Like many industries, in property management we are all looking forward to some down time over the Christmas and New Year’s period. I’ll be spending some time with my boys and husband (who also runs his own business) and will be at the beach far more than my office! However, like any good property manager I’ll still be making sure my clients are looked after so I thought I’d let you in on how you can make it a seamless season for you and your investment property.
Advise your property manager when you’re going away
Just like I am, many of my clients are planning holidays (the trend of staycations is booming I’ve noticed, lots of Rottnest and Crown Resorts!) but the key thing, for both tenants and owners, is to let your property manager know if you are away, mainly for security purposes. We will still have staff looking out for your property over the holiday season and can do this more effectively if we know your schedule.
Also, consider providing an emergency contact for where you are going in the unfortunate case of anything needing urgent attention such as a burglary or damage to the property. Absolutely unlikely to happen, but it’s better to be prepared!
Check for office closures
Office hours will likely change over the Christmas period so be aware, your call may not be answered in the usual timely manner. Check in with your property manager on who to call during office closures in case of emergency. On the flipside, non-urgent enquiries should wait until the office re-opens to respect your property manager’s quiet time. Examples of non-urgent enquiries include broken dishwashers (handwashing isn’t so bad!), a leaking tap or broken cupboard.
D Residential Group is shutting the office from Thursday 23rd December and will re-open Thursday 6th January.
Ask for a list of trade companies working over the festive season
I have a list of go-to companies I use for all of my trades and have checked in with all of them to find out who is available over the December to January period. Check in with your property manager for their list, especially if they are closing their office, because it’s very handy to have an electrician or plumber just in case. Blocked toilet on Christmas Day with 25 guests coming? No thank you!
Locked out! When keys go on an adventure without you…
Is there a worse feeling than coming home, fumbling around your bag for keys and discovering they’re nowhere to be found?!If this occurs during standard business hours, contact your property manager to borrow the office keys (hopefully you still have your wallet as you’ll need to provide identification to collect the keys) and bear in mind, you’ll need to return them the same day. If it’s outside office hours or on a public holiday, contact a locksmith directly and be prepared to fork out for the cost of their service. We recommend SAS Locksmiths, contact them on (08) 9227 7727.
Finally, I’d like to wish all of my clients, go-to trade service providers and supporters the happiest of holidays. I hope you’ll be having plenty of relaxing around enjoying the celebrations with your family and friends, so you feel ready to jump into 2022 with fresh energy! Thank you for all of your support in 2021, I’m grateful for every single one of you.
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