Being a landlord is not a nine-to-five job. You can’t just switch on your out-of-office and mute your WhatsApp messages because you fancy a break.

Well actually, you can – if you have a good letting agent working for you.

Here are four ways an agent can help you through the silly season.

As a landlord, you have a duty of care to your tenant. This means you never know if a trip away to see family or friends or to catch some sun will be interrupted by an urgent call from your tenant.

With a letting agent, you can go away safe in the knowledge that you’re meeting your legal obligations and that any crisis will be dealt with by an experienced professional.

Even the most laid-back tenant can be short of patience during the festive season.

If, say, the boiler stops working while the mother-in-law is in town, don’t expect to rest until it’s sorted.

Thankfully, a good agent has an extensive collection of electricians, plumbers, and gas engineers in their contacts list.

If something goes wrong, an agent can get someone out to your property – even on public holidays.

Sadly, long-standing issues between couples often come to a head during the holiday period, as people spend more time cooped up together. 

As a result, landlords can find themselves dealing with two people who are in a joint tenancy but are very much at odds with each other.

This kind of situation can be tough to navigate and requires careful handling. Many landlords are relieved to leave it to an expert.

Neighbourhood rows about loud music, parking, and who put what in the recycling bin can flare up during the festive season.

You may have the skills to deal with these kinds of issues, the question is: do you want to spend your precious time brokering neighbourhood peace? If you don’t, get a letting agent.