Property Management from just £14.99 a month

Ahh It was all looking so good until it got to the.... ` this agency does not usually accept tenants in receipt of benefits at the outset of a tenancy`..... 75% of mine are LHA. The word `usually` though perhaps leaves a possible window of hope open! Are there perhaps any occasions when this agency would accept LHA tenants at the outset?

How long has this firm been in existence? It does sound too good to be true. If it is a firm which is registered for VAT it is likely to have at least some overheads. The sum of £14.99 is likely to buy around 20 - 30 minutes of time per month. You can draw your own conclusions. My concern would be if I would ever see the rent they collect for me.

It very much depends on the landlords instructions Jonathan. What I like about them is that they only do what they are good at and they openly admit that the LHA market isn't really their bag. There are plenty of agencies with strong LHA experience, Glenn Ackroyds National Property Group, John Paul's Castledean Group and CXG Property services being three prime examples which spring to mind.

@DS shame on you for not leaving a real email address, as moderator I can see that and also your IP address. I can only conclude that you are a resentful competitor. The every fact that these agents have client money protection and are registered with ARLA is clear evidence that they are serious players in the market. If they were to go bust or do a runner with client money, as occasionally happens with professional firms including law society members and chartered accountants, the client money protection would pay out. I have personally completed my own due diligence prior to using them myself and recommending them personally. By producing this article I am staking my reputation on their abilities and credibility.

I'm an agent but in no way am I a competitior to these people. Quite simply it cannot be done. Any fool can be busy fool. I have staff and a family to feed. I'll be here long after these people are gone still giving imparting knowledge and giving as good a service as we possibly can. Its not much different from the corporates putting little girls in their letting office and flying the experience flag. Some will be taken in. The perceptive will see through it.

I think you are wrong Antony, I've done thourough due diligence and I can see how they are making this work. I'm using them personally. When Roger Bannister said he would run a mile in less than 4 minutes Doctors told him that his heart would explode. Just because something hasn't been done before doesn't mean that it's impossible.

Hi Mark,
Do I not remember a recent article by you suggesting anyone at this pricing level could not possibly be doing the job properly? I agree with Antony that they wil be busy fools. An inventory takes a few hours minimum to do properly (Forget Inventory Clerks that are only there an hour, it won't be detailed enough to stand up at a ADR assessment, will be full of disclaimers and caveats and will still cost them £100 or so) a check in takes at least an hour if done properly with the inventory assessed by the tenant (You should not let them do it later after you have left) and enough 'Precautions' taken to minimise problems later. And how long can you be on hold to a utility company just to let them know of a change of tenancy and meter read - at the cost of your phone bill and time?! Even simply reconciling an incoming payment, deducting commission and making the payment to the landlord takes valuable time. Yes if they can scale it up they can automate some of these routine processes but the physical things they cannot. They must be relying on sub-contracting the property particulars, floor plans etc, Inventory, Check-In etc and as such will get the level of attention to detail that their inevitablly meagre paymentsto those sub-contractors deserve.

I am sure that in due course they will either cease their service or raise their prices.

David, have you seen the documents they have produced relating to your properties to assess their adequacy?

Hi Mark,
The question at the end of my previous post was meant for you - where I got David from I do not know!

Also, can you tell us who they are or is this shrouded in secrecy because they don't really offer it to everyone?

Hi Ray

There is no secrecy, by completing the enquiry form you will receive an introductory email and further information which should answer most if not all of your questions. However, that may well be a pointless exercise given that you already seem to have made your mind up on this one and in such circumstances it is human nature to look for justification of an existing decision.

I've been looking into a variety of business models for several years and genuinely believe these guys can and will revolutionise the letting industry. Only time will prove which of us is right of course.

Regards

Mark

Can I have the details for this Letting Agent. I have 2 properties to let in Stoke-on-trent.