Page 13 – The software for estate & letting agents.

March 12, 2012

Property rental scam – Check cashing scam

Having recently read Mashables Top 10 Scams of the year I noticed that the “Check Cashing Scam” was up with the best of them. For any letting agent or in some cases landlords advertising a property to rent you have more than likely received a request to partake in this scam unknowingly.

The check cashing scam is normally done through email. It normally would start by receiving a detailed email from a person claiming not to be in the country at the moment and that they would like to take your property. Sounds great right? Wrong..

Normally the person has not the ability to make or take a call because of coverage in the area or work commitments. Instead they would like to send you on a cheque or bank draft to cover the rent & deposit as this property is definitely for them…. and they know this by the couple of photo’s!!

The scam kicks in when they ask you to forward on the surplus of monies from the cheque / draft as this was company expenses and it could only be made out in one cheque. What ever story will be given it normally goes hand in hand with the lengthy previous emails to sound very genuine. Stop trying to convince yourself that this person is genuine..

Where people have gotten caught out in the past is forwarding the surplus of funds via Western Union and in some cases bank wire. By the time the bank informs you the cheque / draft has not cleared the tenant is long gone and no longer contactable with your money. Samples of such letters can be found here http://www.daft.ie/safety-online

Normally if its too good to be true well then it probably is. Tenants want to view a property or have someone view it on their behalf prior to putting any monies down especially if they are committing to a medium term lease.

If you are contacted by somebody requesting such a transaction my advice would be to ignore the email.

Another blog post which you might be interested in is-

The rental property scam

by Andreas Riha

March 9, 2012

IT Solutions in the Lettings Industry

Some of the best nuggets of information I can share with you this week comes from an interesting talk I attended from Derek McCullagh the head of operations and technology in AIB and Karl Howley the chairman of itsmf.ie on Monday 5^th of March in DIT. The topic discussed was the importance of adapting IT solutions for organisations in Ireland today. For those who haven’t heard of irSMF.ie, like me before Monday morning I’ve taken this quote from there company site which describes what they do best:

‘to be the premier community for leadership in IT service Management In Ireland ’

Now this applies to most companies in different industries but I will refer to the lettings and management side of things for the purpose of the blog. So let’s start with the roles service management plays in helping business’s do things:

Faster

More Reliable

More Efficient

More Cost effectively

This is the one slide from their presentation on IT services management that stuck with me most and I will explain its importance under each heading below or lettings agent and estate agent owners below.

1. From an agencies perspective imagine you can receive a rent and click one button to do the following

inform the landlord rent is received
inform the tenant rent is received and send them a receipt
update their schedule of online accounts

You’re cutting out a lot of work for yourself by having a system which can perform such tasks and ensure you only have to do the basics of property management while the IT system performs the rest for you.

Efficiency in Organisations

2. Letting a property and managing one involves a lot of paper work and reliance on sufficient management of documents and tenant/landlord information. If you’re faced with an issue from a tenant or a landlord in the office and you can’t draw on the information of them straight away it relfects poorly on you and your organisation.

Imagine turning that 5 or 10 minutes spent looking for their file whether its references or lease terms into five clicks on your desktop where you have all the information necessary to deal with the problem at hand!

3 and 4 Are closely linked and some of the more appealing points to organisational managers, how can you carry out the core processes of your business more efficiently and for a lower cost. By adapting a service solution into the lettings and management of properties its hard not to save money and be more efficient.

Using the simple example in lettings of taking a property in from a landlord for letting I will explain the benefits of using IT systems. Lets say the property is new on the market and proving very popular what is the process of letting the property:

You take 5-10 calls in the first day you ad is live on daft and be jotting down the tenant information and appointment times as you take the calls
You then may refer back to the landlord on potential viewings or tenants
Once you show the property your faced with the dilemma of who to pick and acquiring all the necessary documents such as work and landlord references

Think of logging this information online into a management system for letting agents and then sharing access with your property owner so as they know you’re working your hardest to secure someone for the property. Once you meet the clients you can tell them upload any relevant information onto your data system and now the landlord can see themselves the potential tenants you have. You can communicate through your system at speed and no cost such as phone charges and the process is a whole lot easier now!

Condensation in a rental property

According to the good folk over at springcleaningtips.com, a household breathing can contribute 1.2 litres of water vapour in the air.

Showering contributes roughly 1 litre.

Cooking and using a kettle obviously varies depending on which method and how often it’s used but can be as high as 3 litres.

Washing and drying clothes can add an enormous 5.5 litres of moisture into the air. With that amount of added water in the air, it’s easy to see how condensation can build up quite fast.

So as you can see just going about your normal day to day activities in a property contributes greatly to condensation. Many tenants may feel that ventilating a property is like throwing money out of the window with regards to heating costs and as a result do not ventilate correctly.

So the next time you see Mould before treating make sure everyone knows what caused the condensation in your rental home.

Other blogs of interest may be Wear and tear of a rental property

Final inspection and return of your tenants deposit

February 29, 2012

Mould in rented accommodation

Mould

Mould is a type of fungi that occurs completely naturally in nature and its main function is to help with the decomposition of organic matter such as leaves. Not the type of thing anybody would want in their property. They reproduce through spores that float around in the air and only grow into visible colonies when they spend enough time on a suitable surface containing moisture and nutrients.

Mould Growth

Materials that are used in the building of most homes like plywood and carpets are perfect breeding grounds for growth so the key to prevention is reducing moisture. Excess moisture appears after flooding, plumbing leaks, buildings that are too airtight so moisture can’t escape, not enough ventilation near ovens and showers resulting in condensation and general high humidity levels. Condensation also occurs when air gets colder and it loses its ability to retain moisture. Add moisture to warmth and give it a bit of time and you’ve got a new addition to the household.

The most common cause in Irish homes is probably condensation. It’s an internal problem arising from moisture that can’t escape. To prevent condensation and in turn contribute largely to the prevention of mould you should:

Have a good ventilation system in place – extractor fans in bathrooms, exhaust fans in cooking and laundering areas and open windows
Dry windows and windowsills when you notice condensation forming
Insulate cold surfaces well in order to keep central heating low to stop build up on windows, walls and floors
Try to keep carpets and rugs away from water sources like sinks and showers
Dry washed clothes outside as much as possible
Air cupboards and wardrobes frequently

Choosing the right tenant for your property

Removing Mould

If mould is already a problem in the home, the best thing to do is get rid of what’s already there and then take preventative measures. Mould killing sprays can be bought in most local supermarkets and these are effective in removing small growths, although a mixture of water and bleach can also help. If on walls or skirting boards, fungicidal paint can be used after the clean-up to prevent a recurrence of the problem. When cleaning, don’t forget to protect yourself. Rubber gloves, protective goggles and a dust mask are a must for protection against spores, and stop and go outside to get some air if you develop a headache or become nauseous. For larger growths it is recommended to call a professional mould remover. Certain materials like insulation and carpets can’t just be treated, they need to be removed and replaced.

If you spot the beginnings of mould growth (black pinpricks) take action immediately. While not generally toxic, mould can be an irritant and can contribute to respiratory problems. It also causes stains and eventually rots and/or causes deterioration depending on the material it’s growing on.

Whose Responsibility is it?

The simple answer is it’s both the landlords’ and tenants’ responsibility. Before they let a property, landlords should ensure there isn’t any mould growing or remove what’s currently there. Tenants should be informed of how to prevent it, what to do if it starts to grow during their tenancy, and should notify the landlord in case structural changes need to be made.

Other blogs of interest Keeping a tenant happy &

Final inspection and return of a deposit

by Andreas Riha

Rent management software

February 17, 2012

Happy Tenants

Image credit DieselDemon

You’ve done the hard work – made an agreement with a landlord to let and/or manage their property, made sure everything is in order with the property, advertised it and found suitable tenants. Time to put the feet up and relax? Unfortunately not. The next task is to keep the tenants happy, which will hopefully encourage them to renew their lease. But how do you do this? If you’re the theory-loving type, there are plenty of books and articles on Customer Relationship Management. If not, the following will be of some help (although it is recommended to also do a little research into the area).

Know the lease and property they’re renting inside-out

For agents with a number of properties on the go this may be difficult, but it really is worth it. Knowing the finest details will help to clear up any queries or issues much quicker than if you don’t know them. It will also show tenants that you are serious about their welfare (in relation to the property at least!) and will give them confidence that you will be able to help when needed.

Communicate with them regularly

We’re not suggesting that you should become fully fledged friends with your happy tenants, but be sure to keep in contact with them. Answer their calls and messages promptly, and keep them updated as you solve problems. If you don’t, they may think nothing is being done. The tenant is not going to know that you’re waiting on a quote or approval from the landlord unless you tell them. Questions from tenants can build up very quickly so find a way of prioritising them.

Ensure consistency in each relationship

Maintain the same level of service for every tenant. Related to the above points, this means having good rent collection practices in place, enforcing rules fairly etc. The word of mouth phenomenon is very powerful, especially when it comes to negative stories, and you don’t want to be on the receiving end of it! Consistent practices will mean only positive stories are spread about your agency.

Get feedback

This can be done either informally or formally throughout the tenancy or when it’s coming close to the end. Informally could be a quick phone call to check what they thought of the service and how to improve it. The formal route could include a more detailed questionnaire, but keep it straightforward and not too long. We know they take effort to complete, so if the budget allows it throw in an incentive of a cash prize or voucher to encourage tenants to fill it in.

Be nice!

Simple good manners go a long way. Be polite and approachable in your dealings with tenants. In times of frustration, try to keep a cool head because anger generally doesn’t solve anything, and is unprofessional. To take it up a notch, send them a card from the company on their birthday. Nothing extravagant is needed; a small card from the local newsagents will be enough to put a smile on their face. Again if the budget allows it, you could consider ordering company-specific standardised cards which may work out cheaper in the long run.

Remember happy tenants means occupied properties!

Other blogs which may interest you –

Final inspection and return of your tenants deposit & Tenants complaints about neighbours

by Andreas Riha

February 13, 2012

Attracting tenants

Generation Yers or echo boomers … call them what you like but this group of professionals in their 20s and 30s make up a significant portion of the rental population and will probably therefore be a fair share of the potential tenant pool.

So how do you attract these tenants to your property?

Figure out their needs, match your property to them accordingly insofar as possible and market the property so the Gen Yers know you’ve got what they want! Sounds simple doesn’t it? But we all know economic conditions are not making life simple at the moment. However, here are some tips on attracting Generation Yers to get you started.

Attracting tenants with mod cons

Mod cons are a must. The property doesn’t need to have everything under the sun in it, but basic expectations should be met. Going above expectations such as having the latest model of a fridge instead of one from a few years ago or under-floor heating would be a plus, but of course may not be possible. Generation Yers may want to add their own mod cons as time goes by and of course it is at the landlords’ discretion whether or not they’re happy to go with it.

Image credit Adegie

Tech savy tenants

Internet connection is also a must. While Generation Yers may not have been immersed in technology since birth like the Net Generation, they are still very tech-savvy. Working for companies like Google and Facebook means that the internet and various technologies and gadgets are a part of their daily lives, and will obviously extend to their home lives. Because of this, being able to connect to various cable outlets for gaming or for music is also important.

Leading on from the above, we’ve all heard some variation of the phrase ‘my phone is my life; I’d be lost without it’. The theft or damage of some technological gadget is a great loss to a Generation Yer, and so they need to know that their belongings are not covered by a landlord’s contents insurance, (s)he needs to have their own.

Amenities

Another feature of how you will attract more of Gen Yers is how they’re always connected to others. Again this is mostly through technology but most of them are not hermits, they like real life interaction too! Therefore, you need to emphasise how close your property is to others. Not just other homes but also to shops, cafés, parks etc. Also when advertising, use every platform you possibly can. Don’t just stick to the old reliables, check out smartphone and tablet apps.

Transparency

Offer your Gen Yers a renting platform like Rentview. This way they can have complete access to the rent schedule with their own secure login. They will also have access to a complete online detailed picture inventory and monthly rent receipts, to name but a few features.

Feedback

Finally, when the lease is over, ask the tenants what they thought of the property and how it could be improved for future tenants. Learning is a lifelong process, and being open to it could mean a faster agreement and a higher rent in the future. Maybe even as soon as the next tenant!

by Andreas Riha

February 10, 2012

Students and renting:Part Two-Paying the rent

Rent

Firstly although this may seem quite obvious to most, students must ensure that they are financially able to afford moving out from home before they even think of logging onto Daft, Myhome or any other property website to start viewing your potential accommodation. You will be surprised at the amount of tenants in the property market who after one or two months of paying rent realise they are unable to meet the monthly requirements in rental payments. If you are unable to pay the rent on a consistent basis there is a chance of possible eviction from the property and an increase in rent or late fee based on the poor punctuality of payments.

To avoid any of these issues make sure and set a budget for your intended stay in the accommodation and match that with your sources of financial income whether it be a part time job, financial support from your family or student loan can do the trick! Getting into issues over missing your rental payments is the last thing you want as a first time tenant as it will affect your future opportunities of securing high quality rental property on the market and the ability to provide credibility to financial institutions in the future. Obviously sometimes students can find themselves in trouble with rental issues over simple mistakes and sometimes easily avoidable issues such as:

A lack of documentation detailing rents paid and upcoming rents
Inconvenient payment methods between owner and tenant
Paying the rent on time
Poor communication between landlords/estate agent and tenant

Above (Two different snap shots of the Rentview property management software that allows tenants to see communication from property manager and upcoming/past rental payments.)

Rent is usually paid on a monthly basis for most of property you are going to find this summer, on occasion a landlord may require you to pay on a weekly basis and I suggest you avoid this as speaking from experience (paying cast to a landlord) it is extremely inconvenient. Unfortunately there is no set method in the industry for collecting rent, you may be asked to do any of the following:

Pay the rent in cash
Deposit rent money into the owners bank account via your local branch
Transfer funds via the internet into landlord or agents account
Set up on a standing order with the agency or property owner

During my time renting I have experienced all four of the above methods for payment and a standing order set up by the agency or landlord is the best option to avoid missing your rent. Organising cash for a bank deposit or collection from the landlord can often result in someone not having the money on time, this has happened to me when house sharing with four others and it resulted in a 50e penalty fee. If you decide to house share with other students be careful about who choose to live for this reason as it can be unfair having to suffer from the actions of others.

If you are one of the tenants fortunate enough to move into a property where the agency is using the Rentview cloud based rent and property management system you will be provided with the following features through your agency account :

1. Access to your schedule of rents for the lease period

2. Comments from your property manager on your rent schedule

3. Automated receipts sent via e-mail when rent is marked as paid

4. Agency and property contact information

To access the information all you need is broadband connection and a desktop,latop or mobile device to login and stay up to date on your rental payments and communication from the property manager. This will help you ensure that the rent is paid on time and monitored efficiently so as to avoid any potential extra costs, communication errors and or disputes over payments. That’s all for today folks I hope you enjoyed the read and I hope students will find this information useful as they start to plan moving out for the first time. Please share the blog if possible and let me know your thoughts and comments on twitter @cormac_nugent!

In the next post I will cover further issues relating to your rent payments during a tenancy including proof of your payments and rent receipts, rent increases by the landlord during a tenancy, rent books and much more!

February 7, 2012

Student Renting Part One: Issues faced in the Irish rental market

Part one: A brief background to the topic of discussion and a look at the strained relationship between landlords/property managers and Students.

Above (DIT Student union reps at the launch of the USI Rentbook,Aug,2011)

At the end of every summer the rental market in Ireland experiences a boom in people searching for accommodation around the country. This is mostly down to the beginning of the college term with the rush usually lasting from the end of August until early October. Thousands of students will receive their leaving cert results and thousands more will return to major cities such as Galway and Dublin to flood the rental market and put a smile on many estate agency owner’s faces.

Why am I writing this blog?

However, renting for the first time when beginning college has proven to be quite a difficult and sometimes controversial issue in the Irish rental market. Having rented three different properties myself in Dublin over the last three years, I have experienced the different types of people you will be dealing with and the key issues you need to take care of and monitor during your tenancy as a student. During this series I will look to lay out an essential guide to finding, managing and leaving your accommodation hassle free.

The background? No Students Allowed 🙁

Unfortunately I am of the opinion that students have developed a poor reputation with landlords and agencies due to a small number who act poorly or overindulge in the benefits of having their own home, leaving the remaining students tainted with the same negative image. Students can often be seen as a high risk tenant for a landlord or agent to accept unfortunately, and this leaves the rest fighting it out for the scraps left on the property market.

On occasion the property in which they end up in often leaves the student paying above market prices for medium to low quality accommodation due to the image they have developed and the type of owner they may now have to deal with. From my experience I believe the following to be the major issues when it comes to students and their rented accommodation during the academic year :

Rental payments, missed or late rents and clarity on payment
Inventory and property condition before and after signing lease.
Adhering to contracts and lease agreement terms.
Poor communication between owner and renter.
End of lease issues-deposit retention and obtaining a reference.

The aim of this blog series is to analyse and openly discuss these issues a student will face and guide them to maintaining a stress free tenancy. It is an area I will be blogging a lot about during the summer months as Rentview continue to research this market with the aim of introducing a free service to students that aids the renting process. Next up I’ll be talking about everything to do with the most important factor of moving out, paying the RENT. I will approach the topic from a neutral perspective between the tenant/landlord as i don’t want either getting annoyed with my opinions :). You can connect with me on twitter @cormac_nugent or follow @Rentview_, thanks for reading and don’t forgot to share this blog and comment below if you like.

February 3, 2012

Opening an Account with an Energy Provider

energy-provider

The rules on changing Energy Provider

Recent changes introduced by the Commission for Energy Regulation mean that the process of switching accounts from one energy provider to another can no longer be carried out by a letting agency. The energy provider will only allow the agency to change account into new tenant’s name if they already provide energy to that property. For example; a property in Inchicore, Dublin 8 has an account with Bord Gáis. The new tenants also have an account with Bord Gáis. The agency can switch the account names without any great difficulty.

If the tenant wants to move into a property which has a different energy provider to the one (s)he currently holds an account with and (s)he wants to keep the same provider, (s)he will have to contact the current provider, instead of the agent, to complete the process. Taking the previous example, the Inchicore property has a Bord Gáis account. The new tenant has an Electric Ireland account and wants to stay with Electric Ireland. The agency can no longer switch the Bord Gáis account to Electric Ireland, the tenant must do so. Essentially, switching by the agency is only allowed when the two accounts are with the same energy provider. With different providers, the closing and opening of accounts by the tenant is the only way.

These changes make life more difficult for agents. They have to spend time explaining the process to both the tenants and landlords and why they can and can’t do certain things. If agents need to discuss or clarify details with the energy provider, they may not be able to as some providers refuse to speak with anyone other the account holder under data protection rules. The agent has to rely on the tenant to do it, which may mean chasing tenants for confirmation and not being able to move on until you know it’s definitely been done. If the tenant refuses to pay a bill, the agency might have to step in and pay it, as there’s an agreement with the landlord that utility accounts will be managed by the agency.

Figures from the regulator show that during the period January 2010 to December 2011, Electric Ireland lost 345,412 customers, with Airtricity and Bord Gáis gaining 257,151 and 77,793 customers respectively. Price competition would be the obvious explanation for the differences.

How to open, switch or close an account with an energy provider:

ELECTRIC IRELAND

To switch (change account name):

-You need the name, address, account number, MPRN/GPRN of the home, move in date, electricity/gas meter readings, date of birth and contact details of the tenant. You’ll need to call Electric Ireland to arrange the switch. If everything is in order, the account will be switched straight away.

To close an account:Contact Electric Ireland with the name, account number, the moving out date, the final meters reading, forwarding address and the new tenant’s name and phone number.

To open an account: Contact Electric Ireland with the name and address, move in date, MPRN/GPRN number, meter readings on move in date, date of birth and account number of previous address.If the tenant is a new customer (s)he must sign up for a direct debit or pay a security deposit if €300.

BÓRD GAIS

To switch, open or close an account: you need contact Bord Gáis with the tenant name, old and new addresses, meter readings, MPRN/GPRN numbers and bank details.

AIRTRICITY

To open and close accounts: you need to contact Airtricity with tenant names, old and new addresses, meter readings from move out/move in days, MPRN/GPRN numbers and bank details.

The process of switching or opening and closing accounts varies from provider to provider, as shown above. Further details can be found on

https://www.electricireland.ie/ei/home/index.jsp

https://www.esb.ie/esbcustomersupply/home/index.jsp,

http://www.bordgaisenergy.ie/,

https://www.thebigswitch.ie/ and

http://www.airtricity.com/ie/home/

January 29, 2012

Why a letting agent must have a smart phone

Smart phones; necessary for a letting agent!

With now more iPhones sold than babies born, not having a smart phone and being a letting agent is not a option. A letting agent without a smart phone is like a carpenter without a saw. It is now a vital tool needed to carry out your daily tasks and continue to bring in revenue.

With the huge amount of apps available, I have selected the top 10 tools of the trade to stay ahead of the competition…..

Google calendars

While answering your phone on the go for a letting agent is as common nearly as blinking your eyes, it’s easy to forget who called 5 minutes ago. Now when you take a call take note and set a reminder on your calendar. Allow it to remind you with an alarm alert with required notice. This way you won’t forget where and when you had to be somewhere.

Hootsuite

Keep up to date with your social media marketing with this great app. HootSuite is a social media communications dashboard used for online brand management. It publishes to websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Foursquare, MySpace, and WordPress. It also publishes to Flickr, Tumblr, and YouTube via HootSuite Apps. It is also a Twitter client. So keep all your social media followers up to date with the latest listings, offers and lettings completed from one location. Bye bye multiple entry updates!

Camera & Pic Stitch

The smartphone has replaced the digital camera, well the ones with a 5 mega pixel plus have anyway. With the iPhone 4s having a 8 megapixel camera with flash, there is no longer any need for a separate digital camera. You can now take several snaps and mail them back to the office and get them published on your website NOW rather than wait until you return to the office. Edit your photos and light effect on your smartphone and even stitch them together to provide your potential tenants with 360 degree shot.

Genius Scan

Have you ever needed a copy of a document such as a tenant reference or ID whilst out at a viewing or lease signing? With Genius Scan you can take a snap shot of any paperwork and have it stored on your phone in seconds. Send it on via email, fax or even edit the document all on your smartphone. This is a must when conducting viewings and gathering copies of references from potential tenants.

Rentview inventory app

With this app you can now record the full contents of a property in images and voice notes through your smart phone. Take photos through the app, speak into your phone and when you get back into the office you now have a full inventory with images and text. All your images and voice notes are complied automatically into a full inventory report. Bye bye end of tenancy deposit disputes, hello happy landlords and tenants!

Nav Free

Sat Nav. Why pay €50+ for a sat nav app when you can get this great one for free? Picture this, we have all been there; your current location is on the south side of the city and your next showing is taking place on the north side of the city. You are in traffic and the only route you know, you just realise is a traffic black spot ahead. You have an appointment in 20 minutes 4 miles away and you have only moved 250 meters in the last 5 minutes. At this rate you won’t get there on time and possibly lose the potential let due to your own no show. With a built-in Sat Nav, easily find another route quickly and get there on time.

Dropbox

With Dropbox you can access all your documents located on your office computer. Need a copy of important documents relating to a rental property; like a copy of a signed lease, proof of ownership, registration documents or anything else you can think of? Now with Dropbox, you can have these documents to view or forward at your fingertips wherever you are located. This can save vital time for you to stay on the road and close more deals.

Email

With so many of your potential viewers now choosing to email you for a viewing time, rather than pick up the phone it’s a must to have constant email access. Out of the office all day conducting today’s viewings and checking your emails when you return to the office to set up for the next day may result in you not having viewings tomorrow. More and more property hunters now choose to email rather than call to set up viewings.

Daft.ie

Keep up to date with what’s available on the rental market and ensure you update your listings daily with Daft’s free app. Available on the iPhone and Android.

Rentview

Letting agency software

Now with Rentview, you can access all the information you need on the go relating to your property portfolio. Instantly retrieve any clients information you may need on the go. Copy of accounts, recent payment history, yearly accounts, issue rent arrears notice, transfer utilities and so much more. Also with the Rentview tenants referencing system you can find tenants authentic previous rental reference once they have been on the Rentview system.

I hope that these apps will find there way onto your smartphone and if you are an agent and don’t have a smartphone you now know why its an essential tool.

Andreas Riha

Email andreas@rentview.com

Facebook Rentview

Twitter Andreas_Riha