HMO
HMO Management
Hands-On HMO Management Across the Isle of Wight
Managing a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) is very different from managing a standard residential property. With several tenants living independently under one roof, there are more people to look after, more communal areas to manage and additional compliance responsibilities to stay on top of.
At Merriebank Lettings, we manage a number of HMOs across the Isle of Wight and, in recent years, HMO management has become not only an important part of our business, but a real passion of Sophie’s.
A Passion for HMO Management
For Sophie, successful HMO management is about much more than collecting the rent.
She is on hand to both tenants and landlords to ensure the day-to-day management of the HMO runs as smoothly as possible.
From welcoming new tenants to the Island and helping with local advice, through to inspections, maintenance and those unexpected problems that crop up, we aim to provide a genuinely hands-on service.
HMO Management Is a Full-Time Job
When you manage a traditional residential property, you will usually be dealing with one household. With an HMO, you could be managing several individual tenants within the same property, often with different tenancy start and end dates, different working patterns and different requirements. From managing room changeovers and new tenants to maintenance, communal areas, cleaning arrangements and everyday queries, there is always something happening behind the scenes.
Regular Checks & HMO Compliance
HMOs come with additional responsibilities that landlords need to be aware of. Depending on the property and its licence conditions, there can be important checks, inspections and records that need to be maintained.
Fire safety measures, communal areas, alarms, fire doors and escape routes are just some of the areas that may require regular attention.
At Merriebank, our managed HMOs receive regular monthly communal checks, helping us identify potential problems early and ensure important areas of the property are being monitored.
This isn’t simply about keeping the property looking nice. Good HMO management is also about ensuring the property continues to meet the relevant legal requirements and conditions attached to its HMO licence.
The Little Things Matter Too
HMO management isn’t always about major maintenance or compliance. Sometimes it’s changing a lightbulb, sorting a communal issue, helping a new tenant find their way around the Island or arranging access for a contractor.
We take care of the day-to-day details so our landlords don’t have to.
Managing Communal Living
One of the biggest differences with an HMO is that you are bringing several people together who may never have met before. For the majority of the time, everything runs perfectly well. However, communal living occasionally brings its own challenges. Bins need putting out, kitchens need keeping clean, communal areas need to remain clear, tenants work different shifts and occasionally someone needs reminding that they are sharing their home with other people. Having Merriebank as the managing agent provides a central point of contact. Rather than the landlord having to deal personally with every small issue, we communicate with tenants, send reminders where necessary and address problems before they become bigger ones.
Maintenance – From a Lockout to a Leak
At Merriebank, we pride ourselves on being hands-on and available when our tenants need us. Whether it’s helping a tenant who has locked themselves out or lost their key, sorting an issue within a communal area, or arranging a contractor for something more serious such as a leak, we’re on hand to help.
We also know that not every maintenance issue needs an expensive call-out. Wherever possible, we’ll check the simple things first — a washing machine or tumble dryer that isn’t working, for example, could simply have a blocked filter. By attending and checking these smaller issues ourselves, we can often resolve the problem quickly and save our landlords an unnecessary contractor call-out.
Whatever the issue, big or small, our aim is to deal with it quickly, keep tenants informed, keep costs down where we can and keep the property running smoothly.
Looking After the Tenants Looks After the Property
We believe good HMO management isn’t just about protecting the landlord – it’s also about looking after the people living in the property. If tenants feel they can contact us when something isn’t right, problems are much more likely to be reported early. A small leak reported today can be repaired before it becomes significant water damage. A problem with an appliance can be investigated before it becomes worse. A concern within the house can often be resolved before it develops into a dispute.
Building a good relationship with tenants ultimately helps us look after the landlord’s investment too.
At Merriebank, all of our HMO tenants have a direct means of communication with Sophie or Dean via WhatsApp, making it quick and easy to get in touch when they need us.
What Our HMO Landlords Say
“LANDLORD REVIEW TO BE ADDED HERE”
Merriebank HMO Landlord, Isle of Wight
Taking the Stress Away From HMO Landlords
HMO ownership can provide landlords with a fantastic investment, but managing one properly requires considerably more involvement than many people initially expect.
That’s where Merriebank can help.
We take care of the day-to-day management, tenant communication, regular checks, maintenance coordination and the many smaller jobs that come with running a successful shared property. Most importantly, we’re local and hands-on. If something needs attending to, we’re here on the Isle of Wight to deal with it.
Fully Managed HMO Service
Our HMO management service is designed to take the day-to-day work off your hands, including tenant communication, rent collection, property checks, maintenance coordination and ongoing management.
Own an HMO on the Isle of Wight?
Whether you already own an HMO, are considering purchasing one or are finding self-management is taking up more of your time than expected, we’d be happy to have a chat. Let Merriebank take care of the day-to-day management, tenant communication, regular checks and maintenance.
Giving you more time and fewer things to worry about.
Merriebank Lettings
Local, hands-on HMO management across the Isle of Wight.