RKirwan
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Hi
Full cost.
rgds
Hi I use Dragon professional which is the best part of £300 but works very well, types straight into my Surface pro 3 laptop using a word template, since using it I have saved thousands I still use Outsec for large makes or when short of time, Dragon takes a bit of training, but most important invest in a good microphone Philips LFH3500/00 USB cable shortly to be replaced with a philips wireless bluetooth mike which they have just brought out… the hand writing software is V good now on the Surface pro so that is another option….
I’ve done similar things a few times, it’s no sweat, but I always bring an assistant with me and charge for them as well, bit of reassurance no funny stuff goes on!
To start with tenants always query reports when they go against them, if I were you I would stick to my guns, you are an independent assessor of the properties condition so I am assuming you wrote your report unbiased and accurate, the Landlord is trying to manipulate you into changing the outcome, you shouldn’t really amend your report once its been sent out and from the sound of things the tenant already has a copy… so they know what you have said…remember your report is not at fault, it is the dispute between the landlord and tenant, which is why we have a tribunal system to sort these situations out, as long as you are happy with your report I would not back down on it, next you will get the landlord refusing to pay you…
Agents have one thing in common under the age of 30 they are completely useless, over the age of 30 just useless, the one thing they are very good at is if in doubt blame the inventory clerk, they may not know about blinds but if you leave it out…
I don’t see it as a big problem, photos are useful for illustrative purposes, your written report should override them, lets face it photos aren’t always that good at showing how dirty something is, you are an independent third party your professional opinion is that the property needed cleaning, end of. If you know the cleaners they quite often take before and after photos so maybe able to help you out…
Has anyone at the AIIC consulted with the recommended insurance company as to whether we are covered for this kind of work…
And why doesn’t the government make this test part of the Gas or electrical safety test…at least the Gas guys are equipped to carry them out, ladders etc…
First question Bruce is there any money left in the deposit? Or does the tenant have any money?
Next, what condition was the machine in when she binned it? If it was knackered she can’t be charged anyway.Sounds like a walk away job, if the tenant has been evicted for non payment you haven’t a hope in hell of getting any money out of her court judgement or no.
PS tell the landlord to get a proper agent rather than rely on your good will and free advice!
I agree with Sarah we keep getting asked to do more and more but nobody wants to pay for it, I have told my Agents this is a management issue only and to be fair the majority have been installing and checking their own properties, most properties have some kind of maintenance prior to check in requiring a handyman to attend so why not get them to do it? If the damn thing doesn’t work we aren’t going to be able to fix it or change batteries are we? Also there are plenty that are out of reach even with a stick, I don’t carry a ladder….
Also we are not qualified and hence not insured to decide where they should be placed, my inclination is to charge £5 plus vat to check each one, then there is the small matter of health and safety…being exposed to 99 decibel blasts constantly throughout the day is no good for one’s hearing…Hi Sarah, the VAT registration level is £82,000, I would stay well clear of VAT registration until you absolutely have to, why give 12% of your very hard earned money away for nothing?
All that happens is you become a tax collector for the government and all the hassle that involves, VAT is a fact of life and in my 16 years any agent or landlord that does not ‘get that’ is really not worth dealing with, if I was you my main concern would be getting paid on time, agents rather like to hang onto it as long as possible and as for paying commission or ‘admin fees’ forget it, you are meant to to be wholly independent, most agents are crooked as hell!Good luck with your new venture.
1.Relax if they didn’t like you already you wouldn’t be getting this opportunity.
2 Sounds like you already know what to say!
3 Ask the likely volume of work. Why are they changing clerks, this may give you a good insight into what they are like…
4 expected turnaround time. Be honest we all like to think we can do very quickly but if they load you up with work all day are you really going to stay up most of the night typing….
5 Tell them what you charge, remember the Landlord and tenant are paying your bill not the agent…do not sell yourself cheap, you will regret it.
6 some agents like a bribe, sorry introductory fee or admin fee (LOL). I don’t pay anyone anything, how can you be impartial if you are paying the agent…? What if they ask you to sign off on check ins saying professionally cleaned when as is quite often the cleaning is below par…
7 If you do agree to bribe them, then insist on them invoicing you monthly, no cash ever.
8 I am being quizzed as to smoke detectors, what are their expectations…? I don’t like it every year we are asked to do more but never put our prices up, also there is the health aspect of exposing your hearing to 99db several times a day..
9 Your terms i.e payment immediately on invoice but no more than 28 days if pushed.
10 Finally do you like them? Nothing worse if you don’t, there are plenty more agents who are nice to work for. My rule of thumb is if their name starts with an ‘F’ and ends in ‘S’ I won’t touch them with a barge pole or other agents who use the same tactics…they just aren’t worth the grief.Good luck and remember be nice, nobody likes to work with awkward pushy people, good guys/girls do come first.
Hi
Over the years I’ve done quite a few like this, first off the flats are not ‘all the same’ this is the usual line trotted out “oh yes all you have to do is one and the rest are all the same so we can get away with paying you next to nothing” I would charge what you normally charge because you will inevitably end up meeting the tenants and going through the whole procedure, you can end up doing an awful lot of work, remember cleaning has to be checked, meters read etc…I would say to them to start with you will charge job by job and then if it works in your favour fine offer them a discount, the one thing you can be sure of there is someone out there who will quote an awful lot less than you but will probably also do an awful job as well…Inventory fees are far too low for the amount of work we do anyway.
good luck!