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A must see! Conan O’Brian – Finding an apartment in NYC Conan O'Brian puts a letting agent through her paces, while viewing rental properties.

#property viewings

How can a tenant improving a property, be a problem.

Some tenants inhabit the rental property as if they own it. Though it is made clear at the beginning of the tenancy, that permission needs to be granted to make changes, many tenants will paint or lay carpets without asking. Generally this improves the property and is also to the landlords advantage. There are however exceptions.

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#deposits #end of tenancy

Agile practices helped my agency compete!

A glance down the main street of English towns and villages, is testimony to the quote that business either “expand or bust.” Small businesses are being run out of town by large retail chains and franchises. It is possible however for small letting agencies to cling on through agile practices.

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#e-myth experience #Start of tenancy

How do you reference a company tenant?

Company Tenants come in all sizes. In Cumbria our tenants ranged from Washington Group that managed Sellefield, the nuclear site, to an individual electrician, who rented as his company rather than himself. So how best to reference these companies for your landlords? Does one method fit all?

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#Start of tenancy #tenant referencing

How can a tenancy start, without the tenant paying?

My letting agency needed cleared funds before the prospective tenants were given keys to the property. This is standard practice. Cleared funds are cash, a bank cheque or a debit and credit card payment. This assures the landlord is paid before the tenant takes possession, or does it?

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#Start of tenancy

How CCTV cameras in my letting agency improved efficiency

We had a notice on the front door of my two lettings offices, warning that we had CCTV surveillance cameras on the premises. Unknown to those entering the office, the cameras did not record them, but were to allow us to be more efficient.

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#communication

How do letting agencies earn fees from utility companies? Part 2

My letting agencies relationship with Spark Energy was proving lucrative for us. The small commission we earned on each property we switched to them, compounded to a tidy sum at the end of the year. A grey storm cloud however started to build over this perfect scene.

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#Start of tenancy

What is the value of Google reviews for letting agents?

Google reviews of letting agents can be a key factor in a landlord choosing to place their property with the agency. It is also an important measure of reputation for a tenant deciding to rent from the agency. Just how reliable are the reviews, and the information produced by the natural search queries?

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#marketing #online

How do letting agencies earn fees from utility companies?

Spark Energy were offered to my letting agency, as a utility provider that understood the rental business, and with whom I could partner to provide added value to clients, as well as earn commission. Sounds like a match made in heaven? (more…)

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#Start of tenancy

How to remove money owing on a prepayment meter.

It was such a disheartening occurrence, when having just moved a tenant into their new home, to receive a phone call from them that there was a large amount owing on the gas or electricity meter, and they were without heating or lights. There is a way however to zero the meter, and remedy the situation.

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#emergency phoneline #Start of tenancy

Prepayment meters, self-disconnection and property management.

When energy customers fall into debt, the utility companies are quick to install a prepayment meter. This applies to tenants and homeowners, however for tenants there is the burden of not only paying the debt, but also heating the property according to the tenancy agreement. This duel obligation can be compromised by the excessive charges of the prepayment meter.

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#landlord relations #property management #tenant relationships

How is renting to a company tenant different to an individual?

A company can be a tenant just as an individual or couple renting together. Though there are some important differences of which to be aware. Not least are the implications for registering the deposit paid by the company.

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#tenancy agreements #tenant relationships

Bully boy debt collection at a rental property

Our largest tenant was a Polish steel company and we found accommodation for about one hundred and forty of their workers. They were key to our survival during the property recession in the UK, and we did everything we could to make their stay effortless and pleasant. So when we were notified that one of their home’s front door had been broken down by debt collectors, we were alarmed.

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#debt collecting

The Standing Order and Direct Debit confusion for tenants

After a tenant moved out of a property it was not uncommon for my letting agency to be called and accused of removing rent money from the tenant’s bank account. The first question the accounts manager would ask, was if the tenant had stopped their Standing Order. Silence usually ensured.

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#rent payments

How to get perspective at the inventory or property visit.

Today I was reminded again of the visual benefits of video inventories and the periodic property visits with Apmasphere’s “Field Agent” application. It is said a picture is worth a 1000 words, it is also worth the assurance of objective information, in a tenancy dispute.

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#deposits #inventories

Christmas time coding rental property key software

I am not someone to sit around as I have a very low boredom threshold. So Christmas holidays can be little trying, when I was a letting agent. The offices were closed, employees melted back to their homes, and only occasionally would I need to deal with contractors, for the few property emergencies. So I decided that I should write a Key Control software for managing the rental properties keys.

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#lettings software #property keys

What type of customer is your tenant ?

Speaking to a landlord at his beautiful penthouse rental property, I asked how he got into the rental business. It turned out he had owned many low rent properties, but did not like dealing with the low income tenants, and so he deliberately sold and reinvested to deal with a higher income tenants. I wondered how many landlords invested with this in mind. I know I did not.

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#buy-to-let #tenant relationships

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