landlord-tenant disputes and heavy fines. Treehaus dashboard has been designed to help landlords make sure they issue the right documentation alongside the tenancy agreement and stay compliant with ever-changing landlord legislation.
  10. Check your financial responsibilities. Landlords must pay income tax on rental income through a self-assessment tax return, subtracting certain associated costs. If you rent out property as a business, you will also be required to pay Class 2 National Insurance. It’s recommended to get professional financial advice on this.

Ready to advertise your rental property on Rightmove and Zoopla?

Take the stress out of finding tenants for your rental property and use Treehaus to advertise on Rightmove and Zoopla. If you’d like to list your property or wish to learn more about this, log in to the Treehaus dashboard and follow the instructions.

We also offer a range of other cost-effective letting services, including online tenant credit checks and referencing, tenancy agreements, deposit registration, rent guarantee insurance and rent collection to make private landlords’ lives easier.