Are letting agents in Bury St Edmunds usually this difficult?

[RupGill23]

We are relocating to Bury St Edmunds due to work and family arrangements. We have had noticed given on current property in Chelmsford and trying to find somewhere suitable in Bury. We are absolutely at our whits end with the estate agents there, we have no call backs, no emails back, poor communication and cannot seem to get to see the majority of properties before the let is agreed to someone else, even when we can see the property the day it's put on Rightmove. Is this normal for Bury? Does anyone recommend a estate agent ? Little stuck now for housing and have a little one.

I don't know anything about Bury St Edmunds @RupGill23, but I suspect you're probably describing the whole rental market at the moment. Because of the law changes around renting lots of people are getting rid of rental properties putting huge pressure on those that there are. Agents will have people in person walking straight into places the minute they come up. Is there a way you can be more proactive in person? You're going to have to trail round the EAs in the flesh and push I think.

I do hope you find something suitable.

Who have you tired?
The problem with rents is that they get a lot of American airforce renters and they give out a set amount for rents and often rent properties without viewing first. It does push up the local rental market and make it difficult for others to rent easily.

I’m not in bury but I am fairly local

there are far more renters than properties. You’ll have trouble finding one and just speaking to estate agents won’t be enough.

in addition they will have affordability checks etc and if they think you won’t pass them they won’t bother calling you back.

try openrent to get directly to landlords that was what worked for me.

It's sad to hear, but the RRA has made it a difficult business to be in due to.the risks being increased, so lots of LLs are leaving the sector.
Have you looked at OpenRent? You could also attend the letting agent in person and find out if anything suitable is coming up. If they can put a face to a name it helps.
Also track rentals on Rightmove and Prime Location if you're not already.

Thank you all, every agent thats posted on Rightmove i have rang. I will try Open Rent as a preference, never gone Landlord Direct. We earn quite well and have no adverse credit so I dont think affordability checks out be the issue. I will also try attending the agents in person this week, good idea. Appreciate all your responses.

I live in Bury, the problem is the American base personnel push rentals up and landlords prefer to rent to them as you are guaranteed your rent. I would suggest Martin and co or Tennens as they have a good variety of property. Alternatively if you go a few miles out of the town properties aren’t so popular with the Americans so you will get more of a look in. Good luck!!

Another shout for OpenRent here. That's what we used for our last rental. Not an EA in sight and no issues with the tenancy (possibly just luck of the draw).