Property Management - DIY vs Outsource?

A fully managed service is not for everyone!

Sometimes a fully managed service is what is required for someone who has little time or energy to put into their property portfolio. This could tick all the boxes if you are a…

However we realise there are quite a lot of ‘Do It Yourself’ landlords out there that like to…

• have control over who lives in their property
• have contractors already in place
• live close to their property
• have time to deal with repair and tenancy matters 
• don’t want the added expense of an agent.

The first step in deciding if a fully managed service is for you is understanding what tasks you want help with, what is on offer and if that represents value for money!



What tasks do you want help with?

Outsource vs DIY

A fully managed service will make your life easier, fulfilling tasks that you don’t want to do. 

In-person tasks: viewings, property inspections, check in and out, phone calls from tenants.

Administration: correspondence from tenants, chasing rent payments, organising maintenance, ordering furniture, HMO compliance and licencing. 

Being realistic, there will still be some elements of property management that will not be ‘passive’ . With our support, landlords still have control over items that could impact your running costs. Such as repair works over the approved budget and approving rent setting.

Some Landlords confidently manage their properties themselves. Only needing help with ad hoc tasks such as one-off inspections or lettings.

Opt for services you think you will get the most value from. If that is fully managed, great stuff. But if it’s not, Notch Living offer a number of other services that enable you to self-manage your property.

What is on offer?

Service Guarantee

With a fully managed service, tenancy management and repair issues should be dealt with by the agent. Essentially preventing issues reaching you at all. As mentioned earlier some elements of property management are not ‘passive’ however at Notch Living our aim is to deal with issues ‘in house’ so you don’t have to!



Terms of Service

Most agency management agreements stipulate a ‘fixed period’ within which the agreement lasts, and set out the ‘notice period’ to terminate. Make sure to check what you are signing up to.

We want to ensure that our landlords only use the services they really need and in the process that these services are low cost. And if your needs changes over time, no problem! We don’t lock you in to lengthy contracts.

Property Inspections

Routine inspections are crucial to spot any problems early – leaks, general maintenance, tenant anti-social behaviour or damage. We carry out a property inventory at check in and condition inspections throughout the tenancy. We supply landlords with a detailed inspection report following each visit. 



Are you getting value for money?

Traditional agents vs Notch Living?

Traditional HMO letting agents typically charge up to 15% of the monthly rent for a fully managed service. Notch Living are on a mission to save you money with fixed and fairly prices services.

Keeping costs low

Student properties are let every academic year. In some cases, students want to renew, which we encourage and incentivise, helping to keep your running costs down. 

Most lettings agents charge a fee for renewing the tenancy, even for the same group. At Notch Living we do not charge renewal fees for the same group of students.

Arranging Repairs

A well-maintained and well managed property shouldn’t have that many repair issues. However, if something arises we do not charge for arranging repairs and push contractors for the most competitive quotes.

Fixed Fee Services

Reduce running costs, maximise return, outsource the rest! Services to suit your needs and budget: