Published: 26/03/2019 By Peter Barry
Dealing with the tenantAlthough the letting team may accompany the prospective tenants to view the property, once an offer is made it’s the property managers who are generally responsible for screening the tenants. Liaising with the referencing company and the tenants to ensure all necessary information is available to complete a thorough check.
Drafting an Assured Shorthold Tenancy contract which will include any additional clauses the landlord may request, such as no pets or children. The property manager will ensure a break clause is also included in the AST unless both parties agree to remove it.
Securing the deposit with a Government approve body such as the DPS and advising the tenant of where the deposit has been placed in the correct time.
Ensure the property is compliant with current regulations such as having a current EPS, GSC, smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detectors.
Having a thorough inventory check-in, with photos, ready for the new tenants to review on the day they are ready to collect the keys. This will be the condition the landlord will expect the property to be returned in.
Property managers deal with daily maintenance requests. Having a team of reliable contractors to call upon means the property will be seen quickly and any maintenance issue dealt with promptly. With a constant flow of guaranteed work from a property manager most contractors will prioritise these types of jobs.
Property Inspections are another area the property management team oversea. Most property managers will diarise 6 monthly property inspections, which the tenants will be given reasonable notice of. These inspections are an opportunity to check on the general cleanliness and maintenance of the property, nip any issues in the bud e.g. if mould is spotted in the bathroom ventilation may be an issue, and insure the AST agreement is adhered to. A summary of the inspection will be sent to the landlord for reference.
Complaints are also a common issue for the property manager. If a neighbour has a noisy dog or the kids in the flat next door litter the communal area with balls and bikes it will often be the property manager who has to make the call and request action be taken for the consideration of other residents.
End of tenancy admin, carrying out an inspection of the property to ensure it is left to the standard expected. Liaising with the Tenancy Deposit Protection company to release the deposit, or part of the deposit if repairs or cleaning are needed.
When a tenant does not pay rent or otherwise breaches the terms of AST, a good property manager understands the proper way to file and move forward with an eviction.
Rent Responsibilities
A property manager will ensure the rent is paid by the date required. They will also deduct any expenses from the rent to help with cash flow, for example if your old washing machine has failed and needs replacing a property manager will arrange for a new washing machine to be fitted and the old one removed. All the costs for this service will be taken from your next rental payment without you needing to concern yourself of where you will get the money to complete the task.
When the renewal of the AST is being discussed the property manager may suggest a rent increase if they feel it reasonable.
Knowledge of Landlord-Tenant Law
Good property managers have an in-depth knowledge of the laws surrounding lettings. They will know everything from what’s required at the beginning of a tenancy, ensure the deposit is secured through to procedures to evict a tenant.
Maintaining records
The property manager should keep thorough records regarding the property. This should include all income and expenses; list of all inspections, signed AST, maintenance requests, any complaints, records of repairs, costs of repairs, maintenance costs, record of rent collection and insurance costs.
When managing a property single-handedly, there really is so much to deal with, an experienced property manager can make the whole process very straight forward.