wrote
Bill wrote

A relation is thinking of renting out his house for a year or so while
he works away. He has had a very tentative contact with a local estate
agent who has quoted the possible rent and offered to manage the
whole arrangement. The agent hasn't seen the property.

Letting agents are never good.

Even sillier than you usually manage.

I've been involved in doing that myself, with a house that I bought
at auction with the new owner hundreds of miles away, on the phone
during the auction. They dont plan to be back here to move into the
house for atleast 6 months who wanted to rent the place out. The
rent pays for all the costs, including mortgage payments and other
stuff like what we call rates that the owner has to pay even when
renting a place out.

The letting agent has in fact been quite effective even tho
the new owner did find the tenant himself and got the letting
agent to check that they are viable to let the place to.