The key isn’t just to find a tenant fast, but to find the right tenant quickly. A rushed decision can lead to rent arrears, property damage, disputes or a short tenancy that leaves you looking again sooner than expected. Either way, you’re a landlord with a home to fill.
In this guide, we explain how to find tenants for your rental property quickly, how to reduce void periods, and how a letting agent can help you attract suitable renters, manage viewings and progress applications efficiently.
How Easy Is It to Find Tenants Quickly?
In many areas of the UK, rental demand remains strong. However, finding tenants quickly still depends on how well your property is priced, presented and marketed.
The rental market remains very active, although growth has become more stable. According to the latest ONS private rental figures, average UK monthly private rents increased by 3.5% in the 12 months to February 2026, reaching £1,374 per month. In England, average rents rose to £1,430, with the strongest annual growth in the North East at 7.6%.
For landlords, this means demand is still present, but competition for good tenants remains important. If you need to find tenants quickly, the challenge isn’t simply whether renters are looking, but whether your property is priced correctly, marketed effectively and visible to suitable applicants at the right time.
A property that is clean, well-maintained, competitively priced and advertised effectively is far more likely to generate enquiries, viewings and applications quickly. However, by the same contrast, poor photos, limited marketing, unrealistic rent or unresolved maintenance issues can slow the process down.
The challenge for landlords is making sure enough suitable prospective tenants see the property and feel confident enough to book a viewing or make an application.
What Is the Fastest Way to Find Tenants?
The fastest way to find tenants is usually to combine professional marketing, accurate rental pricing, strong online exposure and efficient tenant referencing.
A letting agent can help speed up the process by advertising the property across major portals, handling enquiries, arranging viewings, advising on price, progressing offers and supporting the referencing process.
For landlords who want to avoid delays, the goal is simple: make the property visible, appealing and easy for serious tenants to act on.
1) Get Your Property Online Quickly
Most tenants begin their search online, so your property needs strong visibility from the moment it is listed.
Advertising on major property portals such as Rightmove and Zoopla helps put your rental property in front of active tenants who are already searching in your area. The wider the exposure, the better your chances of generating enquiries quickly. Two-thirds of tenants first saw their property on either Rightmove or Zoopla, according to research from tenant referencing specialist HomeLet.
At Chancellors, we market rental properties across leading property platforms and support landlords with professional property marketing designed to attract suitable applicants. That’s why we ensure that all rented homes on our books receive additional online exposure, as well as advertising houses on all four major portals, we promote them on more than 40 other websites.
2) Use High-Quality Photos
Good photography can make a significant difference to how quickly tenants engage with your listing.
Even if your property is well located, spacious and in good condition, poor quality images can actually stop tenants from booking a viewing. Clear, bright and well-composed photos help potential tenants understand the layout, condition and appeal of the home.
Photos should highlight the most important features, including living spaces, bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, outdoor areas, parking, storage and any home working space.
Whilst modern smartphone cameras may make taking photos easier, it’s still difficult to do the property justice, especially when you have smaller kitchens and bathrooms. As a landlord, you simply can’t afford to promote your listing with poor images in the hope that would-be renters will be prepared to give you the benefit of the doubt.
When you rent your property out through Chancellors, we ensure you have access to our unique marketing package for landlords, which includes multiple high-resolution, professionally-taken photographs as standard.
3) Set a Competitive Rental Price
Pricing is one of the most important factors when trying to find tenants quickly.
If the rent is too high compared with similar properties nearby, enquiries may be limited and the property may remain vacant for longer. Potential tenants will be checking what the average local rent price is for similar properties, so if it’s unrealistically high, don’t expect to find tenants quickly (or at all).
However, with that said, if the property rent is higher than average, then ensuring the property, the quality of furnishing and interior design reflect that cost can be justified.
According to the latest Office for National Statistics data, the average UK private rent is now £1,374 per month, rising to £1,430 in England. While this provides a useful benchmark, rental values can differ widely at a local level.
A rental valuation can help landlords understand what their property is likely to achieve in the current market. Chancellors can provide expert rental advice based on local demand, comparable properties and market conditions.
4) Make the Property Move-In Ready
Tenants are more likely to act quickly when a property looks clean, well-maintained and ready to move into.
Before any marketing begins, make sure maintenance issues are resolved, the property is clean and tidy, decoration and interiors are presentable and that all appliances are working properly. If the property is furnished, furniture should be in good condition and suitable for the type of tenant you want to attract.
A property that is ready to move into gives tenants confidence and reduces the risk of delays once an offer is made.
5) Highlight the Features Tenants Want Most
To find tenants quickly, landlords should make sure key features are clearly shown in the listing. This would typically include parking, outdoor space, good broadband (if WiFi is included), storage, modern appliances, energy efficiency, proximity to transport links and nearby schools. This can all influence tenant interest.
If your property has a garden, driveway, garage, balcony, home office space or is close to local amenities such as restaurants, and even local transport hubs, this should be clearly included in the listing description and photography.
According to a study by Zoopla, parking is what renters want most in a home, followed by a garage. So, if your property offers one or both, you’ll want to ensure that you highlight these elements it in your listing.
Annabel Dixon of Zoopla noted: “While this may not be the most exciting feature of a home, our research clearly shows that landlords can make their properties much more attractive by creating or enhancing existing parking. Whether landlords re-landscape their garden to include a driveway or apply to drop the kerb outside their house, these changes can pay dividends.”
6) Consider Whether the Property Could Be Pet-Friendly
Unless you’ve never been on the internet until this moment, it’ll probably have come to your attention that people like pets.
According to the PDSA, 49% of UK adults own a pet, with 25% owning a cat, 24% a dog and 2% a rabbit – and that’s a significant quantity of potential tenants for your property.
You can’t expect renters to choose between your property and their beloved pet, so consider making your rental property pet-friendly. Chancellors is part of the Dogs Trust’s Lets With Pets scheme, so we can advise you on the various considerations of allowing pets in your property.
7) Offer Flexible Viewing Options
The easier it is for tenants to view the property, the quicker you are likely to receive interest.
Evening, weekend or short-notice viewings can help attract tenants who are working full time or relocating from another area. A letting agent can manage viewing requests for you and keep the process moving, particularly where speed is important.
Efficient viewing management can make the difference between securing a tenant quickly and losing them to another property.
8) Screen Tenants Properly
Finding tenants quickly shouldn’t mean skipping those crucial checks. Tenant referencing, credit checks, employment verification and previous landlord references are important steps in reducing any risk when it comes to finding a suitable tenant quickly. A fast process still needs to be a careful one.
The best outcome isn’t simply just choosing the first applicant, but instead a suitable applicant who can afford the rent, has passed all checks and is likely to look after the property and remain long term.
How Long Does It Take to Find a Tenant?
The time it takes to find a tenant really depends on location, rental demand, property condition, price and marketing quality.
In strong UK rental markets, well-presented and competitively priced properties can attract enquiries quickly. However, delays can occur if the property is overpriced, poorly marketed or difficult to view.
However, landlords can improve their chances by preparing the property before listing, ensuring it’s appropriately priced and of course, working with an experienced letting agent to manage everything for you.
Should You Use a Letting Agent to Find Tenants?
Using a letting agent can help you as a landlord find tenants faster and reduce the risk of avoidable mistakes.
A good letting agent can advise on rental value, market the property professionally, handle enquiries, conduct any viewings, progress applications, support tenant referencing and help prepare the tenancy.
For landlords who don’t have time to manage the process themselves, or who want to minimise void periods, a letting agent can provide much needed valuable support.
Common Mistakes That Slow Down Finding Tenants
Landlords often lose time by pricing their properties too high, delaying maintenance, using poor photos, limiting viewing availability or failing to respond quickly to tenant enquiries.
Another common mistake is waiting until the property becomes vacant before preparing it for marketing. If your current tenants have given notice, then it’s worth speaking to your letting agent as early as possible so marketing can begin at the right time.
Acting early can help reduce void periods and keep rental income more consistent.
Need Help Finding Tenants Quickly?
Chancellors makes it easier for landlords to find tenants quickly and confidently.
Our lettings teams can help with rental valuations, property marketing, tenant enquiries, viewings, referencing and tenancy progression. Once an offer is agreed, we can help move the process forward efficiently so you can reduce void periods and start earning rental income sooner.
If you need to find tenants for your rental property, speak to Chancellors today to learn more about our landlord services, tenant find support and full property management options.
Chancellors makes it easier to let your property and find tenants fast. Once you’ve agreed an offer, we can help you secure the tenancy within five days, so you’ll be earning money on your rental property in no time. For more information on our services for landlords, get in contact now.
