The importance of a well-managed property - what should I be looking for when renting a property?

With numerous properties available to choose from when selecting your new home, it is important to make sure you consider more than just the space, location and layout. How the property will be managed after you have moved in is an important consideration as disputes over maintenance issues often mean tenants move out sooner than they may have planned.

Experienced property managers understand what it takes to deal with tenants and manage a property professionally for all involved. They’ve been given the authority to make most decisions regarding the collection of rent, maintenance requests and to handle a variety of other situations that may arise.

Below are some of the benefits that tenants of managed properties enjoy:

• A managed property is taken through routine maintenance. The unit will have a pre-move in snag report compiled by the PM team, ensuring your unit is ready for move in. Even if the unit has been vacant for a period of time, the PM team will carry out regular checks and ensure that it is thoroughly cleaned and ready for your arrival.
  
  
• Move in – a managed property will have a ‘schedule of condition’ report and this will be held on file for your move out inspection which avoids unpleasant discussions about what was or wasn’t in place at the time you moved in.
  
  
• A PM company will register a tenancy under Tawtheeq (Abu Dhabi), Ejari (Dubai) or have it registered with Sharjah Municipality (at an extra cost). It's a legal requirement that tenants have this, without which you can't get your utilities connected. Often when moving this is an administrative task that is tenants would rather not have to manage directly.
  
  
• The PM company will be able to advise on the landlord / developer reputation; is the property owned by an individual or a company, how long have they dealt with them for?
  
• Advice on maintenance coverage/exclusions to avoid unwelcome surprises. Is there a maintenance contract for the property? As a tenant what am I responsible for? What are the Landlord responsibilities? Property Managers deal with hundreds of units all the time, this means they’ll be more responsive to requests and have stronger relationships with electricians, plumbers and other service professionals to address your maintenance needs efficiently.

• Negotiating payment terms and Landlord flexibility of payments. In the current climate a responsive landlord will adapt to market conditions to ensure his property is occupied and not left vacant, the PM are middlemen and will deal with all negotiations on your behalf, ensuring that the Landlord is aware of the prevailing market conditions and comparable units and rents. 

• One single point of contact. You should be able to reach your landlord when necessary, but there are occasions when he will be on vacation or won't have his mobile phone switched on. Even if your landlord isn't out of town, he may not answer phone calls on weekends or in the evenings. Property Managers are typically on duty for extended hours and will have a way for you to contact them in the event of an emergency, whatever time of day or night. No matter where the property owner is, the property management company will have someone available when you have an issue or need help. 

• If and when you choose to leave the property, the PM team will be there for key handover and check out to ensure there are no issues on the part of either party.  

Savills manages over 10,000 units across the UAE and has been providing professional Property Management Services for over 40 years. If you are a tenant looking for a well managed apartment or villa, or a landlord seeking a professional managing agent, we’d love to help.