Our mission at Umega is to improve the lives of people in the Private Rented Sector. As part of this, we aim to help our tenants create homes that become their sanctuary. The role the letting agency plays in making a property feel like a home starts before the move-in date. The way the letting agency deals with their tenants can set the tone for the rest of their relationship and how they feel in their rental property.

Mind your language
A quick search on Google flags up origins of the word ‘tenant’; used to describe a subordinate to the landlord with centuries of strict conditions and unhelpful, provoking jargon like ‘demand for rent’; hardly the sort of language to encourage a harmonious, happy, healthy, relationship. Waves of change have rolled through most industries, however, it seems crazy that when we deal with people’s homes we’re still rooted in old fashioned ways. This has to change.

The Millennial-effect
Research into the PRS suggests that Millennial renters have different expectations. This new wave of tenants expects much more from the PRS in terms of the quality of accommodation and speed and ease to access services. Renters have had their eyes opened with the rise of Build to Rent in some part of the UK and disruptors such as Airbnb paving a better way for servicing and communicating between property owners and renters.

Tenant self-service
Tech-savvy tenants know what they want and they want it now. They don’t expect to wait until Monday to book a viewing of a flat they’re interested in. If their boiler is playing up at 11pm they want help and advice there and then rather than waiting until the next day. Looking after tenants is no longer just a helpful voice on the phone; it’s about allowing tenants to help themselves at the click of a button.  We’re taking what we can from the buy-now, self-service solutions. We’ve adopted a range of self-service solutions including; online viewing bookings, online applications and ID checking, online tenancy signing, online inventory checking, online maintenance resolution and logging, and we’re in the process of adding more to improve our tenant experiences

It’s not just about technology
At Umega we offer a knowledgeable single point of contact, onsite check ins, extended viewing appointments, a 24 hour maintenance helpline and the general welcoming, enthusiasm and buzz you would expect from a best-in-class customer service business.

The rental sector is in a period of change.
By taking care of the growing number of renters we also can best represent our landlords’ interests in creating long sustainable relationships with renters and look after the property. Happy residents stay longer, feel valued and take care of their home leading to happy landlords.If you’re a landlord who shares our passion for improving the Private Rented Sector please please click here to get the ball rolling with a no-obligation, free rental valuation of your property or get in touch with our new business team for more information on our service.