What happens if there is an urgent maintenance problem when you are closed?

 Our agents monitor our maintenance telephone line at all times which means we can always be reached for emergencies.

An emergency is deemed to be where a problem places either the tenant or the property in imminent danger of suffering harm, injury or damage. The agent will assess, so far as he is able, the seriousness of the situation and attend only where necessary. If attending the property is not deemed appropriate the tenant is asked to report the problem when our office reopens. 

If your tenant exaggerates the seriousness of the situation we endeavour to recover the cost of attending out of hours from them on your behalf. If this is unsuccessful, you can include a claim when considering apportionment of the deposit at the end of the tenancy. 

How are maintenance repairs paid for?

We would always contact you before arranging routine maintenance works and provide 2 quotes where necessary.

Expenditure will be deducted from your landlord funds and paid direct to contractors on your behalf.  We would always discuss the works with you in advance so that you are expecting the deductions to show on your monthly statement. An agreed maintenance float is held on your account for any urgent repairs or call outs.

When insufficient funds are available, or for more major works, your property manager will contact you to take payment prior to instructing works. Payment can be made by bank transfer.  We are rightly prevented from using other client’s money to guarantee payments.

What if I need a new washing machine for example?

We are able to make arrangements for the supply and installation of white goods such as washing machines, dishwashers and fridges. Under normal circumstances, where a replacement is recommended following a service call there is no charge for the call providing the same contractor supplies the replacement appliance. 

Clients sometimes comment quite rightly that appliances are sometimes available cheaper online. Whilst this is often true, it is important to take into consideration that an online supplier will not usually install the machine, collect keys for delivery, take away the old appliance and dispose of any packaging.

Can you assist in renovation works if I want to update my property between tenancies? 

Yes. We work with a wide range of skilled trade people and can organise anything from replacing carpets to kitchen and bathroom installations. As these works are non-routine we would charge 10% management commission of the cost of the works organised.

What happens if my tenants stop paying the rent? 

All tenants are referenced before a tenancy to verify their employment status, income and previous landlord references. For extra peace of mind, at the beginning of each tenancy we can offer rent guarantee insurance. On the rare occasions when a tenant stops paying rent we would follow our late rent procedure which is outlined to the tenants in the tenancy agreement. This involves email reminders and letters at day 4, 8 and 12 of being in arrears  and contacting guarantors where applicable. If the rent is still not paid after this process we can assist you in the legal process involved in removing the tenant.

What happens at the end of a tenancy if my property is left in a poor state?

We look after everything involved to return the property to a good standard. We prepare very detailed inventories and check out reports with specialist software so we can claim deductions from the tenants deposit towards the cost where suitable. We would organise all works necessary and liaise with you where necessary for works which aren’t covered by your tenants deposit. We always give tenants fair wear and tear allowance in line with deposit protection scheme guidelines.