What does ‘fully managed’ actually mean?
From our point of view, fully managed means so much than just looking after your asset, paying the rent and dealing with maintenance issues. Did you know that it also includes being an active part of our social services?
Let me explain.
We recently visited a house as part of our normal inspections. At the door we were faced with a tenant, who had had a major breakdown. She was partly dressed, had faeces on her legs and most probably had not washed for some time. She invited us in for a cup of tea, so it was obvious that she didn’t have a clue what was happening.
The visiting team member contacted the office immediately which set off a trail of events.
The events that followed
- We contacted her close relations that we had details for but, as they were overseas, there was not much they could do.
- The team contacted three departments within Huntingdonshire District Council to find the correct team who could help our tenant. We were told that as she had not applied for help and was not being a nuisance there was very little they could do.
- A relation who was nearby then came forward to aid us to help our tenant.
- We popped back that day to make sure nothing more had happened to our tenant and make sure that she had food in the house.
- The next day, we worked with the local relative to put together a plan of how to help and move things forward.
- Our landlords were updated as to the situation and we went through the various options that were available. That conversation was a good hour-long!
- The tenant’s relation moved in with our tenant to provide daily care but now we had to deal with rent that was outstanding. Liaising with the relation and the landlord we agreed a payment plan that would suit everyone.
- Liaising with the council, the tenant’s relation and the landlord we embarked on a mission to find out what benefits would be available to help pay the rental as the landlord too was in financial difficulties.
- Another month on we found out that our tenant’s health was getting worse with no long-term memory.
- Three months on, and quite a few phone calls in between, the tenant’s relation had been able to get several services involved to help our tenant.
- The landlord asked us to serve notice. Therefore, several meetings were arranged with the tenant’s relation to make sure this could be done with due care to the tenant who, by this time, had been taken into hospital. Notice was served.
- We organised a clean for the property as we were concerned that if our tenant was to return from hospital, they would be going back into an unsafe environment. We had to advise our cleaning team that hazard suits would be required – they still did the job.
- A number of discussions happened with the landlord regarding what we could expect at checkout.
- Our tenant was now under the care of a disability team. When she was lucid, she would call us so we appointed one person to deal with the very delicate situation we were facing.
- We were liaising with the council and the tenant’s relation and social services to make sure our tenant had somewhere to move to at the end of the notice period.
- Six months after the initial visit, our tenant moved out and negotiations started with the landlord with regard to dilapidations and cleaning costs.
- After organising general works new tenant was able to move in 30 days later.
It was a difficult situation but by keeping everyone informed about what was happening, we were able to manoeuvre the issues well. That all takes time and is part of our contract with you. At all times we had a duty of care to our tenant and the care of our landlord is paramount.
That’s what fully managed means to us.
So, do you like the sound of our fully managed service?
We would love to hear from you! Just give us a call on 01480 494939 or head to our landlord packages page to find out more.
