Over a Year of Empathy & Support
At the height of the pandemic last year, we saw an increase in some very difficult situations that letting agents and property managers had to deal with. This has continued to be the case in 2021 as the situations people face have continued to unravel.
We cannot remember a more difficult time that our clients have had to deal with. Pre-Pandemic, the most challenging situations were based around rent arrears and serious maintenance issues.
However, while wrestling with the change of business circumstances, there has also been a need to manage much more serious problems against a backdrop of ongoing challenges with mental health and social justice. Property managers and owner managers have been facing much more contentious issues. There has of course been a surge in substantial rent arrears because of the coronavirus, but there have been some incredibly difficult struggles tenants have been dealing with: -
Domestic Violence is at an all-time high. Letting agents have been liaising with the police who intervene, and injunctions are applied for to prevent the abuser from either harassing the victim or entering the family home.
There are two different types of injunction: an occupation order, and a non-molestation order. Occupation orders primarily deal with who occupies the family home, whilst non-molestation orders prevent harassment and further abuse. It is these restrictions that will override the tenancy agreement. Restraining orders are imposed on offenders to prevent them from further abusing or harassing victims. The order can prevent them from contacting or coming within a certain distance of the victim.
Mental Health Issues increased as the pandemic spread across the country. of fear, worry and concern in the population at large and among certain groups, such as older adults, care providers and people with underlying health conditions.
In public mental health terms, the main psychological impact was an elevated rate of stress or anxiety, but because of the lockdown measures, it was clear that the effects on many people’s usual activities, routines, or livelihoods – levels of loneliness, depression, harmful alcohol and drug use, and self-harm or suicidal behaviour rose dramatically.
Tenants and landlords who have suffered a break down or been sectioned has been extremely high. And these situations have not been very easy for letting agents to navigate.
Criminal Activity
Tenants also being sent to prison has been a common occurrence over the last 19 months. The letting agent is not always aware of the crime that has been committed, however, it is often bought to their attention through the local press, a family member, or the police. The letting agent often liaises with the tenant’s solicitor or the prisoner governor who will assist with the formal surrender of the property.
More recently our clients have seen an increase in the use of rental property for illegal activity, namely growing cannabis. The use of fraudulent referencing by applicants who, it transpires, are ‘house-keeping’ for those in charge of this organised crime.
Over the last 19 months we have witnessed human nature unleash the power of empathy and compassion. Letting agents dealing with some of these situations, especially the personal struggles that tenants and landlords face, gets overlooked. Some of the setbacks are extremely difficult and the letting agent feels ill equipped to manage, yet somehow, they do.
Stay Focused when Dealing with Crisis Management
1. Use your soft slkills and emotional intelligence
2. Where the police, solicitors and the local authorities are involved, make sure that you make detailed notes. Crime numbers are extremely important, as is any email/written correspondence from any family member, police officers or social/case workers involved.
3. Review and cross-reference the outcome of ALL referencing and Right to Rent checks PRIOR to the tenancy starting.
4. Always take a step back to think about what can and cannot control and where you might be able help and where you might need outside involvement and support. An ownership mindset helps others and empowers you as well.
5. Get support from your managers. There is no need to suffer in silence but remember that your line managers may not have all the answers.
6. Put together an action plan that will include how to manage the tenancy moving forward.
Useful resources -
The Freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge
https://www.gov.uk/find-prisoner