A letting agent is a term for a facilitator through which an agreement is made between a landlord and tenant for the rental of a residential property. The term is common in countries using British English, including countries of the Commonwealth. In the UK, Australia and New Zealand the agreement between landlord and tenant is normally formalised by the signing of a tenancy agreement. A letting agency will normally charge a commission for their services, usually a percentage of the annual rent. Although there are two main types of renting, letting agents deal primarily with tenancies between private individuals and landlords. To maximise the service that a letting agent provides it is important prospective tenants to make letting agents aware of their requirements before they arrange viewings so that properties are better matched to tenant's needs. Since letting agents act as a matchmaker between property, landlord and tenant it is important for them to gain an understanding of customer requirements including; location, property size, budget, pets, etc.