For a landlord, every empty property is a cost they could do without at any time, least of all when the economic pressure is on, and understanding those pressures has prompted a Milton Keynes property management firm to throw what could be an important lifeline.
Level Up Property Management, which has offices in Crownhill, has launched its Rent Pledge – a reassurance to landlords that they will get the rent they are owed each month, even if the tenant is falling into arrears, or the property is vacant.
Founded in 2018 and with a full-time team of experts, Level Up offers a complete range of property management services, from a one-off fee for a tenant search through to the management of nationwide portfolios and block management.
The experienced team, led by Director Carla Bussey, has built a reputation for guiding clients through the lettings process, advising on the local market and helping landlords maximise their assets. The agency’s communication-focused digital platform ensures that both sides know that nothing has been missed and that the property is the best it can be. Now, the recent decision to offer a Rent Pledge adds further financial security for landlords.
“What normally happens is that landlords would take out a rent guarantee scheme through their agency, but although that gives them protection, it usually means they have to wait until there’s two months of arrears before they can claim,”
said Carla.“We wanted to do something different to give landlords complete peace of mind, and we think the Rent Pledge does that. What it means is that we effectively become the tenants, the property becomes our responsibility. We sign a 12-month agreement that the landlord will get their rent every month, regardless of whether the tenant is paying the rent on time or not, or if the tenant moves out and the property is empty.
“Should there be an issue, it’s our job to recover the money from the tenant, or find new tenants where necessary, but the landlord wouldn’t know the difference, their income
remains regular.“If you have a property with a mortgage you need to know the money will be there to cover it each month. It’s about financial security and stability and it all comes at a competitive fee that takes a lot of the stress, risk and worry away from the landlord.”
For landlords with a single property, Level Up’s services are available to anyone within a radius of around 20 miles from Milton Keynes, but for larger portfolios or landlords with blocks of flats, the agency covers the whole of the country. Working with all different types of residential landlords, including private, retail and investment, Level Up’s ambition is to provide a smooth and seamless service. Its largest contract is managing the portfolio of accommodation available to let above the high street branches of a national supermarket chain.
As an ARLA registered agency, Level Up gives landlords confidence that it has an experienced and knowledgeable team that will work in their interests, relieving the pain points that landlords experience – ensuring financial security, making sure properties are safe and compliant and carrying out risk management in line with the regularly-changing regulations and guidelines that come into force.
Carla added: “We’re independent but we are fully accredited and insured and our landlords can rest assured that our service is the best it can be. We’ve grown a lot in five years and have firm views on how we want to change the way property management services are delivered.
“Managing a portfolio can be a challenge, especially when it’s not your core business or day job, so it’s important to find a property management service that can alleviate some of the pressure and ensure your portfolio is well looked after.
“We’re an ambitious, people-first, technology-led company, and property management is very much our focus, and our next step is to try to work more with those who concentrate on other areas – estate agents or mortgage providers, for instance – where our services are complementary to what they are doing. We’re inviting anyone in that position to get in touch and find out more about Level Up and how we might work together.”
To find out more about Level Up Property Management, call 01908 419899, email info@leveluppropertymanagement.com or visit the website.
