A good manager makes a big difference…

Property Management.  Surely it can’t be that hard, can it?

An experienced manager can make a world of difference, but landlords often deliberate whether to opt for a fully managed service or not when letting their property, with many deciding to give management a go themselves to see how they get on.

This is fine when everything’s running smoothly (which is most of the time), but what happens if something does go wrong? Unless you have a lot of time on your hands and a plumber/electrician/locksmith etc. on speed-dial, things can very easily spiral out of control and a small matter can quickly become a big issue.

An experienced property manager can save time as well as stress, maintain the relationship between landlord & tenant, ensure the protection of the tenant and minimise possible damage to the property.

Some landlords feel the additional cost of employing a managing agent is less attractive than taking the chance that everything will be fine once a tenant is handed the keys. In many cases, tenancies progress with no problems (and we all want that!) but think of a managing agent like you would an insurance policy, something that you never really see the benefit of until you need it.

But there’s more to it than that. Managing problems when they arise is only part of the job. We think the following points make a compelling argument for investing in property management once the letting has taken place:

• Rent Collection | A property managing agent will collect the rent on a monthly basis, chase late rent and take all necessary steps to aid recovery of rent should it remain unpaid for any reason.

• Legislation | Residential lettings is becoming more and more complicated with new rules and regulations popping up all the time. A managing agent will look after the sometimes complicated administration on your behalf ensuring all boxes are ticked, correct paperwork has been issued and the landlords legal obligations are met.

• Inspections | Property inspections are so important. We often hear of apartments not being checked over the course of a tenancy only to find them in disarray at the end or simple maintenance issues have not been reported causing damage. A managing agent can carry out regular inspections as and when needed making sure that nothing is missed.

• Maintenance & Contractors | We have a little black book full of trusted specialist contractors that we use on a regular basis who appreciate how important it is to get problems dealt with quickly and efficiently, making any unexpected issues as painless as possible.

• 24 hour response | We have a dedicated emergency hotline available 24/7 so tenants can always reach someone in an emergency. We use the Fixflo system which is a very easy and efficient way for tenants to report issues requiring maintenance.

• Qualifications | We’re members of the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) as well as the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and have all the necessary insurances such as client money protection and Professional Indemnity.

If you are thinking of letting your property, or currently have a tenancy in place but feel that a properly managed property would give you peace-of-mind, then feel free to speak to our management team on 020 7477 2177 or contact us