TRAINING At your service
Clare Fletcher writes a letter to all letting agents as a reminder of, perhaps, the most important aspect of the job.
Dear ‘Old School Tie’ Letting Agent, Having been a tenant with your agency for four years, I was
sorry to receive yet another officious letter advising me that the renewal on the lease is due in April. I would have thought that four years loyalty should earn at least some common courtesy like a thank you for our continued custom, appreciation for taking good care of the property and always paying our rent on time. Instead, the letter told us that once again, the rent was going up (that is a rise every year since moving in) and we had just two weeks to confirm our written instructions to you, plus a cheque for the renewal fee. Failure to submit a ‘statement’ within the stipulated time would mean that our home would be placed on the market and we would be given notice to vacate. Nice!
current landlord will have to pay to find another tenant. I wish you luck in this as there is no guarantee a new tenant will be as good- natured as we are or that they will pay rent on time every month. I have tried to give your company the benefit of the doubt, before giving you notice but you are not helping me or yourselves! It is highly likely that new tenants will expect a significantly
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higher standard of accommodation in return for the rent you are looking for. This will cost the landlord further money and a possible void period while the refurbishment takes place.
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on improving the tenant experience so that they receive only the most positive feedback on social network sites. They recognise that the tenant has family, friends and colleagues who they communicate with regularly. If the tenant is unhappy, both the sales and lettings operations of the business can be tarnished by tales of their experience. They know that if they look after tenants, their business is more profitable.
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things go wrong and co-operate with the landlord and letting agent. Unhappy tenants will look for things to complain about and can make life uncomfortable for everyone while in residence. You should take a leaf out of your competitors’ books and
consider if this property is a good advertisement for your business. A penny-pinching landlord who puts money before tenant comfort is not one I would imagine dealing with when looking at your ‘upmarket’ image.
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Please note we do not live in a palace. Your property managers have
repeatedly noted that this property requires redecoration and refurbishment throughout and are aware of the constant problems with heating and hot water (boiler repair man is on ‘family & friends’). In fact, I believe that if you check your records, you will see that no money has been spent on this property, (except essential repairs to aging appliances) since you took the original instructions from the landlord yet you have continued to impose an annual rent rise! Obviously, we have looked at what we can rent nearby for the
increased sum, and every single property we have seen is superior in terms of condition and overall proposition. My first call to your office to discuss the ‘rent rise’ won the
reassuring response that you apply rent increases to all properties in line with RPI. I asked about our particular property and the same response was repeated three times in a robotic fashion. I gave up trying to engage in any meaningful conversation and so left a message to speak to you. It took a week and a further message left before you finally called me back. I raised my concerns and was gobsmacked when you began to
lecture me on the market. I asked if you knew what my occupation was. Your comment that I was ‘some estate agency trainer somewhere’ didn’t help your cause! I await the landlord’s response.
66 MARCH 2012 PROPERTYdrum
Not all tenants are people who can’t afford houses – I am both a home owner and tenant. I intend to become a landlord in two years’ time and may also sell my own home in the future. You will not be on my list of top agents in the area.
says more about why you have failed to build a rapport with me. ‘Hunting, shooting, fishing’ may be lovely weekend hobbies for you but do you really think that shows your cuddly, human side? Failure to follow any of the above advice will almost certainly
lead to more and more professional tenants giving notice on your properties, seeking to rent through your competitors, who are more than happy to maximise on their strengths and your weaknesses. Still I am sure that your ‘weekend’ networking activities will bring in plenty of business to keep your clay pigeons in the air!
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Clare Fletcher is an expert in training and development in estate and letting agency. clarefl
etcher76@gmail.com
www.propertydrum.com/articles/trainerclare Do you have any views on this? Log on and add your comments.
Your personal profile is charming on your company website but Happy tenants pay rent without complaint, are patient when
You now have more competitors than ever in your area, offering a better service, with better properties and better trained staff. I work with at least two of those competitors who are focusing
So Mr Letting Agent, here are some points to remember if you wish to remain successful in your industry.
I do not have to renew my lease but if we decide to move, our
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