Victor Kelly Estate Agents Property Management Services
Renting out a property can seem daunting. There are legal issues, the risk of property damage and high expenses if a property is empty. Victor Kelly Estate Agents offers all the management services you need with the level of professionalism, expertise and attention to detail you would expect.
We understand how crucial your investment property is to your long term financial security. Courteous, knowledgeable and highly trained, we will take all the worry out of leasing your property and are completely dedicated to maximising the return on your asset. You will find there is a world of difference between an ordinary property agent and the sophisticated and meticulous service you will receive from us.
How Victor Kelly Estate Agents can help you
We screen applicants thoroughly and are committed to finding a tenant that will treat your property as if it was their own. Our Property Managers are always up to the minute with market conditions and can advise you on the optimum rent to charge. Legislation in the market changes often and we are scrupulously well-versed in all potential legal issues that could arise.
We understand you have worked hard for this investment property and we work just as hard to safeguard it. We organise rental collection and have no tolerance for arrears. All repairs and maintenance are carried out by trusted and reputable contractors. We will conduct regular inspections and rent reviews, and any issues or grievances will be dealt with promptly. If required, we can attend tribunal hearings and you can be confident you are receiving the best advice at all times.
Why choose Victor Kelly Estate Agents?
Our services are at the absolute forefront of the industry. You are guaranteed absolute peace of mind. Our stringent processes will ensure your property will not sit empty, will not suffer from poor quality tenants, will be maintained to the highest standard, and your prosperity will be assured for years to come.
MANAGEMENT SERVICES
Careful Tenant Selection
Our specialist staff is totally focused on finding the best tenant in the quickest possible time.
Our job is to get the best possible tenant for your investment property by following these general guidelines:
Stability in employment
Satisfaction that the tenant is financially capable of paying the required rent
Verifying that the tenant will maintain your property to the standard required
A detailed screening process is applied to all prospective tenants and all references are carefully checked. This process includes the checking of an external tenant reference database.
Agreement Preparation
Once the tenant has been interviewed and approved for your property, we will arrange the signing of the Residential Tenancy Agreement and the lodgement of the Rental Bond as well as the handing over of the keys.
All documentation is carefully checked for accuracy to ensure the owner’s legal rights are protected.
Initial Inspection
Prior to the signing of a Residential Tenancy Agreement, we carry out a carefully detailed condition report. The initial inspection report is referred to at the end of the tenancy to ensure that the tenants’ Rental Bond is accurately disbursed.
Regular Inspections
Included in our management fee is one annual inspection. Each time your property is inspected it is automatically diarised for the next inspection. Following a periodic inspection, we forward to you a written report detailing the condition and recommend routine maintenance or optional work such as repainting or carpeting and any new rental recommendation.
Final Inspection
Immediately after the tenant has vacated the property, we will conduct a thorough inspection to determine the refund of the tenant’s Rental Bond.
Prompt Rent Collection
Paying rent is hassle free for our tenants. We require tenants to deposit their rent directly into our trust bank account through direct debit when their rent is due. We can accept Credit Card Payments with 1.45% surcharge. We do not accept cheque and cash payments.
Termination Notice
A Termination Notice may be issued for several reasons and the number of days written notice required also varies. It is important that the correct notice is issued in accordance with the Residential Tenancy Act 1987. Failure to fully understand the Act with regard to Termination Notices may result in failure of proceedings before the Residential Tenancies Tribunal.
Listed below are the most common reasons for Termination Notices to be issued and the amount of days notice required:
Where the premises have been sold and a contract for sale has been entered into and the fixed term of the Tenancy Agreement has expired and it is a condition of sale that the Landlord is required to give vacant possession. 30 DAYS NOTICE OF TERMINATION.
Non-payment of rent where rent has been unpaid for 14 days. 14 DAYS NOTICE OF TERMINATION
Where the fixed term of the agreement has expired and the landlord requires possession “without any grounds”. 60 DAYS NOTICE OF TERMINATION
Where the fixed term of agreement has expired and the Tenant wishes to give possession without any grounds. 21 DAYS NOTICE OF TERMINATION
For either Landlord or Tenant to finish at the end of the fixed term of agreement at least 14 DAYS NOTICE OF TERMINATION .
Strict Arrears Control
We print an arrears report daily, so that the tenants who fail to pay their rent on time, for whatever reason, are contacted on a constant basis. Those who do not respond are served with a warning letter, explaining that if they fail to pay, or do not contact us to make arrangements to pay, they will be served with a Termination Notice which gives them fourteen days to vacate.
This is usually sufficient incentive to get most tenants to pay their rent. However, should this warning letter fail to bring results, we will use the necessary termination notice and contact you to discuss any progress.
Repairs And Maintenance
We will monitor repairs very closely. We act on repairs according to your instructions in the Management Agency Agreement. Should any repair of a more urgent nature be reported, such as no hot water, we will attend to this as soon as possible, as it is an essential service. We maintain complete records of maintenance carried out to your property for future reference. Repairs carried out on your behalf are paid for from the rent monies held in Trust unless otherwise arranged. Full details of the repairs are printed on your monthly Rent Statements with a copy of the relevant invoices attached for your reference.
Payment Of Outgoings
From the rent collected on your behalf, we can arrange payments of all the standard property outgoings as you instruct in the Management Agency Agreement. Such accounts could include Council Rates and Strata Levies. With reference to Water Rates, we will automatically invoice the tenant for any water usage charges, where the property is separately metered.
Rental Reviews
We ensure you enjoy full market rental for your property. We regularly assess the rental on your property taking into account factors such as current market rents of similar properties, the vacancy factor in the area, the general condition of the property, the quality of the tenant and the length of their tenancy. Where we see that a rent increase can be justified, we will advise you and seek your instructions.
Managing The Tenant
It is our duty as your Managing Agent to ensure that the tenants are well informed as to what is expected of them under the Tenancy Agreement. From the regular mowing of lawns, to the payment of rent in advance, to the behaviour of visitors to the property or the control of noise, we manage the tenant for you, ensuring, as much as is possible, that the terms of the Tenancy Agreement are complied with.
Accounting To You
Each month we prepare and forward you a detailed monthly Rent Statement for your property. The Statement details the rent period, the rent collected and any disbursements made on your behalf. Your rent monies will be electronically deposited into a nominated account or alternatively a cheque attached to your Statement.
Our statements are prepared and dispatched to you on the last business day of each month. Payments made electronically by our bank are treated as “cleared funds”.
Disputes With Tenants
Disputes between landlords and tenants are not uncommon, but if handled with professionalism and diplomacy, most can be solved expediently.
Most disputes arise over rent increases, repairs and rental bond matters. Initially of course, the property manager acts as negotiator in discussions between the landlord and tenant. If all avenues are exhausted, and the parties have not been able to agree, it may be necessary to apply for a Residential Tenancies Tribunal hearing. The Tribunal is an independent third party which will hear the dispute and make a decision on the matter.
Your agent can represent you at the hearing, preparing the case from start to finish. Preparation may include obtaining quotes and taking photos of the property (in the case of bond disputes) or researching rental market comparisons in the case of disputes over rent increases. The findings of the Residential Tenancies Tribunal are final, and may not always be to your satisfaction, so it is almost always beneficial to try and solve the problem in its early stages. There is an application Fee to pay if we are the applicant to the Tribunal. There is also an hourly fee for our time as per our Management Agreement.
Constant Communication
As an effective service organisation we should always be available when you want to talk to us.
Our office is open 6 days a week for sales enquiries and all our Property Managers & Leasing Consultants carry mobile phones. A Property Manager is available at the office 6 days per week.
Sales
Our office is well established and enjoys an enviable sales reputation. We achieve excellent results and prices for our clients. We will provide you, if you require, with a written annual market price opinion of your property at no cost or obligation to you.