Maintenance and repairs make up a large portion of rental agents’ duties in managing investment properties on behalf of clients. The job can be time-consuming and often exasperating if service providers prove to be unreliable or inept. On the one hand, tenants expect maintenance and repairs to be carried out to minimise inconvenience to themselves, while landlords don’t want to incur unnecessary expenses.
WATCH : The power of property portals.
The Home+ Property portal offers complete automation of the maintenance function and closes the loop between the tenant, property manager, landlord and service provider. Business development and partnership head Adriaan Hugo estimates that it can free up to 40% of a rental agent's time daily.
“Home+ Property is a platform designed to make property maintenance easier and more efficient by connecting property managers to a network of tradespeople,” Hugo says.
It offers real-time tracking and communication between landlord/agent, tenant, and vendors and it’s cashless, which reduces the risk for all parties.
Home+ also rewards customers with loyalty points which can be spent with Home+ retail partners.
Process
The process is simple, says Hugo.
- When tenants log a job, the Home+Property system requests approval from the managing agent and/or landlord.
- If approved, the agent assigns a service provider – known as Heroes - to the job while enabling all parties to view progress. This prevents the usual back and forth of arranging appointments and access to the premises.
- The Hero accepts the job, visits the property on the scheduled date and provides a quote if the cost is over R1 000. If the cost is under R1 000, the Hero completes the job and issues an invoice.
- If the agent approves the quote, the tenants are prompted to schedule a time for the Hero to return.
- The Hero completes the job, takes after-the-job photos and issues an invoice.
- Payment is made on the invoice unless there is a dispute.
Tenants can add pictures before the work starts, and the service provider is also prompted to take photos.
Service providers are guided on providing detailed quotations and assessments with added time stamps.
All actions are digitally recorded for end-to-end reports, ensuring transparency throughout, says Hugo. This allows agents to easily track all maintenance tasks throughout their portfolio in real-time.
The clients already using the portal include several top agencies.
Heroes
The carefully selected Heroes on the Home+ Property network provide a wide range of property maintenance and handyman services. Hugo says all Heroes are fully qualified and insured, and the vetting process ensures that:
- Professional qualifications are verified.
- Qualifications required for specialist work are verified.
- References are checked.
- They have no criminal history.
- They follow good service standards.
- They maintain a strong user rating.
The Heroes include:
- Plumbers
- Locksmiths
- Gas installers
- Electricians
- Glass fitters
- Pest controllers
- Landscapers
- Deep cleaners
- Air-conditioner installers
- Flooring contractors
- Waterproofers
- General maintenance (handymen)
- Rubble removers
“The platform and network of verified tradespeople make managing multiple properties with multiple tenants easier, more efficient and simultaneously reduces risk,” says Hugo.
“Home+ Property takes the hassle out of maintenance logistics. Saving time, money, energy and resources, it frees up rental agents in order to allow them to focus on generating revenue.”
Writer : Sarah-Jane Meyer