Since the onset of the economic crisis three years ago we at DDM Residential have seen activity in the rented property market remain remarkably consistent: demand for rented homes has remained high but supply has matched the demand, with the result that rents (at least locally) have remained pretty stable.

There have been minor fluctuations month to month, of course, but looking back over the past 12 months, 2011 was a very good year that ended with a record November and December for DDM Residential.

Except for anyone who thinks the economic situation is going to miraculously recover anytime soon, New Year crystal ball gazing is relatively simple: we are going to have more of the same.

We are as confident as we can possibly be that demand for rented property will remain strong. A tough housing sales market, at a time when mortgage providers are being very cautious clearly does have a significant impact on the demand for rented property.

In particular, first-time buyers have been experiencing difficulties in securing mortgages at the most competitive rates. Things have been getting better recently but people still have to raise substantial deposits.

Added to that, a few people who do have the money, perhaps after selling, are delaying buying to see what happens to house prices. Given that most of the predictions are that property prices will not continue to move significantly, they may well stay in rented property.

On the supply side it could be a slightly trickier year. Last year DDM Residential experienced a good flow of property into the renting market across northern Lincolnshire – better than we had anticipated. We saw a considerable number of newly built houses and flats coming into the sector – one landlord with 30 properties in one instance.

With the option now to sell through the regional DDM Property Auction we are seeing fewer homes being let because they will not sell. There are still a few but it is pretty steady. Owners struggling to sell and who are motivated are turning to auction where they can sell for free.

On the positive side there is still a lot of investment going into the buy-to-let market and for the benefit of buy-to-let investors I would flag up an early warning about the next DDM property auction, which is scheduled to take place on February 16. The catalogue is still changing, of course, but even at this stage it is clear that there are going to be a number of properties that may be of interest. Keep an eye on the DDM website at www.ddmresidential.co.uk where you can also register for auction updates.

Unlike some parts of the country, rent levels in our area have been stable and with the supply of flats and houses pretty much matching demand, we do not anticipate that rents will be doing anything dramatic this year.

Looking at our current listings at www.ddmresid ential.co.uk, I see that there are some flats available from as little as £250 a month and there are terraced houses available at under £400 a month.

The average regional property rental of £550 produces a selection of really fine properties up to and including three and four bedroom detached properties, with all mod cons, standing in attractive gardens, with detached garages.

There are still some interesting offers available for both tenants with our DDM "move-in deals" and landlords on management fees. The market in the area may be busy but it remains extremely competitive.

Meanwhile on the subject of rents, I should mention that predictions that arrears would rise in these difficult times have turned out to be wide of the mark. While there has been a minor increase in arrears we have not seen the big problem that we feared that it might be – although it is beneficial our tenants can pay by debit or credit card!

That is not, of course, to say that arrears will not yet be an issue and it is a matter that landlords need to be prepared for. Even the best tenants can fall on hard times. Research shows that most rent defaults are due to an inability to pay, because of unavoidable things like job loss, relationship breakdown or long-term sickness, rather than a refusal to pay.

A recession, with jobs being lost, is not the time to be operating without rent guarantee and legal warranty on rented properties and yet many landlords are currently chancing it. The cost is very modest for the cover that it provides.

Finally a mention of the firm's new website that went live just a few days, a complete "one-stop shop" for tenants and landlords. It enables prospective tenants to view all available properties – with 3D floor plans on new properties – and even book appointments to view. As well as tenants being able to arrange tenant insurance, landlords can also obtain building insurance. There are also downloadable guides to letting for both tenants and landlords that are packed with useful information. For further information, call 08454 599499, call into your local office or visit www.ddmresidential. co.uk