Dockside Property Services Kent Limited aim to provide both Landlords and Tenants with a high quality residential Letting and Property Management service aimed in particular at the housing needs of the business and professional community.
We are an independent company and our staff are both experienced and professional and are therefore dedicated to maintaining the high standards of service demanded by our clients.
We are happy to advise you on all matters relating to property rental, every step of the way.
The first decision you will need to make when letting out your Medway Property is to decide which service you will need. Dockside offer three different services; a tenant find service, rent collect and full management. What ever service you choose, we will provide you with our terms and conditions – this explains not only our charges but also explains how we work, our obligations and yours as a landlord. We require this prior to marketing – which then assures that you are in full agreement with our terms prior to us finding a tenant.
Landlords ID
In 2004 the government extended the Anti Money Laundering Legislation requiring estate agents to verify the identity of their clients. This formality is conducted with the minimum of inconvenience. It means we are legally required to see two forms of proof of identification.
Furnished or Unfurnished! That is the question?
There is just as much demand for furnished accommodation as there is for unfurnished. The key is for a Landlord to be flexible when letting their property; you may even be able to achieve slightly higher rent for furnished as opposed to unfurnished. This does vary slightly from area to area. More property in Rochester to let is furnished for example than property to let in Gillingham. Our staff will be able to advise you what is best for your individual property.
What is defined is that certain furnishings supplied must meet fire safety standards and it's in your interests as a landlord to ensure that your furniture and furnishing meet legal requirements. If in doubt, Dockside can advise you every step of the way.
Demand
Regarding demand, it is, simply put, currently very high and the turnaround time is phenomenal. The current timescale is: instruction-to- offer-to-move in usually taking place within the space of two weeks. We understand you may have a time frame you wish us to follow, but it is good to know that we have tenants that are looking to move very quickly thus avoiding, or at least limiting, void periods. We have dedicated negotiators, enabling viewings to be carried out 7 days a week, including bank holidays and evenings. Demand is high across all of the Medway towns for property, including flats, apartments and houses, to rent.
Offer
At Dockside we take a good will gesture from the tenant prior to putting the offer forward. This is to show their commitment and to avoid time wasting. Once are in receipt of the offer, we will present this to you verbally for your acceptance. If you agree to the proposed offer, we will forward you an official offer letter for signature; and only once this is completed will we begin the referencing process. Please note we ask the tenant all the relevant information i.e credit history, employment status prior to viewings.
References
All references are carried out by an independent referencing company who will compile the following information to confirm the status of your potential tenant. The referencing company is not looking at the amount the tenant holds in their bank account; they are looking at the following:-
- They will check for any adverse credit history such as, bankruptcy, CCJs and court decrees
- They will check if there’s any previous names and addresses which they haven’t disclosed
- They will check whether there’s any undisclosed credit history which is linked to their current and most recent homes
- They will check that the banking details provided are for a genuine bank account
- They will check conduct a check against their own Default Database – this may indicate whether they have not been able to pay their rent in the past
- They will conduct a Financial Sanctions check, to make sure that they are not registered to any of the Government’s Asset Freezing lists - because this could mean they are unable to pay your rent in the future
- They will speak to the tenant’s current Landlord or Managing Agent to ask them for a reference
- They will also speak to their employer to check they are being paid what they have told us and that there is no reason their employment will be terminated any time soon
- They are also able to reference company’s, Overseas students and Guarantors.
Our company credit reports are high quality report assessments, combining information from reports sourced directly - and updated daily - from Companies House, The Registry Trust and The London & Edinburgh Gazette with notes on the relevant business to help you make informed business decisions. –
We cover
- Credit rating & limit
- 5 years accounts
- Group structure
- CCJ Information
- Payment data (where available)
We understand that quality tenancies are of paramount importance, as our main priority is to find you a tenant who will be able to afford the rental and who will maintain the property in the same way that it was found. You will be provided with copies of the references for your approval. We deal with many Bluechip companies within the Medway areas and beyond who are seeking high quality accommodation to let in the Rochester, Strood, Gillingham, Chatham areas, as well as other Kent towns.
Rent Guarantee
Our landlord rent guarantee insurance protects 100% of your rental income up to £50,000 and covers legal expenses associated with evicting a defaulting tenant. Our Rent Guarantee and Legal Expenses Insurance will protect you from defaulting tenants by ensuring that rental payments are made direct to you in full. The cost of evicting defaulting tenants is also covered within the same policy. We pride ourselves on delivering a valued, unique and robust product. Unlike most other rent insurance providers, we cover multiple tenants with just one policy, which guarantees you 100% of your total monthly rent. In the current economic climate, many landlords are finding their default rates soar as tenants struggle with rising unemployment and increased bills. Recovering arrears can be difficult and costly for landlords, without any guarantee of success. Our Rent Guarantee Insurance will cover you against your tenant defaulting or failing to pay the rent; whilst giving you that piece of mind.
The Policy Cover Includes:-
- Rent Arrears up to £50,000 per incident
- Legal Expenses up to £50,000 per incident
- Nil Excess
- Unlimited period of rent arrears paid
- All tenant types accepted
- 6 or 12 month policy options to suit your requirements
- 50% of the rent paid for up to two months after vacant possession has been obtained
- The guarantee can be transferred to new tenants
Independent Inventory
As a landlord you want to protect your investments and ensure smooth transitions from one tenant to the next. By instructing an independent inventory clerk you can be assured that you will:
- Minimise costly disputes by having comprehensive and reliable property inventory reports
- Be confident that the legal implications are adhered to
- Avoid unnecessary costs by having a professionally completed inventory containing all necessary detail
- Protect your investment by documenting any wear and tear properly
- Have confidence that both you and your tenants are protected legally and you are abiding by the necessary regulations
Deposits
Many tenants in the private sector give their landlords a deposit against possible non- payment of rent or damage to property. At the end of the tenancy, there is, usually no discrepancy, but sometimes there can be, and this can cause much hardship and inconvenience to both landlord and tenant. At Dockside, we will do our utmost to try and avoid any dispute arising, however in the occasions we cannot help resolve, the adjudicators will. They are independent decision-makers who reach their judgements on deposit disputes free from the influence, guidance or control of either the landlord or the agent. The Dispute Service is an independent, not-for-profit company, established in 2003 to resolve tenancy deposit disputes in the private rented sector. They care about their customers and the most accountable.
Be Prepared
- Ensure manuals including service agreements etc are supplied to us prior to check in.
- Redirect your mail with the Royal mail. Not only to prevent ID thief but to avoid inconveniencing the tenant.
- Ensure all personal defects are removed from the property and the property is left presentable.
- Make sure all items that have been agreed to remain in the property, are in good working order.
- Provide the agent with any key code, parking permits or any other important things the tenant will need.
Let Us Do The Rest
- Organise a professional clean; remember if a professional clean is conducted on the ingoing tenancy then the tenant is responsible for ensuring a professional clean is done at the end, in preparation for the next tenant. Simples!
- Write to all utility companies advising them a new tenancy has taken place along with meter readings.
- Arrange works to be carried out including electrical/gas works and certificate; and any maintenance works that are required.
- Organise the cutting of keys and supply of fobs for the tenants.
- Arrange the supply and installation of furniture packages.
- Provide quotes for insurances for you and the tenant.
- Supply you and the tenant with a welcome pack, with contact details depending on what service you opt for.
Client Money Protection
We are accredited agents of the Propertymark Client Money Protection (CMP) scheme and dedicated to protecting you and your assets.
As accredited agents, we comply with Propertymark's 'Conduct and Membership Rules'.
To view our CMP accredited certificate, click here.
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