For most property owners, their property portfolio or individual property is their most valuable asset and so they want to make sure the management of this asset is in capable hands.
Too often, however, they are let down by their agent and this is something we hear endlessly from landlords who have switched agents and come to us.
At Rocket we strive for a better service and our values encompass transparency, open communication, as well as our main focus of minimising costs for landlords while maximising return on investment.
But, don’t take our word for it, we spoke to one of our landlords, Dorothy, who recently switched over to us from another agent in London and this is what she had to say:
I became increasingly frustrated with my previous agent, who would ask if I was willing to go ahead with various works without providing the information I needed to make a sound decision. I would go back with questions I thought were obvious, causing delays. I was paying them for their service but, increasingly, I felt like an unpaid member of staff.
In addition, as a new landlord in the current era, the return on my investment is pretty lean. I wanted to feel confident my agent cared about my success as a landlord and the viability of my portfolio, but I wasn’t confident my previous agent thought about this at all.
I decided to switch over to Rocket because it was clear from our initial conversation that they understand that a successful portfolio must be viable for the landlord as well as working for the tenants. It’s a rare agency that thinks beyond their own profit.
The process of moving to Rocket was incredibly simple. Rocket supplied a draft email for me to send to my previous agent and from there they took over everything, so there was very little for me to do to make it happen.
Since moving across, Rocket have shown me repeatedly that they understand what it takes to make a rental property work for both landlord and tenants. They have taken care to secure a fair market rent, to keep costs down and to communicate effectively with me and with my tenants.
Rocket have shown me that they understand the importance of rent renewals for the viability of my investment. They have been far more proactive than my previous agent in understanding the market and suggesting effective strategies for achieving an improved rent, which supports me in covering my costs and making a return on my investment.
In addition, they work hard to address issues in ways that are both effective for the tenants and cost effective for me, acting promptly and pragmatically when issues arise. Their communication has been both efficient and friendly, which I appreciate; Rocket team members provide me with the information I need to make decisions when an issue first presents itself.
When I visited my properties a few months ago with Rocket, we learned there was some leaking into the property from above. Rocket checked out the cause, inspecting the drains from the floor above and speaking to the person living in the flat above.
They were very clear in their communication with the tenants, telling them what they would do to address the problem and also what the tenants needed to do. This told me I could have confidence in Rocket’s relationship management, making for a hassle-free experience as a landlord because I trust that Rocket can handle issues effectively on my behalf.
I also had a significant leak in one of the properties, where the floor had to be replaced. Rocket provided clear guidance on how to address the problem effectively whilst minimising costs. They also encouraged me to make a claim against my insurance.
Finally, I want to add that it really does make a difference working with an agency that understands the experience of being a landlord. Both Ben and Angus (Rocket’s co-founders) have lengthy experience as landlords, and it shows in every aspect of Rocket’s service.
My experiences to date and conversations with fellow landlords suggest that lettings agents mostly range from mildly incompetent to out and out sharks. There really isn’t much quality out there. This is the first time I’ve felt this level of confidence in an agent; I would gladly recommend Rocket to other landlords.
