A local firm of leading property specialists is offering a helping hand to landlords and homeowners looking to rent their houses by launching a free guide to choosing the right tenant.

Shropshire-based Nock Deighton has put together a series of top tips which are available to view at its www.nockdeighton.co.uk website.

The guide offers a range of practical advice for landlords to bear in mind, such as advertising the property correctly at the start of the process, undertaking thorough research into potential tenants - including carrying out full financial checks - and making sure all contracts, insurance policies and other important documents are professionally prepared.

"In the current challenging economic climate, more and more people are looking to rent," Dawn Clarke, Director of Nock Deighton, and Head of Lettings and Property Management for the firm, revealed. "This increase in demand for rental properties, combined with a tightening of financial belts, can also lead to a growing number of 'challenging tenants' though, with one in three landlords nationally reporting cases of rental arrears.

"As a reputable agency, fully registered and regulated by ARLA - the Association of Residential Lettings Agents - and with more than 600 properties in our lettings portfolio, we have more than 25 years experience of how to go about selecting the right tenant, and we're delighted to share our advice through this free, user-friendly top tips guide," Dawn concluded.

Founded in 1831, Nock Deighton is one of the Midlands' most well-established and respected firms of estate agents, lettings agents, chartered surveyors, block management agents, and auctioneers. The company stands at the forefront of the modern property sector by embracing up-to-the-minute technology and industry best practice, and has a firm focus on achieving the very best results through a full range of specialist property-related services and dedicated staff.