There’s a lot of talk about the gold in holiday lets. And there’s no doubt it looks tempting. If you’re trying to weigh up the long term v holiday let option, here are some considerations:

1. With an agent managing a long term let, you are completely hands off – free to get on with life with no worries. At Duncan McKenzie Property we take care of everything – marketing, legal issues, deposits, maintenance, inspections etc. No more red-tape for you.
2. Long term lets tend to run on a minimum occupancy – starting at 3 months… and tenants tend to stay for a considerably longer period if all is well with your property. This means you keep costs down with less remarketing admin, less maintenance and less paperwork.
3. Know your tenant – with a long term let, tenant checks and references are standard, which gives you greater peace of mind that you know who’s going to be living in your property, with care.
4. Handling fees – if you have an agency to manage your lets, handling fees on holiday properties will typically be greater than long term lets due to increased administration and letting turnover.
5. Insurance – Insurers like to know a property is occupied. When there’s a high occupancy turnover, there may be times when the property is vacant for longer periods of time… and therefore a chance of greater expense.

At Duncan McKenzie Property, we understand the benefits of a long-term let as that’s our specialty. We hope this has given you some impartial food for thought. Contact us at any time for a no-obligation chat – and rest assured you’re in safe hands.

We are delighted to welcome on board our new Administrative Assistant, Fiona Kinsey.

Having previously worked for the Scottish Government, in Records of Scotland office, Legal Search (property and title deeds), and the Adoption agency, Fiona is well placed to keep your details up to date, and our processes in great order.

You know we like things to be organized here in Duncan McKenzie Property, so Fiona – well used to juggling family life with husband Eric and their twin boys (now grown up), family dog Mylo needing regular walks, as well as her hobbies of aqua-aerobics and gardening – is a perfect fit.

Fiona says: “I am very happy to join Anne in Duncan McKenzie Property, as property matters have always interested me.  I will be working in the mornings and look forward to dealing with your enquiries”.

Fiona will be based at our Holyrood Business Park office, in 146 Duddingston Road West. We’re open Monday – Friday, 9am – 5.30pm, and our phone number is 0131-2855050

September is the start of the flat-inspection season.

For landlords, on completion of the inspection, we will issue a report and follow up with you personally should it reveal the need for any remedial works.

If you’re the tenant – we’ll give you good notice of the date so you can be ready. And remember not to leave any maintenance issues until the inspection. Call us as soon as you notice something’s amiss – so we can catch the small issues before they become big problems.

Duncan McKenzie Property – keeping our people and our properties safe and happy.

We want everything in your property to run smoothly, and aim to get maintenance issues addressed and sorted in as short a time as possible so that you suffer the minimum of inconvenience.

As it is not always possible to record details over the phone when we’re on the move, we ask that where possible you message us in writing – via email, or text message.

With all issues, please leave us your name, your property, a brief description of the problem, and your best contact number so we can get back to you as quickly as possible.

Alternatively, please phone the office number – 0131 2855050. If we’re not there, please leave a message with your details as above.

One of our frequently asked questions from tenants is – are pets allowed in properties? If you do happen to yearn for a feline friend or a canine companion, please check your lease. In most cases, we state that no pets are allowed. However, in certain circumstances, our landlords may make an exception.

We’ve heard some lovely stories of owners and pets in rental properties with happy endings, but have equally seen some disaster zones at the end of a ‘with pet tenancy’… we urge you to think it through carefully and call us for advice. The devil is in the detail as they say…

It’s always encouraging to get positive feedback, and a recent unsolicited thank you note reaffirmed that we’re on track when it comes to our core service.

Our landlord, who has been with us for a number of years now, wanted to express their satisfaction. The key to it they said was that the tenants were kept happy, they, the landlords were always kept in the picture and knew what was happening, and the property was returned to them in great order.

Because at DMP, we care for property like its our own.

With all the focus on energy savings and utility companies wide range of tariffs, we’re positively encouraged to think about switching suppliers on a regular basis to get the best deal.

If you’re thinking of making the switch, please check your lease. Switching supplier is permissible and we ask you to let us know the new details, but you must not change the meters. All our properties are fitted with standard meters. New suppliers might try to get you to install smart meters but this will only tie you into the one company, and also requires structural work within your property which is not supported by your lease.

As always, if in doubt, give us a shout.

Please note that the Duncan McKenzie Property office will be closed from 5pm on Wednesday 2^nd August – reopening on Wednesday 16^th August.

Prior to closure, we will issue a list of numbers you can use during that time for emergency maintenance issues.

Did you know it’s a legal requirement for each tenancy to be provided with a property information pack? Apart from the specific details of your let, it contains essential information on where to go for help should you need to elevate it. Clearly, we hope to resolve any issues before that happens, but tenants can rest assured they are protected. You are also given your Gas safety and Electric reports, a copy of the EPC, PAT and Legionalla risk assessment.

Duncan McKenzie Property – you’re in safe hands.