10 December 2013, Since November 1, it has become a requirement that fees relating to individual lettings properties must be clear and the technology that won Carter Jonas a silver award for innovation at The Times / Sunday Times Lettings Agent of the Year awards is making this possible.

Carter Jonas monitored the trend for QR codes and decided they can be awkward and inefficient, needing specific software to read them.

Instead it is focusing on quick links – shortened uniform resource locator (URL) addresses - which have made the transition from social media into mainstream marketing. Every lettings property is given a unique quick link which appears in all Carter Jonas advertising and marketing and reveals not only property details but relevant fees.

The quick links work on any device from desktop PCs through to the latest smartphones and tablets. They have three times the response rate of QR codes, deliver 40 per cent more property viewings, can be constantly measured for success rates, and are easily tailored to each property, a pioneer approach in the industry.

“It’s in everyone’s interests to let property as quickly as possible,” explains Zaza Patterson, partner in charge of lettings for Carter Jonas in Hampshire.

“Using these quick links makes a prospective tenant’s decision so much easier because a property can be assessed instantly wherever they are with a web-enabled device. It connects them to suitable properties much faster, discloses any fees involved in the process in addition to the monthly rent, and prevents them wasting time downloading special QR software or enquiring about properties that turn out to be unsuitable.

“Since November 1, the Advertising Standards Authority has required that full fee details must be disclosed before any potential tenant makes any financial commitment and our quick links are the fast route to compliance.

“Landlords also benefit because their properties can be let much more quickly, reducing the risk of empty periods and the resulting loss of rental income.

“It’s often the simplest ideas that bring the biggest benefits and this innovative use proves the point.”