If you are reading this article then you have taken the first step into researching what to look for in a rental agency if you have a property that needs professional management.

There are many property management companies out there, so how do you choose the right one? Follow the below Step-by-step guide to help you look for a rental agency.

Step 1 – Rental Agency Research and Due Diligence

If you are looking for rental property management, chances are you have googled or searched online for property management companies in the area of your rental property. Some things to look out for when doing an initial online search could include:

• Chat to your friends/family/colleagues/acquaintances. If anyone you know currently has a rental property then chat to them about who they are with. Most of our new business comes from referrals so generally that is a useful way to choose a rental company if someone else you know uses them.
• Visit their website. Websites are a great place to start to get a feel for the company and find out more about what they offer.
• Google reviews or Net Promoter Score (NPS). What’s the star rating of the business, is there sufficient reviews to paint a picture of the business? What is their NPS score?

Step 2 – Make Contact and What to Look For

Most rental agencies will have an online appraisal form or online contact form in which you can complete. Someone from their business development team, or a property manager should be in touch. You will want to ask a few questions about the company such as:

• What to expect. Ask them what having your property managed looks like? What’s the communication like, how often are owners paid, what’s the involvement of the owner with the property manager, when are inspections done?
• Management packages. What services do they offer? What do the fees include? Ensure you choose the best one to suit your property’s needs.
• Guarantees. Do they have management packages that include rent guarantees?
• Experience. Handing over your property to someone else to look after is a big deal. You will want a company with plenty of experience, and knowledge of the industry.
• Support. How big is their team, what’s the process if your property manager goes on leave, who looks after the finances? 
• Legislation. Properties need to meet legislative guidelines around Healthy Homes, Insulation, and Smoke Alarms. You will need to discuss your property and may need to provide further details and insurance policies.
• Compliance. You will want a property management company that ensures compliance to legislation and regulations of the industry to safe-guard you and your property from any liability.
• Tradespeople. Having repairs and maintenance on your property is part of being a landlord and rental property owner. You will want to work with a rental agency that uses certified and industry compliant tradespeople.

Once you have talked it over with a representative from the company, they should send you documents to complete in order to finalise the management.

Step 3 – Sign an Agreement

Great – you have chosen your rental agency (astute investors may choose apm if your property is in Auckland/North Waikato or Waiheke Island!).

Now it’s time to complete the management agreement. This is a legal document which includes important information about you and your rental property. Information consists of insulation status, if pets are allowed, emergency contacts, healthy homes standards, insurance details, and property specific information.

If your property does not meet Healthy Homes guidelines then your rental agency will liaise with you in order for your property to be made compliant. This may involve using tradespeople.

Step 4 – Rental Management

The day-to-day management of a property includes liaising with tenants, property owners and tradespeople, conducting inspections, and advertising properties for rent when needed.

Your assigned property manager will communicate with you throughout your property’s management, keep you up to date on market rent and with any compliance or legislation changes, as well as organise maintenance work to keep your property in top shape. Rental owners are usually paid monthly, and at apm rental owners are paid on the first working day of the month and will also receive a full statement of all transactions.

Here at apm, we have been in the property management business for over 33 years so we know what it takes to effectively manage your rental property. As a residential rental agency, we look after properties from all across Auckland and the wider region – from Te Kauwhata to Warkworth and Ranui to Waiheke Island. So, no matter where your property is, we have the right property manager for you.

Contact our Residential team today to have your rental property managed by the experienced and professional team at apm. Our Net Promoter Score average of +71 (scores of 41 – 70 indicate exceptional customer service) shows that we walk the talk when it comes to our service levels.