The Inventory Professional

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?  He...

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 navig...

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 w...

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...

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 a...

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 Afr...

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 d...

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...

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 bil...

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 inv...

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 inv...

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 inve...

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...

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 indu...

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 tran...

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 Invent...

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 p...

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 s...

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 th...

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...

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 an...

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 d...

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...

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 ae...

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 ca...