PLANNING OPEN INSPECTIONS
All new adverts are expected to have one open inspection time shown on first listing the property for rent.
Landlords care about when opens are held. Put yourself in their shoes – would you be happy with the days and times you are scheduling? Will your landlord be satisfied?
Open times need to be set at times that are most likely to generate attendance by the target market for the property, NOT based on your personal timetable or personal preferences (e.g. not wanting to hold opens after 5pm is not acceptable).
You may also need to set times and dates just to appease a landlord! That is fine, it is their property and they are the ones with something to lose (income). Your ability to educate your landlord on what is appropriate, will help manage inappropriate requests.
Speak to your manager about work/life balance to ensure you are kept whole with your hours of work.
Allow for adequate travel time between opens.
Is it peak hour?
Are their scheduled events? (Sports event, Festival, major roadworks, etc.)
Vary your open times where attendance is not satisfactory. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing (day/time) over and over again…
If you anticipate that you will have a high number of attendees at the open or your open is in a building with restricted access it is a good idea to ask a colleague to attend with you.
NEGOTIATING TIMES WITH TENANTS
The landlord can show the property to prospective tenants in the last 28 days of the tenancy. This can happen at the time requested by the tenant or after giving reasonable notice and only for a reasonable number of times.
The property can be shown to prospective buyers, no more than twice in 7 days - unless agreed otherwise - and at a time previously agreed with the tenant. If there's no agreement, after giving the tenant reasonable notice.
PUBLIC VS OPEN INSPECTIONS
No matter the type if inspection, it must be logged in IRE, even if you are only showing 1 potential tenant through the property.
Public inspections are required for all properties.
If you have held two or three public opens without any attendees, then the business sees it as reasonable to advise the Landlord you will revert to private opens (and make yourself amazingly available to any enquiries!).
OPEN INSPECTION LENGTH
A residential rental open inspection must be for 15 minutes (officially) but may be for longer if a landlord requests it or you deem it necessary due to the nature of the property (premium, big etc.) or high level of enquiry.
Agents are expected to arrive 5 – 10 minutes early and budget time to leave 5 - 10 minutes late (depending on expected attendance numbers perhaps) in order to prevent running late for subsequent opens.
PRESENTATION AT OPEN INSPECTONS
The following is required for all open inspections (sunshine, wind or hail…):
Walk through the property in full prior to the open to ensure no one is home/ no unexpected surprises
Minimum of one Magain C|R Open Inspection sign on display (two if difficult to locate)
Arrow pointing in the right direction.
Sign in a safe location (free from potential damage/ wind impact etc.)
Open Inspection Flyers
Presented on the kitchen bench/ other appropriate location in a neat and professional manner
All lights on (where electricity is connected)
All blinds, curtains and window coverings open
All access points (to yards, sheds etc) unlocked.
Make sure nothing has changed/ your advert is correct.
SIGNAGE AT THE PROPERTY
If you are opening a dwelling in a building with a secure foyer entry or similar (i.e. non-direct access to the dwelling) you MUST have a sign on the entry advising tenants on how to use the intercom for entry, of your presence at that time (i.e. so they know you are there somewhere) and/or additional instructions as appropriate.
CUSTOMER SERVICE REQUIREMENTS AT OPENS
Holding an Open inspection means both you and Magain City Realty are on show! In order to represent ourselves the best (for a large number of reasons!) you must do the following:
Greet and say hello to all attendees (with a smile)
People DO prefer living in a property managed by a friendly owner/ agent
Good branding
Use Inspect Real Estate to garner Names and Phone Numbers of all attendees (email as well if attendance levels allow it)
Ensure attendees understand how to apply
Act in a courteous and professional manner at all times
Dress in the Magain City Realty uniform
Place personal items (key’s, phone, glasses etc) in a safe place
DO NOT sit on your personal phone
Have your property management license physically on you.
Have business cards available
Answer any questions attendees may have
Where you don’t have the answer immediately available, advise them you will call them later/ the next morning so that you can provide a better answer.
Where the question requires a longer answer, and there are other people to meet and greet, please advise them you need to prioritise meeting everyone but will call them later/ as soon as possible to provide the best answer possible
If an attendee is being pushy/ impatient or rude etc. then advise them that if they have any questions, they can put them on their application form or send you an email (provide them your email) and you will answer them as soon as possible
Do not be late – arriving flustered dents consumer confidence and suggests a lack of respect for others time. If, for unseen circumstances, you are running late you must.
Send all registered attendees an SMS through IRE to advice you are running xyz minutes late.
Given you should plan to be their early, Magain City Realty expects these circumstances will be few and far between.
Ensure you have the property flyers to provide to prospective tenants. These flyers contain the code of 9966 which is needed for them to be able to apply through 2Apply
SAFETY AT OPEN INSPECTIONS
If for any reason you do not feel entirely safe attending a property you must notify a senior property manager before attending or scheduling opens
If you notice a very high volume of enquiry in the lead up to an open, you should consider taking a second colleague to assist with the crowd and ensure you are able to manage people within the allotted time slot (including moving people on that arrive late).
All opens must be diarised
All opens must be logged in IRE – including private inspections
Take your work phone with you which has find my iPhone on it in the case of an emergency
Do not be afraid to call the police if you feel in any danger
Do not hold open inspections at night time (after 6:30pm)
Lock your car, keep valuable possessions out of sight
FINISHING AN OPEN INSPECTION
At the end of an open inspection you must:
Check all wardrobe doors to ensure there are no attendees hiding (theft prevention)
Lock all entry/ exit points
If an external door was unlocked when you arrived, call the tenant to find out if they want you to lock it or not. If they do not answer, leave the door as you found it (locked/ unlocked) and text them to advise they had door xyz unlocked and you have left it that way)
Turn the alarm on (if applicable, and only if it was armed when you arrived)
Contact the Landlord (by phone if in Australia) and advise how the open inspection went
If no answer, leave a voicemail or send a quick report through IRE on your phone
QUALITY CONTROL
In order to ensure that we are offering the best service to our clients, presenting ourselves well and tenanting properties at the best price and in the least amount of time, management does monitor progress on an ongoing and random basis. How do we measure performance? By referencing to the expectations outlined in this document and analysing data in IRE.
If you are unsure about how to do something, where to start, what to do, how to manage a situation etc. it is expected that you seek support from a senior property manager and/or business manager.
All agents get Landlords and Properties that are difficult and/or not ideal. If you are doing everything you can (as outlined here), then you are doing everything within your control and/or influence and that is all we ask for!