Every day is the first day of your life and a time for reflection on what you have achieved. At Jungle Property, reflecting on what we have achieved does not revolve around the calendar on the wall but we are mindful it is a time for people to ‘look back’ at what they have achieved so we have looked back at what we have done for customers in 2012.

In 2012 we have created many new customers and judging by our on-going survey results we are managing to deliver what it is customers value. More details here http://www.jungleproperty.co.uk/satisfaction/

1. We have made 100s of (almost daily) improvements to the processes we use to deliver what customers value. The focus remains very much on improving the quality of what we do for customers but at the same time reducing costs or at least keeping them at the same level.

2. We have introduced many new features and benefits for customers. One such example is the introduction of professional 360 degree virtual tours for properties at no extra cost for customers. Using high definition photography allows prospective tenants to ‘walk’ around a property from the comfort of their armchair helping them decide if the property is suitable before committing to a viewing. We believe we now offer the most feature rich service of any letting agent in the UK – if you know differently or can suggest something we are missing please tell us we’d love to know what we are missing.

3. We now offer clients 24×7 access to all key documents. Just one of many new features and benefits but nonetheless we feel a significant one.

4. We have frozen prices of our standard services for another year. For those clients who elect not to use our non-standard services we have increased our prices in line with the RPI (Retail Prices Index).

5. We ceased printed advertising. As more and more people use the internet there has been a decline in readership of printed material such as newspapers. We believe this trend will continue and don’t feel newspaper advertising is good use of customer’s money so for the foreseeable future we have given up on pen and parchment in favour of bits and bytes!

6. We have continued to invest in our website to make it easier to use and provide more meaningful information for landlords and tenants.

7. We have changed many of the suppliers we use to supply services to customers, directly or indirectly. We now measure the performance of all our suppliers on an on-going basis and we do not want to work with those suppliers who do not display the same values as we do. We want to be the best letting agent and in order to achieve that we need the best support team. If there is a service you could provide to us or our clients and have the same values as we do, we’d love to hear from you. More on our values here: http://www.jungleproperty.co.uk/corevalues/#core-value-1

Things in the pipeline…..Lots!!! But here are a few things….

1. We are moving offices to a location on the main road midway between Street and Glastonbury making us easier to access. We remain committed to spending our customer’s money wisely so have no plans to pay vast amounts of your money maintaining high street premises, leather sofas and expensive coffee machines. The new office will provide a more welcoming environment for clients who visit us.

2. We are revamping one of our standard services to make it easier for landlords to access the services they need. We are anticipating a large take-up.

3. We plan to join the Guild of Residential Landlords (GRL). We are already members of the NLA (National Landlords Association) who are a national voice for the very people we serve. The GRL operate nationally and in our opinion provide one of the best services for landlords which includes legal advice and discounted buildings insurance. We believe becoming members of the GRL is excellent value for money for our clients.

4. We are writing a book that will be directed at landlords.

5. We are introducing a monthly newsletter to give landlords a bite-sized update on news or changes that might affect them as landlords.

6. We are preparing for the Institute of Residential Property Management’s (IRPM) Part I exam. Much of our work involves long leases so in order to provide the very best service it seems only right we undertake continuing professional development in this specialist area.

Have we missed anything? Is there something we should be focusing on? If so we’d love to hear from you.

HAPPY NEW YEAR and BEST WISHES FOR 2013

Determining precisely who is responsible for pests, landlord or tenant, can be a grey area. But what guidance does the law give us? The following questions and answers should help guide you through relevant legislation and the most well known case law and determine just who might be responsible for pests:

1. Do the pests present an infection hazard to any potential occupant or visitor? Yes – go to 2 No – go to 4 (see A)

2. Is the risk of infection the result of inadequate and unhygienic provision for storage or disposal of household waste? Yes – Landlord responsibility No – go to 3 (see B)

3. Have the pests accessed the dwelling and harboured within the dwelling as a result of a deficiency in the exterior of the dwelling or structural elements of the dwelling? Yes – Landlord responsibility No – go to 4 (see C)

4. Were pests present at start of tenancy? Yes – go to 5 No – go to 6

5. Was the property let furnished? Yes – Landlord responsibility No – go to 6 (see D)

6. Is the lease for less than 7 years? Yes – go to 7 (see E) No – Tenant responsibility. Tenant expected to do those little jobs about the place that a reasonable tenant would do (see G) goto 8

7. Has the pest problem been caused by the landlord not keeping in repair the structure or exterior of the dwelling-house or installations of the dwelling-house? Yes – Landlord responsibility (see F) go to 8 No – Tenant responsibility. Tenant expected to do those little jobs about the place that a reasonable tenant would do (see G) goto 8

8. Are the pests rats or mice in substantial numbers? Obligation for occupier of land to notify the local authority in writing of rats and mice. Local authority may serve on the owner or the occupier of the land notice requiring reasonable steps to be taken for the destruction of rats or mice.  (See H)

Have I missed or mis-interpreted anything?

A. Schedule 1 S15 of The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (England) Regulations 2005 – http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/3208/schedule/1/made

B. Schedule 1 S15 2) of The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (England) Regulations 2005

C. Schedule 1 S15 3) of The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (England) Regulations 2005

D. Smith v Marrable (1843) http://www.letlink.co.uk/case-law/disrepair/smith-v-marrable-1843.html

E.  S13 of Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/70

F. S11 of Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/70

G. Warren v Keen (1954) http://www.letlink.co.uk/case-law/disrepair/warren-v-keen-1954.html

H. Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo6/12-13-14/55

4 stories, 4 clients, 3 estate agents, all in this area, all in the last month…

Estate Agent A is a long-established agent and sadly they don’t know how to protect deposits. This is from 2 unconnected clients. If someone were to take these people to court, the years of malpractice would take them under.

Estate Agent X moved tenant into a property without a gas safety certificate Ouch! As did Estate Agent Z. Penalty is £600 per item and/or 6 months at Her Majesties Pleasure

Bill Connolly once described estate agents as failed second-hand car salesmen! and now it seems that the estate agents who are failing to sell houses are now turning to letting with perhaps serious consequences. If the choice is a chunk of commission on a house sale or giving your BTL some TLC I am afraid Mr & Mrs Landlord can get to the back of the queue. Use a letting specialist and not a failed second-hand car salesman to let your property.

What has been your experience of letting your property through an estate agent?