The Importance of Property Management
All-in-one property management
We deliver dynamic, all-in-one property management services to landlords throughout Brighton, Hove, East and West Sussex. We tailor the services you want specifically to your needs from a stand- alone tenant find, dealing with any day-to-day issues that arise, to the end-of-tenancy administration, so you only need deal with a single agency – and an allocated team you’ll get to know at Aston Vaughan Lettings.
We have extensive experience within the rental sector so we know that people rent for all kinds of reasons. We also understand that there are many routes which lead to a property owner becoming a landlord.
Whilst it can be a great way to enjoy another source of income, renting your property brings with it a great deal of personal responsibility. It’s a big commitment. Which is why property management is an important part of our package.
We keep a keen eye on the legal requirements
There are plenty of rules and regulations swirling around property rental, primarily intended, quite rightly, to ensure the health and safety of your tenants. These legal obligations are frequently altered and updated and you absolutely MUST adhere to them. We can make sure you don’t get caught by surprise.
Sometimes, unfortunately, things can go wrong. However experienced, some landlords can have problems with tenants and have to deal with legal and financial difficulties. Rent arrears, damage to the property, sub-letting or a reluctance to leave refusal to leave the property are all things that can happen – and occasionally does happen to the unwary. At Aston Vaughan, as professional property management company our knowledge of legal requirements, meticulous vetting system of tenants and regular visits to the property to build a relationship with your tenants and check the condition of the property can save time and money.
We keep a keen eye on dates.
We keep an eagle eye on the date that every tenancy ends, so we anticipate a change to help avoid any void dates.
How? We research the current, best rental rate, our creative marketing gets people’s attention and we have a meticulous tenant screening process- we check all ID and references as well as do credit checks to make sure they’re the right tenants for you. If not, we won’t allow them to rent your property.
If you don’t have much experience of finding tenants, you could end up with a well-intentioned, but poor choice.
We keep a keen eye on your property
We focus on preventative maintenance to ensure your property keeps its value. We get to know your property, and organise regular maintenance checks and inspections so make sure it keeps its market value, and to prevent more expensive solutions later on.
Why Aston Vaughan?
Less Pressure. Less worry. More time to enjoy.
How quickly will you evict my tenants if they don’t pay the rent?
This is the most commonly asked question, so we’ll address it upfront in our FAQs list:
Firstly, Aston Vaughan Lettings works strictly to current housing legislation, as well as to ARLA’s codes of conduct.
Should your tenants breach their agreement and we’re unable to restore the landlord-tenant relationship (for whatever reason), you may choose to serve notice to end the agreement. However, this can be a complicated process if:
- Your tenants don’t agree with your reasons, or
- They’re unable to leave
In this instance, you may need to consult a solicitor to handle an eviction.
NB: In our experience, tenant evictions are very rare. Due to our robust scrutiny and referencing prior to moving forward to contract, the risk is very low. For further reassurance, you may wish to speak to your Property Manager regarding the number of evictions currently in process; we’re glad to report that the answer is usually “zero”.
How much does Aston Vaughan Lettings charge?
This will depend on the package you select from us, for example:
- Tenant find service
- Full property management service
- A bespoke package (for example, some or all of the above)
In brief, our fees range from a one-off fixed introduction charge of approximately 2 weeks rent, to 10% for a full management service, plus VAT. We tailor our packages to suit you, fair fees not inflated fees Read more details in our Terms of Business. Why not ask us for a quote?
When do I get paid?
Aston Vaughan Lettings will pay you when your tenants’ rent falls due, as per your tenancy agreement. We would ask that you allow 7 working days for the rent to clear from this date. In the case of rental arrears, we process transactions every working day and will report any issues in real time. With late payments, we’ll alert you after 7 days, together with details of any action already taken, as well as our suggestions on how best to proceed
Regarding marketing my property, what sites are you on?
We will advertise your property on all the major portals, such as Rightmove, Zoopla and Prime Location as standard. If you have an HMO suitable for students, Aston Vaughan Lettings will also market the property on specialist sites such as www.unihomes.co.uk, www.sturents.com and, by invitation only, on the private university website forums. All properties are marketed to elicit the maximum and most effective responses to attract the best applicants – at no extra charge.
What credit checks to you do on tenants? Do I get a copy of the checks?
To answer your second question first: yes, you will get a copy of the credit checks we carry out on your would-be tenants. Referencing and credit checking are a major factor in ensuring that the people to whom you rent your property will be reliable and respectful tenants. As such, we take this part of the process very seriously, not least with the following processes:
- Credit check
- Linked address, identify and fraud information
- CCJs, Decrees and other court information
- Right to Rent check and advice
- Affordability Rating
- Previous landlord reference
- Income and employment check
We also offer the above checking procedures for guarantors.
How do my tenants get help if there’s a problem out of hours?
If something happens that we’d consider an emergency, or that could worsen or incur costs if left unattended (for example a leak or a flood), Aston Vaughan Lettings offers your tenants a 24/7 call service. They will be able to contact an on-call agent via our office number who will ensure that swift, appropriate action is taken to:
- Ensure the occupants’ safety, and/or
- Limit further damage until a decision on a longer-term solution can be made within working hours.
General, Non-Urgent Issues Your tenants can log these via the same number, with appropriate action taken during office hours. Contact Agreements You can specify out-of-hours action in your Terms of Business. Although Aston Vaughan Lettings will not contact you outside office hours, you are welcome to provide your tenants with additional or alternative contact arrangements. Allowing for this, do rest assured that there are very few instances when you will be disturbed out-of-hours.
Regarding repairs, can I use my own tradespeople or suppliers to keep costs down? Also, my I check out what needs doing myself?
Aston Vaughan Lettings will be happy to work with your existing contractors; these are established partnerships and of course, worth hanging onto! You can confirm this arrangement in your Terms of Business; however, we would insist that they’re fully qualified and that they have the relevant insurance. You’re welcome to inspect any work that needs doing at the property, although in most cases we’ll do this on your behalf. Should the repairs require specialist remedial work we may insist on a qualified contractor. Do feel free to discuss these issues with your Property Manager. Aston Vaughan Lettings maintains excellent working relationships with trusted, qualified tradespeople. Not only are they fully insured, they offer a courteous, competitive and reliable service. We will always ensure that you see a copy of all quotes for your approval, as well as copies of invoices on completion.
