joanne-vermeulen
Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Rowley – really very good advice. I take back what I said earlier – don’t offer compensation. Gillian – that’s an excellent disclaimer. will have to tighten mine up I think
If the landlord wants compensation, I would give it to him, but I would then expect to receive the router and all associated cords. In my opinion this benefits the property so if he want to keep it, that’s fine, but he cant also have 130 pounds in compensation. One or the other but not both. Greedy man!
Quite. If Agents keep off loading their work, but won’t pay the additional cost, there is going to back lash on us all. I would not be happy to undertake yet more of the agents work without recompense
i have it in my guidance notes that a reasonably charged missed appointment fee will be levied if the property is not ready for check out. I have charged for this and have always been paid and the landlord has been able to claim the money back via the deposit 🙂
I am in panic mode to be brutally honest. I have never ever in all the years of doing this job had a June so quiet. Normally by now I would be run off my feet and not coming up for air until September. I have virtually no work booked in for July and only 1 job in August thus far – normally I would be getting to the stage of juggling appointments and doing 7 am check ins to fit all in – NOT THIS YEAR. All of my agents are dead quiet and worrying about their revenue stream too. It is dire and I am starting to look into alternate work to go alongside the inventory stuff or sell my business if possible and go and work at Sainsbury – far less stressful hahahahahahaha
Hi Danny – it may swing back round as you say, but my concern is the smaller inventory companies may not survive the phaffing around period.
Hi Rowley – I am a one man band working in Kent and have found that most of my Agents are nervous and trying to squeeze every penny to cover lost earnings, landlords too and whilst we can market with confidence, if people wont pay for the service, not much we can do. Like I said, I am a bit gloomy and really really hope to be proved wrong and this will all be a storm in a teacup for us clerks.
I will always re-visit a property prior to a check in where possible to update and take new photos. I want to ensure the documentation is as correct and detailed as possible. That way if the check in meet and greet does not happen for any reason, I know that come check out, I am confident I have been as thorough as I can.
Sometimes this is not always possible, so that’s when I go to the property 1/2 an hour before the agreed check in time with the tenants and spend time checking the house and taking fresh photos. I never do a make and check in on the same day unless it is absolutely unavoidable as I want to be able to hand over the inventory to the tenants at the time of meeting them – i am old fashioned and don’t work on an app. I still dictate and have my typist type it up before the check in. From first of June I have standardised my check in fee for flats and houses, as I still think meeting and greeting tenants and chatting through expectations and other things with them isimportant
Whilst I agree it is ideal that we do all three, for me, as long as the inventory is a detailed as possible and you have sufficient photos to back up the inventory – come check out, there should not be an issue. What I have done to try and mitigate this issue for me is I have reduced and standardised the prices for my check ins, in the hope this will incentivise landlords to continue having a check in done independently. I do have a number of clients who have always just used me to do the make and the check out and have done the check in themselves with the tenant – thus far this has not been a problem. In my opinion we are going to be fighting for our businesses to stay afloat whilst this new law beds, compromise may be needed in the short term to ensure we continue to trade. That said, it is only going to take one landlord getting severely stung by this new law for them to remember our services are necessary and valuable and to get back on board with all services we offer. I would take the make/check out deal if it meant I could continue work and keep my head above water and a roof over my head. Gloomy outlook I know, but we are being left with little choice
Right now I am so upset and angry that all my hard work and efforts in building and maintaining my business over the last 15 years could go up in smoke because of this ban, I really don’t care about a loophole and before you shout at me, I am a tenant and have been for 15 years. The government will not listen on this, just as they dont listen to the public about anything. They are a bunch of self serving idiots with no clue. Bitter???? Yes I am because I feel helpless. My MP is a twit and will do nothing so I am confident sending him a letter is a waste of time. Sorry all, but I am just too cross at the moment to be constructive. I might feel differently in the not too distant future, but right now, no!
I have been saying to anyone who will listen that this ban is going to back fire in the most major way for all concerned. Landlords will sell, or put their rents up much higher to cover costs and ultimately the people this was trying to help – tenants – will suffer due to lack of stock or lack of affordability. i have huge concerns about our role too. One of my agents has said that check in and check outs will be the first thing to go. This is two thirds of our income. I am really worried about whether my business will survive this lunacy. I know professional landlords will still use our services, but cheeky agents who already add a surcharge onto our work will be charging more and will be charging us an “admin fee” for the privilege of getting work from them. I predict chaos all round hahahahaha