Covid has changed the rules for most of our day-to-day procedures with all our rentals, especially the property managements, and we’re minimising our face-to-face contact.
We prepare tenancy agreements on our computer and now forward them, along with the bond form, to tenants via email for them to sign and return. Only rarely do we have tenants come in and sign the agreement.
The tenants apply online after viewings, we do all our necessary checks and then contact them to let them know if they’re successful or not.
We try to do private viewings of properties, or with very small groups, as an extra layer of protection for us and the tenants. Everyone must wear masks, and we have QR codes and hand sanitisers at the ready. Once viewings are over, we need to sanitise areas that have been touched.
As for in-going inspections, we will go through and do them ourselves then send a copy of the report to tenants. If they have anything to add to the report once they’ve moved in, they send us an email and photos. Keys are collected from our office letterbox, contactless. Similarly, we’ll do outgoing inspections once everything is moved out, tidy and clean, and the keys returned, and then email them the bond refund form to be signed and sent back.
Our tradespeople can do repairs and maintenance at our management properties if the tenants are happy with this, and of course no one is isolating or sick. All our tradespeople are vaccinated and follow strict Covid procedures which gives the tenants more security.
We’re starting to get contacted by tenants to say they’re isolating and are also getting having viewings cancelled due to some people being identified as close contacts. I am sure we’ll be seeing more of these over the next few months.
Keep safe, keep smiling and keep positive.
Sylvia Lund, Director
