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We get it. Every agency claims to be different. They’re better, cheaper, more effective…they all say it. But if everyone’s saying it, how much does it really mean?

Errigal Property has a distinct key point of difference to any other agency in Brisbane.

Our claim to ‘different’ lies in our combined business model of property management and maintenance that is unique to Brisbane.

Essentially all property managers offer the same services. They may quote statistics of renting faster, managing better or the lowest price, however ultimately they offer the same services – managing your property in compliance with legislation.

We do that too. But we don’t stop there.

No other agency in Brisbane has an experienced, licensed inhouse maintenance team that don’t just change the lightbulbs or fix the door handle but can also carry out any refurbishment or renovation you may want for your property to improve return on investment. We can reduce unnecessary call-out fees. And we guarantee to beat any comparable quote.

The concept of Errigal Property came to us after we calculated what we had saved on our own investment properties by carrying out our own maintenance. It was a fraction of the cost of hiring a tradie!

We do that too. But we don’t stop there.

No other agency in Brisbane has an experienced, licensed inhouse maintenance team that don’t just change the lightbulbs or fix the door handle but can also carry out any refurbishment or renovation you may want for your property to improve return on investment. We can reduce unnecessary call-out fees. And we guarantee to beat any comparable quote.

The concept of Errigal Property came to us after we calculated what we had saved on our own investment properties by carrying out our own maintenance. It was a fraction of the cost of hiring a tradie!

Our friends and family would all complain about the exorbitant costs of maintenance, or about their property manager sending out the wrong trade for a job, for which they had to pay.

We felt there had to be a better way.

Of course, we were lucky because I was a registered, licensed builder that had the skills to be able to do it myself. But what about those who either didn’t, or couldn’t because of geographical distance?

We began to explore the possibility of bringing what has always been seen as separate under the one umbrella – a property management company that carries out its own maintenance.

The benefits are considerable.

• We can generally attend to quote in a shorter timeframe.
• We have the knowledge inhouse to send the right people the first time, helping reduce unnecessary call-out fees.
• We guarantee to beat any comparable quote.
• And by cutting out the middleman, communication is more seamless. We’re able to get your approval quickly and therefore the work carried out faster and cheaper. Happy tenants, happy you!

So yes, Errigal Property really is different!

You may be asking yourself: how do I ensure the agency I select is the right fit for me? It’s a great question, and one you should carefully consider. The relationship you have with your property manager should be one of honesty, transparency and trust – after all, you are putting your most important investment in their hands and it is crucial that you are comfortable with how they will manage your property.

It is also true that not all property managers are created equal!

You should have complete faith that your agency is not just acting in your best interests because they’re legally obligated to do so, but because they genuinely care and want to help you on your investment journey.

This marks the difference between a property manager who simply checks the boxes and a great one.

Quality

Another factor to consider is the quality of not just your property manager but the team and agency as a whole.  Most agencies will appoint you a dedicated property manager and that is a great first start. We believe that if something is ‘everyone’s responsibility’ then the outcome is that it becomes ‘no-one’s responsibility’ so a dedicated property manager is essential.

Knowledge & Experience

You should also be considering the knowledge base and expertise of the property manager as well as what support the agency may offer them. How are the more tricky maintenance issues handled? What resources and ongoing training are provided to the property managers? A property manager who does not know or understand maintenance will likely make mistakes, whether that be sending the wrong trade to a job or providing incorrect advice.

Property Manager to Property Ratio

Another factor that can truly impact on the performance of a property manager is the number of properties in their portfolio. Studies show the ideal ratio should be around 100-150 properties, however evidence shows many property managers are expected to manage significantly larger portfolios, leaving them overworked and ultimately ineffective. The ratio of properties managed by your property manager should be factored into your decision making.

Property Management Turnover

It is no secret the turnover of property managers is a serious issue. Statistics show that the average property manager spends just 10 months in one role, and 2 out of every three leave the industry altogether. What is the agency’s strategy to mitigate this?

What We Do

At Errigal Property our central ethos is to guide, educate and partner with you to help you realise your investment goals. We strive to achieve this by providing you with truthful, honest and transparent advice and information that can assist you in making the right decisions for your property.

This can range from guiding you through all the property management legalese, to providing honest advice on property improvements to increase return on investment to helping you select the perfect tenant. We will always strive to be responsive to your needs as the owner and ensure you have a complete understanding of what is happening at all times.

What’s more, Errigal Property are uniquely qualified to assess your property’s maintenance requirements.

How?

Inhouse Maintenance

As the only property management agency in Brisbane with its own skilled, licensed inhouse maintenance team, we have over 20 years collective experience in building, renovations, extensions and maintenance. Our team possess the knowledge a property manager may be lacking.

All issues are reviewed by our maintenance manager to ensure the right trade is sent out the first time. This takes out the guesswork and alleviates the pressure from a property manager who may not be skilled in identifying what action to take. Getting it right the first time saves you unnecessary call-out fees and puts the money back into your account, where it belongs.

As the principals of Errigal Property, we are also committed to providing comprehensive onboarding and ongoing training and support to our property management team. We take the time upfront to ensure our team are well educated in not just property management, but also share our vision.

Yes, you will have a dedicated property manager that you can rely on. However we ensure that our team collaborate closely with each other and ourselves, sharing information and learning from each other. They will always be given the support they need to grow, learn and address you and your property’s needs.

Furthermore, by taking the stress out of resolving maintenance issues, which is often one of the most time-consuming parts of a property manager’s job, as well as keeping each individual property manager’s portfolio between 100-150 properties, we are actively preventing stress and burnout within our team.  We believe these steps really make a difference in keeping property managers engaged and focused on what really matters – you and your property.

Value

Errigal’s value doesn’t stop there. We provide you with a unique blend of property management and maintenance all in one place.

What does this mean for you?

ErrigalPlus Property Report

When you first become an Errigal client, we prepare a comprehensive ErrigalPlus Property Report which outlines the condition of the property and provides any recommendations for repairs or maintenance. We note the make and model of all fixtures and appliances and download all applicable manuals to help the agency and tenant troubleshoot easily. This, together with the professional cleaning, helps establish a thorough baseline of the condition of the property which can avoid issues down the road.

What’s more, we can also work with you to prepare a long-term property maintenance plan and can even help with your depreciation schedule!

Let’s talk about the subject no-one wants to address – pricing! We know our competitors would rather not mention pricing until much further along into the decision-making process, however we’d rather get the facts on the table up-front, so you are armed with all the knowledge you need to make the right decision for you.

In fact, we set out our pricing for the world to see on our website. You can go to the Pricing tab under About Us and see everything you need to see.

Every agency sets their own management fee which can range anywhere from 5% to 12% or more! So the question is, how is the management fee is determined? And what’s the difference between a 5% agency and one that’s more expensive?

The answer is often in the fine print. You may find an agency with a lower fee, however upon closer inspection have a range of additional fees including statement fees, inspection fees, administration fees etc, which, when calculated over an annual period, actually exceed those of an agency with a higher management fee but less additional fees.

 Even the addition of a monthly admin fee can drastically change the numbers when calculated on an annual basis.

It’s important as an owner for you to consider all of these elements. Let’s give you an example.

Case Study #1

A house in Moorooka, Brisbane rents for $700 per week. You consider two agencies – Agency A and Agency B.

One has a management fee of 6.6% and the other 8%. However when calculated annually, taking into account fees charged by Agency A the results can look very different, with Agency B, at the higher management rate coming in at a lower cost overall.

Another factor that you should take into account is the cost of maintaining your property.  While certain ongoing costs such as smoke alarm compliance or pool maintenance can be easily estimated, it is the unknowns that you will need to consider. While the unknowns are hard to quantify, a good property manager should be able to assess your property and offer advice on emerging maintenance requirements.

Most agencies, and in fact owners, view maintenance fees completely separately from the management fees. However with your property manager responsible for organising and facilitating maintenance, the cost of “keeping” your property really should include both these things.

If your property manager send the wrong trade for the job, it is you who must pay the call-out fee, not the agency. Yet the problem still exists.

Let’s face it, property managers are not created equal and may not have the required knowledge to know who to send when faced with trickier issues. In fact, data shows more than 60% of landlords believe they’ve been incorrectly charged, or overcharged for maintenance.

Case Study #2

I’ll give you an example of one of our most recent clients. Eric’s house at Ferny Hills has had a leak for over twelve months that causes water to come into the lower level of the house every time it rains. Over time, his property manager sent several trades to investigate, costing him approximately $2,000 along the way.

And yet the leak remains.

His previous tenants gave notice and the property was re-let, costing Eric a reletting fee. His current tenants requested – and obtained – a rent decrease due to the leak, despite the ever-increasing interest rate rises and market movements.

When Eric came to Errigal Property, he was at the end of his rope. The leak was not just costing him money, but also impacting on the rent being collected.

We were able to demonstrate to Eric that while our management fee was higher than he was currently paying, the benefits offered by us would ultimately save him money in the long-term.

How?

Eric’s story has a happy ending, or as we’d like to call it, a new beginning. After switching to Errigal, he gained access to our inhouse maintenance team, who can repair the leak at a competitive rate. While no guarantee can ever be made that this will finally resolve the issue, we have assured Eric we can guarantee this is the last he needs to hear of it.  Should the leak re-occur, our team will address it at our own cost. Eric is now able to breathe a sigh of relief, as are his tenants. He’ll be able to recommence obtaining market rent for his property.

This is a clear example of why you should absolutely consider maintenance costs together with management fees when deciding on the right agency for you.

Obviously things going sideways is something we try to avoid at all costs! However, despite excellent screening processes, legislative compliance and every contingency, sometimes s*!t just hits the fan.

So what happens then?

Most agencies will vaguely point to their maintenance policy or QCAT preparation/tribunal attendance fee and try to move the conversation along. No-one wants to talk about the possible negatives of renting your property.

As an Errigal client, we want to be fully transparent. While every effort is made to avoid any kind of legal proceeding, it is practical and prudent to consider how your agency handles matters when things are not sunshine and roses.

There are a number of reasons why things may deviate from ‘Plan A’. These might include your previously great tenant losing their job and falling behind on rent. Or sub-standard maintenance is carried out and further action needs to be taken. Damages when a tenant leaves or another type of claim on their bond. Another potential reason may be that you require vacant possession and yet the tenant does not leave.

At Errigal Property, we have many years’ experience and an excellent track record in contract negotiation, collection of outstanding monies and liaising with trades, tenants and landlords to resolve matters amicably. We will act as your intermediary to guide the process, making every attempt to find an agreeable resolution to the issue.

Every situation is unique and the steps may differ, however we will guide you throughout the process step-by-step, whether it be an RTA Conciliation Hearing, a QCAT matter or a warrant of possession.

We will mediate with tenants or tradespeople on your behalf and prepare for and attend any hearings that may be necessary. You can be assured that your Errigal property manager will always your back and make every effort to obtain the best resolution for you.

Just about every property manager is great at handling things when it all run smoothly. How they react when things go off the rails is where you really see what they’re made of!

We are often asked why Errigal felt it necessary to establish an inhouse maintenance team.

If this is so crucial, then why isn’t everyone doing it?

Honestly, we don’t know.

Historically property management has always been done a certain way. While technology has certainly changed a lot of the how, the what and why remain largely the same. It just is what it is and it seems most just don’t look outside of the box to see if there’s any better way.

As I discussed previously in ‘how are we different?’, we approached it from a different angle. As a builder myself, after hearing story after story from clients on their investment property trials and tribulations, after dealing with real estates and their maintenance issues day after day…it just seemed like a no-brainer that maintenance and property management go hand-in-hand.

Having a licensed experienced team on hand means:

• We can get to your property and assess the maintenance issue faster
• Communicate with you quicker
• Send the right person the first time
• Get the job done and dusted without you having to wait weeks or months
• Alleviate the frustration for both you and the tenant
• And as our team are inhouse, we also don’t charge expensive call-out fees so that money goes back into your pocket

It just makes sense.

The entire business model of Errigal Property was designed around you and your needs. The amalgamation of property management and maintenance just made sense to us as landlords ourselves and quite frankly, we’re surprised no-one else is doing it!

Establishing a thorough baseline of your property’s condition is a really crucial element in the property management process and one that is very often overlooked or not considered in the detail it should be.

Legislation states at the end of a tenancy the tenant must leave the property in the same condition it was in at the start of the tenancy, fair wear and tear excepted. What this means is that you cannot require the tenant to leave the property in better condition, purchase goods or services such as carpet cleaning or pest control or require them to use specific services.

Tenants are expected to leave the property in the same standard evident at the commencement of the tenancy. For example, if carpets were cleaned to a certain standard or the property was professionally cleaned upon entry, they must be cleaned to that same standard upon exit.

So you can immediately see that the standard of the property upon entry can absolutely dictate the standard tenants are expected to follow upon exit.

Presenting the property to the new tenant in this fashion is not simply about making a good impression; it is setting a baseline that can help mitigate any issues or disputes when the tenant exits the property. There can be no question of ‘this wasn’t clean’ or ‘we found it like this’.

Fair Wear & Tear

Let’s talk about wear and tear, as this is really important and where disputes most often arise. According to the RTA, wear is what happens during normal use of the property and changes that occur with ageing. We all know that your property can deteriorate over time through exposure to the environment and age of fixtures and fittings.

Things like dirt, grime, grease and damage are not considered wear and tear, however aged carpets that become worn or flattened, small scuff marks on lower walls or faded paint or curtains are. Where things become tricky is when tenants cause damage to already aged elements and can potentially argue the damage was inevitable due to fair wear and tear.

This is again why establishing the baseline of your property’s condition is so crucial.

Here’s a real-life example. Fitzmaurice v Conners presented to QCAT in a dispute relating to carpet replacement. The tenants claimed that the carpets were not new when they moved in and were professionally cleaned and left in a fair and reasonable state upon exit. They claimed that fair wear and tear is the owner’s responsibility.

The agents for the owners claimed the carpets had been left severely stained past the point where cleaning would restore them. They presented evidence from a professional cleaner stating “permanent discolouration due to major soiling and no maintenance while tenanted” was the issue.

QCAT found in favour of the tenants, agreeing that the carpets had some wear and staining upon entry and fair wear and tear was the responsibility of the owner.

(Link: Fitzmaurice v Conners [2012] QCAT 537 – Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal Caselaw (queenslandjudgments.com.au))

This is why when you first become an Errigal client, we go one step further than a basic Entry Condition Report. We also prepare a comprehensive ErrigalPlus Property Report which outlines the condition of the property from top to bottom. The report includes the type and age of fixtures, fittings and appliances and provides you with recommendations for repairs or maintenance.

Together these help to eliminate any ‘he said/she said’ upon tenant exit with regards to cleanliness, damages and fair wear and tear, helping to minimise potential disputes.

It’s for this reason that we strongly recommend that any property being presented to the rental market be professionally cleaned, including carpets, pest control and tidy of lawns and gardens. We can then have all receipts on file and noted in the Entry Condition Report.

This is a really great question and one that many of our clients ask!

In a regular agency we understand that the property manager will often inspect the work after completion which gives you some assurance that it has been carried out as per the agreement and to a certain standard of quality.

So it’s understandable that you may have some concerns about about removing this layer and having the whole process conducted inhouse.

At Errigal Property, when any maintenance is conducted on your house, we will always send you detailed photos and/or video of the work. Our property manager (separate from the maintenance team) will also conduct an inspection, just as any other agency would.

We also strongly recommend for any detailed projects that a walkthrough be conducted by either yourself or a trusted third party of your choice to give you assurance the work has been completed to a high standard.

One of the promises we stand behind at Errigal Property is that while no-one can guarantee any work carried out will absolutely correct an issue, we can guarantee that you will not have to hear about it again – we will return and fix it as many times as it takes! Therefore it’s in our best interests to get it right the first time.

Our team always pride themselves on delivering quality results and will happily stand behind the work we do. If there are any issues with the work carried out, we will always return at our own expense. You are also of course also covered by all applicable warranties and QBCC insurances.

We hope this gives you a little more insight into how we work.

Things we hear commonly from our prospective clients is “our property manager is pretty ordinary but honestly you’re all the same” and “I know I can do better but moving is such a hassle”. If I had a dollar for every time I’d heard that, I’d be a rich man!

The Devil You Know

We do get it though – people hate confrontation and the unknown. Statistics even show that owners will stay with an ineffective property manager because leaving is uncomfortable and a hassle and they don’t trust that any new agency will be any better. With more than 53% of landlords reporting they’re unsatisfied with their current agency, that’s a lot of unsatisfied owners and a lot of ineffective property management!

It doesn’t have to be such a hassle!

We can help you take the pain out of the switch by attending to all the paperwork on your behalf.  In fact we’ve even written the Dear John letter for you! All you need to do is send and we can take care of the rest.

There are some things you do need to consider prior to making the switch:

• Management Agreement: check your agreement to ensure there’s nothing preventing you from leaving prior to a specific date.
• Notice times: your current agent will require written notice in accordance with legislation – this may range from 30 to 90 days.

As we mentioned earlier, we’ve written the breakup letter for you – all you need to do is email your property manager and copy us in and we’ll take it from there. Check out the template below.

Dear John

Dear [current property manager]

RE: [Property address]: Notice of Termination of Management Agreement

This email serves as written notice that I/we will be terminating your management agreement after [date]. This is in accordance with the [number of days] notice required by that agreement.

Management of the property will be taken over by Errigal Property, copied into this email. They will be in touch to arrange the handover of keys and any relevant information.