property management

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 1, 2012

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