Have you ever wondered what property managers get up to behind the scenes? We face more challenges and have more responsibilities than you might think… Not to mention, the tasks that crop up can be very varied and super unpredictable!
At Purseglove Property, we always go above and beyond for our clients. In this article, we’re examining in depth what our property management team got up to on Tuesday to show you just how unpredictable things can be and demonstrate how we always do our best for our landlords and tenants.
And yes, this is a true story!
Property management diary entry: Last Tuesday
First things first: Emergency response
We started the day with an unexpected emergency; five tenants had to be evacuated from their HMO due to a severe leak and flood. A pipe had come loose in the bathroom, causing water to fill the floor space beneath the bath and eventually, the floor gave way and fell through the kitchen ceiling below! This took out the electrics and made the kitchen and dining areas unusable.
This required an immediate response from our team. We quickly arranged for all five tenants to stay in other managed accommodation – they needed a safe place to stay with functioning electricity and working kitchen facilities – and then gathered the team for a briefing and laid out a plan for the rest of the day.
Post morning briefing: Property inspection and documentation
Once the morning briefing was wrapped up, we headed to the affected property to see the extent of the damage. We met with some trusted contractors on-site, and took photo and video evidence for insurance purposes. Documenting emergencies like this helps with processing claims quickly!
We arranged for the contractors to start initial maintenance work at the property as soon as possible, with the goal of mitigating any further losses and getting the restoration started without delay.
Next steps: Paperwork and management
Back at the office, we drew up all of the necessary paperwork to reduce the likelihood of any more problems cropping up in the future. Our first priority was creating and sending temporary accommodation agreements to the displaced tenants. They needed a clear understanding of their new living arrangements and we needed proper documentation for our records!
Team members Sarah and Cody were dispatched to the temporary accommodation to handle check-in inventories and brief the tenants on the situation, as well as answer any questions they had. We were blown away by how grateful the tenants were for our prompt response and for making them feel looked after.
Cody and Sarah also informed the existing tenants in the temporary accommodation about the new arrivals. We felt that it was really important to keep everyone in the loop as this would help ensure a smooth transition for all involved.
The finer details: Logistics and supplies
The final step of our emergency response was to send our Property Maintenance Manager, Jay, to the property to handle the final logistics. This included collecting and delivering a bed and mattress to one of the rooms (it had been undergoing refurbishment) and ensuring the space was comfortable for the new arrivals.
Jay also cut and tested keys to ensure everything was in place for those tenants who would be arriving home after late shifts, outside of our business hours. This meant everything could go smoothly for them when they arrived home, minimising the negative effects that the emergency had on their day.
Mid-morning responsibilities: Tenant support and maintenance requests
With the emergency under control, we turned our attention to some more typical daily tasks: tenant support and maintenance requests.
One tenant needed help with her radiator and thermostat settings (despite the thermostat being set at 22 degrees, she was still feeling cold!). At Purseglove, we understand how important it is to address tenant issues like this as quickly as possible. Otherwise, they might resort to using electric plug-in heaters, which can lead to higher energy bills for landlords and pose potential safety risks if the heaters are bought second-hand.
We also received a cleanliness complaint from a tenant in a different HMO. This was a recurring issue, so we discussed it as a team and decided to issue a final warning to the tenant in question. We expect all of our HMO tenants to keep common areas clean and tidy out of respect for the other tenants in the property.
Another incident: Fire alarm response
Later that morning, we had another incident to deal with – a fire alarm was triggered by a tenant vaping in his room. After handling the immediate situation and sorting out the alarm, we followed up with a warning letter to the tenant, reminding him of the building’s no-smoking policy. Rules are in place for a reason and making sure tenants follow them is a key part of our property management service.
Managing expectations: WiFi down
Next, one of our tenants reported that their WiFi was down. In all of our HMOs, bills are included in the price of rent, and WiFi is nearly as crucial as hot and cold running water for some people! Understanding this, we added credit to the tenant’s rent to compensate for the inconvenience.
When WiFi issues like this happen, through no fault of the tenant or provider, we like to offer a small amount of compensation to cover the cost of personal data. It just feels like the right thing to do!
After lunch: Pest control and another “emergency”
After a quick bite to eat, we turned our attention to a pest control issue that a tenant was experiencing – a slug infestation! We offered advice over the phone about using salt to deter the slugs. Since this tenant was from overseas, they didn’t realise that leaving their back door open for most of the day could attract slugs into the property.
While on the phone, the tenant also reported an “emergency” – a drip from his radiator. At Purseglove, we understand that everyone has a different idea of what constitutes an emergency, and when something in your home becomes an inconvenience, it can certainly feel like one! But, prioritising property management tasks is key to keeping all of our properties running smoothly.
We explained that there would be a slight delay in addressing the drip as we had genuine emergencies with risk to life or significant property damage that needed to be addressed first. But we were also careful to manage the tenant’s expectations. While we understood the drip wasn’t an immediate threat, we didn’t want the tenant to feel ignored so we used clear communication to let him know his concerns will be addressed in due time.
Important affairs: Lease and legal
Then, another call came through, this time from an ex-landlord who had opted to self-manage his properties in an attempt to save money but quickly realised how complex it was! After a tenant relationship breakdown, he found himself in a tough spot and came back to us for help with creating a new AST (Assured Shorthold Tenancy).
Since we also have a court case pending for a tenant who went off the rails and trashed a property beyond what their deposit would cover, we spent a good chunk of the afternoon preparing evidence for a money claims hearing with a very strict deadline. Although the tenant had a guarantor, the guarantor is now refusing to pay more than the deposit amount for repairs and we need to recover funds.
Although preparing legal documents to support claims isn’t part of our usual management service, we do offer it as an add-on service. Given our familiarity with this situation, it was more cost-effective for the landlord to have us handle this in-house rather than appointing a third party.
Mid-afternoon responsibilities: Maintenance coordination
By mid-afternoon, we were back to coordinating and conducting maintenance. First up, we briefed a tenant about scaffolding needed at their property for urgent roof repairs. Then, we tackled another roof leak – after reviewing the report and quote, and getting the green light from the landlord, we arranged for immediate work to be carried out to prevent further damage.
Planning ahead, we scheduled access for our electrician to conduct fire alarm certifications and EICRs (Electrical Installation Condition Reports) in several properties. Compliance is key for property management, and we always keep things up to standard!
Next, we addressed an oven breakdown. Unfortunately, it was just out of warranty, but we found a budget-friendly replacement and saved the landlord quite a chunk! Then, we planned repairs for water-damaged internal walls in an empty property and conducted a viewing of it for a prospective tenant. We discussed their move-in date at the end of the month and installed a dehumidifier to speed up the drying process.
Lastly, we investigated an internal leak in an en-suite bathroom at another HMO. We identified the cause of the leak, outlined the next steps for maintenance, and instructed our contractors accordingly.
Got to be done: Administrative tasks
After attempting (and failing) to install a new blind in our office because it was too small, it was time for some administrative tasks. We continued collating evidence for the pending court hearing and wrote a glowing reference for a past employee.
Other tasks included: forwarding washing machine details to a repair company for a new seal, planning upcoming check-out inventories, coordinating cleaning costs and schedules for the Nottingham Trent University accommodation turn-around, and arranging for a carpet company to measure and quote for replacement carpets in three different properties. Then, it was nearly time to head home! But first…
The final stretch: Financial management
No business can run smoothly without keeping an eye on the numbers… So, in the last hour of the afternoon we reconciled rents and resolved an arrears dispute with a tenant who had been withholding rent due to a wall taking a long time to dry out after a repair. It was really important that we managed the tenants expectations in this situation. We explained that damp walls can take some time to dry out and withholding rent will only cause an arrears situation. Thankfully, this issue is now resolved!
We also discussed the costs of cutting keys for a master lock with this tenant – it’s a non-standard lock and the keys will need to be sent away for specialist cutting – then we chased an order for new NFC key fobs as our stock is running low.
As the day wound down, we followed up with an agent who had been mistakenly paid rent after property management was transferred to us. They refused to transfer the funds directly to us and insisted it go back to the tenant. We checked with the tenant that this had been done, and they sent it over to us for reconciliation. A job well done!
Property management agents that go above and beyond
As you can see, we’re passionate about helping landlords make the most out of their investments and about making tenants feel respected and well looked after at Purseglove Property. That’s why we offer a personalised property management service at a fair price in Nottinghamshire and the surrounding areas.
We have three core offerings: Traditional Letting & Management, HMO Management and Service Accommodation Management. Get in touch to find out how we can help you!