Tag: property management

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Product Development : Automaton of the Lease Agreement 

Just a quick blog post to inform our customers of a great new feature we have added to the property management software on all three Rentview packages lite, premium and enterprise.The lease generator will create a lease once you  input the date relating to the rental property and specfic lease. The only field which you may wish to change per lease is the special conditions field. This field has the ability to input up to 1000 characters and will be located on the last page of the lease.

Once the lease is generated you will have the option to share it with your tenants, they will be emailed through Rentview informing them that a lease is now ready to be viewed on their Rentview account. (This of course is only possible once you add a tenants email address) So no longer will you go to sign a lease with a tenant only to find that the tenant wants to read through the document. This wouldn’t be a problem normally for an agent but when you only have put €1 in the parking meter the pressure can mount!

by Rentview

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Information Systems Planning for Letting Agents Part Two

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Continuing on from last weeks post where we discussed the placement that software programs may have in an agencies overall strategy today we begin to look at the five steps of the IS (Information Systems) plan which is adapted from Gabrielle Piccoli book on Information Systems for Managers. 

Step One: Know who you are, strategic business planning.


Always ensure there is a long term plan for the overall direction of the agency before developing your IS plan. Software is an enabler of such plans, for example as an agency you may want to grow the business to a stage where you will require more offices/branches. In this case you may pursue a software package that is going to help catch tenants and landlords attention and improve the value you provide to your customer. On the flip side your costs may be badly affecting profits so you may be in pursuit of a system which will significantly reduce administration costs such as printing and accounts management. So you have an idea of why you need the software now its time for step two.

Step two: Know where you start: Information Systems Assessment


Once the agency has a clear grasp on the role of software in the organisation we must assess the current situation your letting agent is in. So there is a few key things we do here, firstly note the different types of software or hardware you use to manage data. Is Microsoft excel your one stop shop for accounts? Is all written communication with landlords done via you E-mail account etc? How are sales calls and service calls recorded and managed? Where are invoices stored and managed and so on? Basically you want to access the role systems even as basic as Microsoft word are working for your  agency and especially to access if they’re effective in terms of the business strategy. 

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Thats the technical side of the assessment but don’t forget the people. Planning for the use of IS or software programs always involves four things people,technology,process and structure, each interlinked for ensuring efficient use of IS or software programs. Question your staff members or in the case of an individual running an agency on the use of such systems and what they may lack or require to help you. For example you may have the latest accounts management system for dealing with all your inbound and outbound  payments but if the staff are struggling to use the system then it may not be effective for the business. I have often heard of payments being missed by an agent or landlord due to basic mismanagement of information where the software didn’t ensure payments are received etc, there is numerous other things you may notice at this point. All of this then leads to the main step which is creating the vision for IS in the agency, that will be discussed in the next blog 🙂 Please comment with your thoughts and share if you found this useful or interesting. 

Information systems planning for letting agents part one

by Rentview

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Information Systems Planning for Letting Agents Part One

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Back again to discuss the process of software adaption for Letting agents and planning its incorporation into the organisation. Some clients I have dealt with over the previous months have found it difficult in getting up and running with the  use of Rentview property management software and this series of blogs will look to guide agencies on there planning and integration of software solutions such as the cloud based property management system we offer. Firstly i want to point out the illustration below which shows different levels of IT focus and planning in organisations, these survey results are taken from Gabriele Piccoli.

What this illustration shows is that a strong focus on the use of IT and software programs and long term planning is essential to achieving a competitive differentiation in your market, whether you are a Letting Agent or a large Multi national company, the opportunity is there. They have classified IT into three stages supplier, aligned with business and competitive differentiation. If you think about some of the most successful companies in Ireland such as Tesco or closer to the property industry Daft.ie we can see how their use of IT and software has allowed them to differentiate themselves. Who is to say that you cant  allow software to take a pivotal role in your agencies strategy and long term goals. 

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Before I get into the planning process (the next blog) which will help you understand and establish the role you want IT or software to play in your organisation its important to note some of the main reasons or benefits of creating the plan. 

#1- Unity of Purpose, businesses achieve their best results through planning with a clear strategy/goals in place. The deployment of software can allow people to take responsibility with different roles specified to staff members. Using Rentview as the example you may request different property managers to partake in different tasks, one may be responsible for managing the schedule and statements to mark money coming in and out while someone else may be responsible for uploading all let only clients onto the software to market your management package etc

#2 Simplifying decision over time, without a plan in place on the use of software in the company there is no context then for future decision making. Any potential project selections being made as part of a yearly budget process will then have little sense of overall direction or meaning.

Information systems planning for letting agents part two

by Rentview

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Property management- Wear and Tear of a rented property

Property management – wear and tear of a rented property

No property will remain in pristine condition throughout its existence. The mere act of people living in a property means that wear and tear will occur. This is especially true for rented properties, as the volume of people moving in and out can be quite high. It is the main sticking point when it comes to inventories and is the source of many disputes, with tenants claiming normal wear and tear and the landlord holding deposits and claiming damages. For this reason, it is important that both parties are clear on what defines normal wear and tear.

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More often than not, it is a grey area. A hole in a plaster wall, a broken window and wardrobe doors torn off their hinges are fairly obviously damages but what about cracked bathroom tiles or a worn place in the carpet? Are they wear and tear? The legal definition of ‘normal wear and tear occurs where deterioration of the subject matter takes place over a period of time due to ordinary and reasonable use of the premises’ would suggest they quite probably are, but it’s still not entirely clear-cut. Keeping records of when items were bought or installed can help reduce the ambiguity. For example, a good quality carpet laid down a year ago would be expected to show less wear and tear after a one year tenancy than one laid down five years ago.

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The best ways to avoid wear and tear disputes are to ensure both parties agree to a definition and a detailed inventory is taken at the start of the tenancy. Photographs in particular can be a great aid in settling such disputes.

Why not read our blog on ‘Dispute over the condition of the Property’

As always please feel free to comment, share, tweet or follow us

Thanks for reading!

by Andreas Riha

Letting agency software

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Landlord accounts and maintaining them

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If you have a number of properties on the go, it might be best to hand over accounting duties to a chartered accountant or a management agent. It will cost you, but you can be confident that they’ll be maintained correctly. Also if your agent uses Rentview all your accounts will be viewable at the click of a button for you. If you’d prefer to do them yourself, you have the choice of either writing them out or using Microsoft Excel. It is a matter of comfort, but Excel does have advantages over manual accounting.

Spreadsheets store huge amounts of information & can be corrected easily

Have an inbuilt calculator function

More secure through password protection and back-up copies

Less cumbersome and easy to carry around if stored on a memory stick

More flexible in terms of presentation


As for the accounts themselves, they will need to contain figures on rental income charged and received, expenses and any capital costs. Expenses include insurance, utility bills, maintenance etc.

Please feel free to comment, share, tweet or follow us

Thanks for reading!!

You may also be interested in our blog – New landlords accounts page

by Andreas Riha

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Parking in apartments

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Parking Permits

Parking permits are the norm for parking in apartment complexes nowadays. The introduction of parking permits in apartments was necessary to reduce the possibility of people parking in the wrong space or a space that is reserved for someone else.

Property management companies

Property management companies benefit from parking permits in apartments in a couple of ways, below are the main ones.

Collecting management fees

If a property’s management fees were not paid, a parking permit would not be issued by the property management company. If the property was a let property, the tenant faced the possibility of clamping and as a result the pressure was placed on the landlord to pay the fee or face an empty rental property.

Managing Illegal parking

If parking within some complexes is not enforced, it can lead to illegal parking which is both dangerous and a problem. Think of cars parked on paths and corners which block pedestrians’ view of crossing. One of the serious pet hates amongst many drivers is double space parkers such as below.

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No permit

For an apartment complex with a greater number of car parking spaces, for a number of properties an agent could be tempted to not organise a permit. Before an agent does this they should consider this situation – the agent lets the apartment and the tenant moves in happily. The next day the agent receives a phone call from the tenants saying they have been clamped, and there’s a fine waiting to be paid. The tenant could potentially leave the agency liable for the clamping fine, or the tenant could argue that the landlord should pay. Sounds like quite a mess, doesn’t it?

Here are a few of solutions. Firstly, don’t move the tenants in until you are sure that there’s a fully paid permit in place. Or if the tenants are eager to move in and there is no permit available as yet, explicitly state in the contract that this is the case and give the date one is expected to be received. Also include who should pay the fine if the tenant is clamped in the interim.

Clamping fines

Fines will vary from £20-£180 depending on the location and the clamping companies policy. Some other changes include banning clamping in hospitals, introducing a two-tier appeals process, providing more ways of paying the fine and having a register of clamping operators. These operators can be quite difficult to deal with, as your situation isn’t as important to them as getting the fine paid.

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Image Credit EllBrown

On street parking

County councils offer parking permits to residents for on-street parking, enquire with your council to see if you qualify. As a landlord, tenant or managing agent you can apply to your county or town council for on-street parking permits. Each council differs in its requirements so contact your local council to see if you qualify.

You might also be interested in Keeping a tenant happy

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Preparing a rental property

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Showings are a key part of the rental process, they allow potential tenants to get a good feel of the property, which goes a long way in helping them decide whether to rent or not. They can also be a handy tenant screening process to find out which potential tenants match the landlord’s requirements. Showings are generally easier when the property is currently vacant as it gives more time to prepare. Try to arrange all showings for the same day so no time is wasted, but make sure the times are staggered so there’ll be no overlap. If the property is occupied then this may be more difficult.

Preparing a rental property

Before the showing: Make sure the property is in tip top shape. This will mean notifying the landlord of any damages/repairs needed, possibly arranging carpenters, plumbers etc. to fix problem areas. The property will need to be cleaned from top to bottom which the landlord may be happy to do, or they may require the services of a professional cleaning company. Freshen up the walls and floors if they’re looking dull with some new paint or a proper cleaning. Repainting can have the wonderful effect of re-energising a room and making it look brand new. Again, this will all need the go ahead from the landlord. Don’t forget to mention any problems with the exterior of the property or the garden.

If needs be, get in a professional cleaning company. There are lots of cleaning companies specialising in end of tenancy cleaning which will help in preparing a rental property for showing.

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On the day of the showing: Do a last minute check to make sure everything is satisfactory. If there are any unpleasant smells, eradicate them with an air freshener spray or some incense. Make sure the property is well-lit; open curtains and turn on lights if necessary. Prepare to answer all questions to the best of your ability. This will mean knowing the property and the area inside out, as potential tenants are bound to have many questions for you.

If there are tenants currently living in the property: If you have built a good relationship with the tenants then there should be no problem in asking them to do a bit of cleaning and tidying before the showing. There should also be no problem in asking them to vacate the property to allow the showing to take place. This is the ideal, and we all know that tenants can be problematic. If they are letting you down during showings then you must talk to them. Explain why the property needs to look a certain way and politely ask them to make sure it’s that way in future. If there’s no improvement, provide some sort of incentive for them, like a voucher for a restaurant or a reduction in the last month’s rent. If that doesn’t work, it may be time to get the PRTB involved.

You might also be interested in the following blog – Choosing the right tenant and managing your rental payments

Please feel free to comment or add on preparing a rental property,  tweet or follow us.

by Andreas Riha

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Tenant Complaints About Noisy Neighbours

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One of the risks with renting or buying a property is you don’t know who your neighbours are. You don’t know if the neighbours are renting or buying, what kind of people they are etc. Rented properties tend to have more issues associated with them. It’s difficult to figure out a reason why this is the case, maybe it’s because the properties isn’t theirs that they don’t feel the same duty of care to it, but that discussion is a touch tangential to the topic at hand. It can be very frustrating as an agent to be getting complaints from tenants about the neighbours’ activities which are seemingly out of your control. So what can you do? Ask your tenant to keep a log of the noise to see if a pattern emerges. Then try to talk to the neighbours directly, in a polite way of course. Being overly accusatory isn’t going to work. If the noise persists, the following is a route to take.

1. Find out who the management company in charge of the property or the landlord is and get in contact with them to inform them of the complaint

2. If the problem is not fixed, write them a formal letter on company headed paper asking them to fix the problem and inform them of the possibility of PRTB action or eviction

3. If it still isn’t fixed, make a third party complaint to the PRTB (this costs €25 and the complaint form can be found on their website)

If the property is a local authority house, then the local authority would be the first place to contact after the neighbours. In some extreme cases, the Gardaí may be better equipped to handle the problem, or at least would work in conjunction with the other parties involved.

You may also be interested in our blog on Keeping a tenant happy & Choosing the right tenant

Thanks for reading!

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Property management:Retaining tenants in the longterm

       2012 is Well under way how can Agencies work towards a successful year?

Hello and welcome to the weekly Rentview property blog, today I am going to look at the top priorities of company CEO’s and analyse or discuss these in relation to the lettings and management industry in Ireland. The idea for the blog came about after reading through a great report published by Oracle that I received from a lecturer in Strategic Information Systems for Business this week and it highlights some great areas in which managers and company CEO’s are looking to address and improve. The report is titled ‘The Best Defense Is a good offence’ and it immediately stood out to me as the lettings industry has become quite competitive recently with the fall in attractiveness of the market and influx of people renting.

So what were the top needs and business improvement goals identified by the CEO’s interviewed by Oracle? See the table below!

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Today I would like to briefly look at the top ranking priority on the list and over the coming weeks I will look to analyse and discuss the other top improvements that agencies may be able to make in accordance with those ranked here. If there is any that stand out, let me know in the comments!

Attracting and Retaining new customer? 

A pretty obvious answer that we could have expected from managers and a goal any agency will have a major focus on, attracting tenant brings in the demand we can utilise for securing landlords properties and once we attract the landlord this can lead to long term income for an agency is they are retained successfully through management services. Today’s blog will solely focus on the tenant as the customer and next week we can look at the landlord as the customer for a better analysis or discussion. 

There is obvious ways in attracting tenants to your agency with Daft.ie being the hotbed in which they browse the thousands of properties in Ireland but my opinion is that a lot of letting agents do not put enough focus on the retention of a tenant. Check out this recent theoretical model on customer service relationships , the majority of the points are relevant for Letting Agents. 

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Above-Building a relationship as a PM with your tenant can lead to retention.

If we view the tenant as a long term asset to the company like many other industries it can eliminate a lot of re-occurring issues such as minor disputes over often avoidable issues and the significant time spent in re-letting your properties at the end of lease terms if a tenant is lost. Ultimately an agency should aspire to provide such a high level of service to its tenants that they act as advocates for that agency and create a positive word of mouth marketing channel that really doesn’t exist with a lot of agencies in the Irish market yet.

You want the tenant to be so satisfied with the level of management received they wont go looking on Daft for new properties as the end of lease approaches, and if they are in a position where they need a new or improved property they contact you the agency!  That’s all for this one, don’t forgot to comment with your opinions and share the content if you enjoyed the blog. You can follow me at @cormac_rentview and for information on Rentview check out the main site.

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