Executives looking for a smooth move to the UK? We’re just the ticket! We’ll help you promote loyalty, improve productivity, and get a good healthy return on your investment while you’re at it.

Introducing the relocation support programs that can make a huge difference to your Assignees’ UK experiences.

BEWARE THE BITE OF THE UK RENTAL MARKET

Often seen as smooth sailing to the unwary, make no mistake; the UK rental market can be hostile and treacherous. Proceed with caution, as the adversarial system can bite Assignees and make for a miserable relocation.

The secret to a smooth move is providing effective relocation support services that cater for Assignees and make for an exciting and pleasurable move for everyone – and of course deliver a great ROI.

And the benefits are clear to see. In fact, providing comprehensive relocation support for your UK transfers will:

• Boost your bottom-line business and dwarf the relatively small investment
• Settle your staff happily, smoothly and efficiently
• Allow relocated staff, to quickly achieve their optimum productivity
• Increase wellbeing and loyalty
• Raise morale of existing staff, and encourage recommendations

Nowadays, all Assignees go into rented homes in the UK. It must always be remembered that UK Letting Agents only represent Landlords. The UK relocation specialist, on the other hand, looks after the interests of the Tenant and the corporate Employer. It’s our job to get the best terms for your Assignee and for you. It's the Letting Agent's job to get the best terms for the Landlord!

DID YOU KNOW?

Under UK law there’s no need for Letting Agents to be trained in anything; still less are they required to be licensed! In fact, just about anybody can open up for business as a Letting Agent overnight – they can start writing contracts (“Tenancy Agreements”) and taking deposits and upfront rents from unsuspecting Tenants. The dangers for consumers in such a system are self-evident.

THE IMPORTANCE OF TENANCY AGREEMENTS

Tenancy Agreements are written for Landlords, not Tenants. So, at the very least, if you’re going to leave your Assignees to find their own rental homes, you should make sure that you ask us to review the paperwork before anything is signed and we will negotiate any amendments that are required. It can be pretty much guaranteed that important amendments will be required in every case! Getting the Tenancy Agreement right at the outset can save you and your Assignee a lot of money and heartache later on!

This is essential to protect the interests of the Tenant and/or the Corporate Employer. Such a program will provide comprehensive closing assistance to those Transferees & New Hires that have managed a rental home on their own.

Assignees should be asked not to sign any paperwork with the Landlord or Letting Agent until it’s been reviewed by a qualified UK relocation specialist. The Tenant needs representation throughout the process of the negotiation of a fair and balanced tenancy agreement.

Allowing an Assignee to sign paperwork that is loaded in the Landlord’s favor can lead to a miserable experience for that Assignee downstream. Such an outcome hurts the Employer too for obvious reasons!

What a good Tenancy Agreement Negotiation & Move-In Support will do for your staff

• Taking Client’s instructions as to Tenant’s desired terms
• Drafting an Offer Letter setting out Heads of Terms
• Negotiating specific terms that protect the Tenant & deposit
• Reviewing Landlord’s Agent’s draft Tenancy Agreement
• Advising as to final form of Agreement & proposing amendments
• Finalizing Agreement based on instructions & approval
• Arranging inventory (including inventory representative if required)
• Advising Tenant & Corporate Employer throughout transaction
• Assistance with utilities, council tax, TV license & contents insurance

HELPING YOUR ASSIGNEES FIND THEIR FEET

The Orientation & Familiarization program enables the Assignee/Candidate/Spouse to pre-view areas and sample homes. This usually helps to reinforce the decision to move and at the same time can help enormously with narrowing-down the choice of search area.

This type of program has proven to be a powerful, pre-decision tool for persuading a Candidate/Assignee/Spouse to take up the new position, and to decide upon an area in which to live. Often a Candidate, or Assignee, will comment upon how special they’ve been made to feel at being provided with such pre-decision assistance.

WHAT’S NEXT?

When a search area has been decided upon, it’s time to begin the Full Rental Finding program provides all the above assistance - and also comprehensive assistance with finding and securing the right rental home in an ideal location. This is the bread and butter support that our corporate clients provide to most of the Assignees they move to the UK.

A Full Rental Finding program should include:

• Developing specification/brief of required rental home
• Researching available homes
• Short listing suitable homes to view
• Arranging viewings
• Providing accompanied tour days
• Drafting Offer Letter setting out Heads of Terms
• Negotiating specific terms that protect the Tenant & deposit
• Reviewing Landlord’s Agent’s draft Tenancy Agreements
• Advising as to final form of Tenancy Agreement
• Assistance with utilities, council tax, TV license & contents insurance
• Arranging inventory check-in
• Advising Tenant & Corporate Employer throughout transaction

TENANCY MANAGEMENT SUPPORT

This is a comprehensive ongoing support program in respect of the management of the property from the tenant’s perspective.

• Chase-down all matters that the landlord is obligated to attend to
• Take charge of resolving any maintenance or inventory issues that arise
• Maintain detailed records on properties to defend any dilapidation claims
• Manage timely payments of rents
• Assist with ongoing council tax and utility obligations
• Record & monitor milestone dates
• Keep you updated regarding legal developments & their affect
• Discounted fees for renewal & termination programs

CASE STUDY

Our client is a major North American bank, the Landlord was refusing to re-place a badly cracked pane of glass in an expensive home. The glass was cracked before the Tenant moved in, and it continued to remain cracked for months afterwards until we were retained to man-age the tenancy.

The Landlord’s management agent claimed that scaffolding was required and they refused to attend to the matter until the next time scaffolding was erected, which would be well after our client’s As-signee had left the home!

Our property management team arranged for our glazing expert to attend and we proved that the repair could be done without scaffolding. We took the position that, if they wouldn’t do it, we would, and we’d deduct the cost from the next rent. They did the repair!

After move-in, there are often many items that the Landlord still needs to attend to.
It is pot luck whether you get a good Landlord or a bad one. The same is true of Landlord’s managing agents.

Sometimes it is very hard for the Tenant to get things done. A bad Landlord and/or agent can make life miserable for the Assignee!

The Landlord has someone on their side; so too should the Tenant! It’s also helpful, both to the As-signee and to HR staff, to have a property management resource on tap throughout the term in this constantly evolving area of Landlord and Tenant law.

LOOKING FOR ONGOING SUPPORT?

CALL +44207 590 2706 or email ravini.jinadasa@saunders1865.com  and we’ll be happy to help.