Recording of the Propertymark webinar presented by Approved Industry Supplier Inventory Base. In an era defined by constant change, adapting how you work is not a choice, but a necessity. But how do you balance the challenges without being overwhelmed by the data and processes? How do you actually find the time to make the personal connections that will take you from instruction to completion? Here's what you can expect from the webinar: Unveiling the Impact: Why data hampers personal connection...
May 17, 2024•30 min•Ep. 39
Recording of the Propertymark webinar presented by Approved Industry Supplier Inventory Base. The PRS currently comprises over 4.6 million rented homes in the UK, with 21% (986,100) classified as non-decent, highlighting the urgent need for action to ensure fair and decent living conditions for tenants. Agents play a vital role in supporting landlords to meet their obligations but how do you navigate the ever-changing regulations while ensuring their properties meet necessary standards? How can ...
May 16, 2024•30 min•Ep. 38
Recording of the Propertymark webinar presented by Approved Industry Supplier Inventory Base . According to research by Citizens Advice (Feb 2023), 1.6 million children reside in damp, mouldy, or excessively cold private rentals. Shockingly, over half of England's private renters (2.7 million households) have had or are currently reporting and or battling these problems. We can change this! With winter fast approaching and heating costs set to rise, agents need to support landlords and ready the...
Sep 30, 2023•42 min•Ep. 37
Building a successful property reporting service can be both a professional and personal exploration. But how can you ensure that you have the essential strategies, strength, and ability to thrive in this challenging industry? Join Sián as she delves into the key factors that can help you build a thriving reporting service. Discover the significance of defining your service and how it will set you apart from the competition. Learn the fundamentals of developing a solid business plan that aligns ...
May 31, 2023•36 min•Ep. 36
Hosted by Propertymark in March 2023, Sián Hemming-Metcalfe, Operations Director of Approved Propertymark Supplier Inventory Base explains how to use smart home data (think temperature sensors, safety alarms, home security and more) to gain a deeper understanding of your property portfolio and make data-driven decisions that increase your bottom line. In this webinar, Sián explores: Why proptech and real-time property data are game-changers for agents The types of data that can help you make sma...
Apr 26, 2023•30 min•Ep. 35
In this episode of The Inventory Professional podcast; Sián talks with Angelique Matthews, an inventory specialist in South Africa who ran her own business for over 10 years before making the shift from practitioner to proptech expert. Sián asks Angelique what the response has been like since the law changed last year (2022) making property inventory reports and inspections mandatory in South Africa. We discuss barriers and benefits and the response from the industry including the challenges of ...
Mar 27, 2023•35 min•Ep. 34
From the 23 January 2023, new regulations make it a legal requirement for responsible persons for all multi-occupied residential buildings in England with storeys over 11 metres in height to: - undertake quarterly checks of all fire doors (including self-closing devices) in the common parts - undertake – on a best endeavour basis – annual checks of all flat entrance doors (including self-closing devices) that lead onto a building’s common parts. While these regulations will create additional che...
Jan 29, 2023•21 min•Ep. 33
The unprecedented demand for property, largely fuelled by a buoyant sales market, has impacted stock levels especially as increased legislation forces some landlords to reevaluate their role. Sián highlights the pressure these changes are exerting on the inventory supplier market, the imminent introduction of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act and how this will directly affect the assessment of rental properties prompting the question; is the testing of alarms a moral or legal duty for inventory prof...
Nov 20, 2022•27 min•Ep. 32
The podcast is a recording of the webinar hosted by David Mintz of Kerfuffle with Sián from Inventory Base and James Kent from Safe 2 - The Leading Provider of Property Safety Certificates. In this recording, the panel discuss: Why should landlords invest in regular boiler maintenance? (safety) Can servicing your boiler help save money when it comes to fuel bills? HMO traditionally have fuel bills included in the rent - is this likely to now change? What devices or software can landlords use to ...
Sep 27, 2022•29 min•Ep. 31
Although there is no actual data on missed appointments or cancelled reports for the supplier industry, it is a well known issue and a more than regular occurrence for some providers that has a real impact on their 'bottom line'. Listen in as Sián highlights some of the reasons behind those missed appointments, the costs to the industry and why communication is key to reducing the actual costs involved with a report not going ahead. Finally, Sián offers practical solutions and key takeaways to r...
Jul 25, 2022•15 min•Ep. 30
David asks - Why should you vote for Sián and what vision does she have for Propertymark's future? Where does she stand on the key issues effecting our industry and how is she going to help you? Supplier and agents - are we united as one, or is there a divide? Listen in and find out what Siȃn hopes to achieve for the supplier industry, her strong views on why the industry needs to work with inventory suppliers and that putting herself forward for the role is not about a title but about affecting...
Jun 07, 2022•50 min•Ep. 29
In this episode Sián and Melissa explore why complaints are made and what constitutes a low, medium or high level complaint. Sloping shoulders is a term often associated with business practices however there is a growing feeling that agents and landlords are attempting to deflect responsibility when in fact most complaints could be easily resolved if only all parties talked to each other and inventory providers are included in the conversation. As Sián points out, if adjudicators do not have the...
Apr 12, 2022•57 min•Ep. 28
If you have established yourself as a property inventory clerk you’ll be well aware of the very specific skills and abilities the job demands. If you’re at the start of your career you’ll learn about them very quickly as you develop your service. A successful inventory clerk balances very strong interpersonal skills with a highly organised approach and precise attention to detail. Most clerks are self-employed; your livelihood often depends on getting as many jobs as possible, which is why both ...
Mar 21, 2022•18 min•Ep. 27
In this episode, our webinar panellists discuss 3 key subjects affecting the property industry: Sustainability in the lettings sector - impacts and options Effects of the levelling up white paper - the repeal of Section 21 and what that means for the service industry Contracts and SLA’s - are they a realistic option or do clerks just need to act like a service business to affect change? Our industry experts are: Ben Shaw - representing Trust Inventory Emily Joyce - Director of AJPS Mark Lazarus ...
Feb 18, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 26
In this podcast John and Sián discuss three key topics: Being a mentor for the real estate industry - what attracted John to that particular role RoPA - Regulation of Property Agents - how it can improve the property industry The role inventory professionals play in supporting the industry John talks about his mentoring, how people buy from people and the trust needed to be able to complete a transaction in a world where technology can de-personalise the experience. Sián asks John whether extern...
Dec 10, 2021•57 min•Ep. 25
Sián and Zoe discuss how service and acting as an extension of an agents brand plays a huge role in supporting clients, keeping landlords engaged and more importantly, happy! We also talk about the need for transparency and honesty; we may get things wrong but it is how we manage our mistakes that can make all the difference to your service delivery. Zoe comments on how happy she is to have Inventory Base and the support team behind her services, how their developers provide everything she needs...
Nov 02, 2021•39 min•Ep. 24
In this episode we discuss the volume of student property reports carried out each year and whether there is a need to have a conversation with agents about the quick turnaround of properties which can mean a lack of detail in the inventory / check out report or employing less than robust reporting methods 'just to get the job done and turned around'. Sián highlights that at some point inventory providers are likely to be 'held to account' or have more industry oversight when ROPA comes in for l...
Oct 20, 2021•40 min•Ep. 23
Virtual property viewings are the inevitable technological next step in securing a rental in today's modern, fast paced market but how effective are they in enabling potential tenants to assess the properties they are considering making their home? How does the mechanism work, what are its advantages and disadvantages, and how can a renter get the most out of the virtual experience? Join Sián as she walks you through the processes involved in viewing property virtually and what to do to avoid ma...
Sep 23, 2021•15 min•Ep. 22
In this episode Sián is joined by James Kent; managing director of Safe2Ltd - The Leading Provider of Property Safety Certificates. James talks about how Safe2 has managed the logistics of getting rental properties up to standard and the barriers electrical engineers have faced when attempting to enter the property and carry out EICR’s . We discuss the key issues around non compliance including the potential for landlords to be fined up £30,000 for failures and non compliance. Sián asks if there...
Aug 19, 2021•32 min•Ep. 21
Join Sián as she discusses pets in rental properties with special guest Natasha Homer-Earley from PetsScore ; UK's soon-to-launch first national pet referencing system. In this episode of The Inventory Professional; we look at the issues surrounding landlords reluctance to have pets in the rental home and how capturing data, specifications of the property and the history of the pet owner can help influence and balance their decision with relevant and optimised performance data. Listen in as we d...
Jun 22, 2021•44 min•Ep. 20
In this episode of The Inventory Professional; we look at the different options to capture tenant feedback and what to do with it! Sián explains that tenants that take the time to comment are likely to be more involved in the tenancy process and is a way of engaging with clients and giving tenants a much needed 'voice'. The hosts try and drill down to what are the barriers to tenants, landlords and agents engaging with the report; is it a case of too much detail that is confusing and makes readi...
May 20, 2021•38 min•Ep. 19
Sián explains the need for inventory professionals to look at the 4 step plan and why aligning a review of current operating protocols with each step will be key to ensuring that agents, landlords and tenants are kept up to date. Melissa recognises the need for clerks to feel safe during the transition and ensuring that communication is kept open so everyone has the bialy to express concerns and deliver a service that everyone is happy with. And service is key here; keeping to the guidelines and...
Feb 26, 2021•47 min•Ep. 18
Winner! Melissa is slightly embarrassed but we think it's great to see a professional inventory provider recognised for her hard work so well done! We discuss the deadline of April 2021 for EICR' s to be completed on all (residential) rental properties (new tenancies have be in force since 2020). Sián touches on the need to keep lines of communication open with agents, landlords and tenants as we continue to operate whilst the pandemic rages on. Clerks are often the last people in the property h...
Jan 22, 2021•43 min•Ep. 17
Join Sián and Melissa; MGN Inventories as they catch up on what has been a very busy and exciting past few weeks where InventoryBase announced integrations with 2 key integration partners: Drone Safe Register - Drones are fast becoming the next must-have tool for all types of property reports and are the ideal partner for surveyors carrying out external property inspections, providing unrivaled aerial video and photographic access for use when looking to secure that all important instruction for...
Dec 01, 2020•35 min•Ep. 16
In our podcast, Mark explains his journey from car salesman and drone hobbyist to becoming a qualified and certified Drone pilot and launching Drone Safe Register with a network covering the entire UK. Sián asks if drones are fast becoming the 'go to' option for surveyors and contractors especially with maintenance now such a key driver in the industry. Marks highlights this in that scaffolding can be expensive and safety is not something that can be compromised. Using drones to discover mainten...
Nov 16, 2020•35 min•Ep. 15
Keys are a vital component of property management, as, well let's face it, you can't (usually) get into the property without them! Join Sián as she talks with Tim and Philip from Keyzapp about whether there is a better way to ease our ongoing pain both as suppliers, contractors and agents. We discuss the solutions that are available and why the industry seems unwilling to embrace a better way of managing keys. Key questions: Why are keys so difficult to manage? What are the risks of taking pictu...
Nov 05, 2020•55 min•Ep. 14
In this podcast John shares his insights and experience gained over 30 years of working in the building industry. He explains how his management of disillusioned customers and dealing with build issues led him to start his company that specifically deals with snagging reports. Sián asks what the differences are between an inventory and snagging report and is quite surprised with the answer! Did you know there's effectively a two-tiered service and focus for snagging reports? And as John and Sián...
Oct 19, 2020•43 min•Ep. 13
In this episode we catch up over the last few months - what's happened and what is coming next! Melissa and I talk about potential increases in fuel bills and what action can be taken from a management angle with regards to interim inspections and beyond. Maintenance is going to be key to extended tenancies as some tenants are not letting agents / the landlord know that there are issues at the property as they are worried about the potential negative impact if they complain. Reports will need to...
Oct 09, 2020•36 min•Ep. 12
Sián and Melissa discuss the 5 key considerations when looking for and recruiting great clerks: Recruitment - Do you know what you want from the candidate in terns of skill, knowledge and experience? The Role - Are your expectations of a quality clerk realistic? CV's - Are they useful or do they only tell half the story? The Interview - Are online interviews the new norm? Reference Checks - Is it vital that you check references? Do you have a topic you want to talk about? Email sian@inventorybas...
Jul 16, 2020•51 min•Ep. 11
Lead by co-host Kristjan ; Co-Founder at base property specialists & The Depositary, we talk about the inventory process, the technical elements that make up a good tenancy and why they are so important The live session was recorded on Facebook; you can see and hear the full video here : For details about how the lettings industry can engage and support Agents Here To Help; an open community of expert estate & letting agents from across the UK ready to answer your questions as vendor, la...
Jun 18, 2020•50 min•Ep. 10
