“What do you look for in a Property Manager and what questions would you ask them?”

 

This was a question recently posted on a Property Investors forum and a flurry of questions from landlords followed. What better way to get to know Kate & Stacey at Rent Ready Ltd by answering those questions!

 

What life experience and problem solving capability do you have?

 

We need to be firm and fair when acting on your behalf. We know you have the right to expect a lot from us and aim to deliver that for you.

 

Life experience…. we have plenty of that.

 

Kate – I am married with three boys and live rurally (needs must with active boys who hunt and ride MX at any chance) Having a builder husband means we have built new homes, renovated and recently sold during Level 2 lockdown. We are now tenants for the first time in 20 years while we search for our next property. Being a tenant again has been great and also confirmed that I am a responsive and respectful Property Manager!

 

Stacey – I am 31 years old and my partner and I have four children who keep me a busy Mum! Having just completed a 3 home subdivision, we are now first time tenants whilst looking out for our next adventure. I often get asked “ You must be so stressed being a Property Manager? “. I don’t feel this way at all. I enjoy building relationships with Owners and Tenants so they can all relax and enjoy their hobbies whilst knowing their biggest asset is being cared for, maintained and has happy tenants.

 

We have been Property Managers for 9 and 3 years. Sometimes we think we’ve seen it all until something wild gets thrown our way. This is what we love about our industry – no two days are ever the same.

 

Extra costs over management fee – how much for property inspection, call out fee, letting fee etc?

 

Our fee structure is very simple – 9% + gst on rents collected, $40 (inc gst) per inspection and $350 (inc gst) advertising/tenanting fee. There are no other hidden costs or surprises on the monthly statement. To see further detail on our costs click here

 

How many properties do you manage & what happens if one of you is away, sick etc?

 

Our goal isn’t to be the biggest Property Management company in Wellington. For us it will always be quality over quantity, we will continue giving our Owners and Tenants the amazing customer service that we have become well known for. For us quality means that we treat people with respect whilst ensuring communication stays open and continuous, It’s that simple!

 

If one of us is away sick or on holiday, you will always be able to get hold of the other.

 

What is your response time?

 

There are many ways you can get hold of us – phone (please leave a message we promise we will ring you back), email, text, message on Facebook, LinkedIn – we will get back to you the same day or the following day at the latest.

 

Do you have common sense? Can you count? Do you have a brain?

 

Yes, Yes & Yes. Having been homeowners, landlords and tenants ourselves we have seen and handled many different situations from all aspects.

 

Why and how did you get into Property Management?

 

We met in 2015 and after a few years experience as an insulation assessor and then as a property manager, Stacey joined Kate at the Wellington property management company where she worked.

 

We had some fabulous years working there filled with very happy memories. It has been a natural progression to start our own business, property management is a fun and exciting industry to be part of – it isn’t all clipboards and 14 day notices you know!

 

We chose to enter this business as a team; we work exceptionally well together and operate in the same way. We also decided that it isn’t a business we would want to do on our own. Property Management isn’t a 9am-5pm job; the phone doesn’t stop because it is dinner time or the movie has started. Work-life balance is very important and being able to switch off for a week while on holiday with family, knowing that our Rent Ready Owners and Tenants are being taken care of by the other was a no brainer for us both.

 

What makes you different to other property managers?

 

This is easy! The way we treat people and communicate with them, one of the most common complaints around is lack of communication. This has never been an issue for us.

 

Happy Tenants = Happy Property Manager = Happy Owner.

 

Are you a member of an industry organisation – for standards, complaints, insurance & ongoing education? (Don’t assume with the bigger companies that this is automatic!) Just make a list of questions for your ‘must haves’ & feel free to ask for client references

 

We are an Elite Partner with Tenancy.co.nz. which gives us access to Tenantcheck, to comprehensively vet prospective tenants in real time. We utilise Total Tenancy, a solution that offers our office tools, resources and extensive training videos to make sure we remain informed and up-to-date. We take advantage of eBundle PRO for online applications and to create tenancy agreements. This solution is updated regularly to reflect industry updates to offer protection and compliance.

 

If you would like a client reference just let us know as we have numerous clients who will happily share their experience with us.

 

Do you have any other questions for us? We would love to answer them! Ready to chat?