Mandana

Successfully?

Our Management company are crap, and the tenants always come to us first in any case.

Other than the initial finding of tenants, has anyone managed their home by themselves? We're only going to be here another year or two in any case, and the current tenants want to stay put, so it's just a case of managing / maintenance.

neil

The only reason I used a management company was because I didn't have anyone in the area who could check on things once in a while; plus I didn't want the hassle of arranging any repairs etc. from so far away. If you trust the tenants (and/or know someone who can check on things once in a while) I'd say dump the management company.

GoldFinger

I agree.
If you don't hae anyone else to watch the property you have to have the management company do it for you. You should never trust tenants, especially if they know your abroad.
It's not worth the risk.

chicagojlo

We didn't have a property management company (long story but it involved mates letting mates take over the house without asking the landlord first :curse and when we finally evicted the tenants and got the place on the market, the police raided the wrong house and busted down the door, damaging the frame in the process. We had a couple of friends go over but the damage was so bad that my husband had to take a few days off work and fly home to get it fixed. Any money saved by not having a management co was erased right there. It was a total nightmare and to be honest has put me off renting out to anyone ever again!

Mandana

Thanks guys

The current tenants are water-tight with their contract - through the RAF (and the RAF's own contract) so whatever is damaged is replaced with new.

And I've got my Mum who can do the checks, although I'd reduce them to 6 monthly probably.

I just resent paying a fortune each month when I do most of the work from here in any case.

MsElui

or take the other view - refer the tenants to the managment company every time and save yourself hassle - let them earn their pay.