By Hedgie Gundry
Back in 2005, Let’s Rent Founder and Managing Director Lisa Indge was on a mission to turn the business of property management on its head, with a new philosophy, a vibrant culture – and, in a bold move – no sales agents. Since then, Lisa and her team have continued to push the boundaries and Let’s Rent is now one of Sydney’s most successful property management agencies.
With a dynamic team of 11 and a largely residential property portfolio spread across the greater Sydney area, Let’s Rent is renowned for its high levels of customer care, diligence, expertise and professionalism.
“When I started Let’s Rent from scratch over 15 years ago, I was determined to offer property owners and tenants a different way to rent,” Lisa explained. “I wanted to respect the needs of both owners and tenants by managing well-maintained investments and making sure tenants were living in homes they cared about. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship.”
According to Lisa, her niche in the market and unique service underpinned her early success.
“Let’s Rent grew rapidly, as many of our early clients were concerned about the way tenants had traditionally been treated in the market and could see the benefits of working together respectfully,” she said.
“Our year-on-year growth since then has been due to our strong referral business and the way we have nurtured our client relationships over the years. In short, if you don’t have these longstanding relationships, you’re not going to be successful. The longevity of our relationships is extremely rewarding on so many levels.”
“At Let’s Rent, we have a clear division of tasks based on risk. Leasing, compliance, management and maintenance are all carried out by specialists to make sure we mitigate risk at each stage of the property management cycle.”
Task-based business
While it was a brave move back in 2005 to establish a property management business based on a division of tasks, Lisa is rightly proud of her approach.
Rather than having teams where one property manager looks after clients and another looks after tenants, or having portfolio managers who manage a certain number of properties, Let’s Rent is a task-based agency.
“At Let’s Rent, we have a clear division of tasks based on risk,” she explained. “Leasing, compliance, management and maintenance are all carried out by specialists to make sure we mitigate risk at each stage of the property management cycle.
“As part of the onboarding process with any new client, we go through this structure so they know how we will partner with them at each step of the property management process.
“Another way we are unique is that none of our current team has come from a real estate or property management background. We employ people based on their attitude and their passion for property and people.
“We firmly believe in training our team in the relevant specialist areas right from the outset,” she added.
Going the extra mile
Over the years, Lisa and her team have also become trusted advisors on how best to manage long-term investment properties.
“I often receive calls from clients who want to discuss the future of their investment property. Should they sell or renovate? What returns can they expect?” Lisa said.
“And if they want to renovate, we’ll help manage the process. Many of our clients in this position are based overseas in places like Singapore, Hong Kong or the United Kingdom and have confidence in our capabilities in this area. We truly go the extra mile.”
“It’s the same with our tenants. No one likes moving. That’s why we nurture our tenants through the vacate and moving in process, so that both experiences are as pleasant as possible.
“A lot of our systems are designed around this approach. For example, we have moved to electronic leases and condition reports. And if a tenant is moving in on a Saturday, we leave the key in a lockbox, so they don’t need to come to the office to pick up the keys. These are just small things, but our tenants are so appreciative.
“We’re all about improving the tenant experience for the benefit of all parties.”
By Hedgie Gundry
“Helping tenants find homes and owners find peace of mind brings us great satisfaction. We’re all invested in the bigger picture, with similar goals and a desire to help people.”
Supportive culture
Not surprisingly, Lisa’s caring approach towards her property owners and tenants is reflected in the way she manages her team.
“We have an incredibly nurturing environment within our office,” she said. “It’s tough enough as it is managing property owners and tenants through the stress of vacating and moving. Our culture is supportive, genuine and authentic, mixed with a huge dose of respect.
“Helping tenants find homes and owners find peace of mind brings us great satisfaction. We’re all invested in the bigger picture, with similar goals and a desire to help people.
“It would not be the business it is today without our amazing team.”
Industry commitment
Lisa also believes in giving back to the real estate industry and has been an active committee member of the REINSW Property Management Chapter for the last six years, where she contributes to industry-wide change.
“It’s such an honour to be part of a committee of property management experts who are always striving to push government on change and take care of the needs of our property management members,” she said.
“We’ve put forward solutions to issues in the industry, reviewed and commented on legislation, and met with the NSW Government on many occasions. My involvement at this level is hugely important to me.
“Our team and clients benefit, because they know we care deeply about the service we’re offering and have access to the very best industry expertise.”
The future
So what does the future hold for Lisa and her team?
“I’m really excited about what the future holds,” Lisa said. “We’ve recently fitted out and moved to a new office, so we now have a more comfortable and effective work environment.
“We’ve reviewed many of our systems and processes from start to finish, and will be implementing new training to support everyone personally and professionally for the long term.
“Our goal in the next five years is to grow our team and continually review our processes and service levels. And we’ll continue to push the boundaries and offer the best property management service in the business.”