It has been a challenging past two months in New Zealand and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is felt in all corners of the economy and society.
The impact of this period will be felt for months and years and the overriding sentiments are unpredictability and uncertainty. Where commercial property is concerned we see the same mirrored with landlords and tenants.
As a commercial property management company it is interesting to have been at the centre of the complex process of rent relief negotiations. NAI Harcourts commercial property management has conducted over 400 individual rent relief agreements, some of these were done for April and May separately for the same tenants. To us it is a good example of what a property manager is there for; it is to offer expert advice based on broad experience. We have tapped into resources from industry experts and used aggregated information from all of the properties we manage to provide advice to our landlord clients.
What the Future Holds
It is impossible to predict what may come in commercial property and the wider economy, but what is certain is having a company that is experienced in all aspects of property able to respond to any situations is vital. Commercial property management is also the routine tasks of rent and outgoings collection, maintenance and capital works, compliance and all manner of invoice processing for all cost associated with the property.
What is also not widely known is that most leases contain a clause that includes the property management fee as an outgoing expense for tenants to pay, therefore it is a no-cost service to landlords. Our clients are generally private individuals, families and trusts, the people behind them are knowledgeable about property, but don’t want to be on call for the day-to-day management of their properties. They want to be able to go on holiday and relax in the comfort that the property is in safe hands, or be removed in the relationship with tenants in order to be able to make decisions that are not based too much on personal relationships or dictated by past norms. Where we engage with our landlord clients is in strategic decision making such as outgoings budget setting, capital works plans, rent reviews and lease renewals and the like – this is far more productive for landlords and achieves better results.
How We Can Help
NAI Harcourts property management is based in Takapuna and covers all of Auckland – From Warkworth to Papakura and from Kumeu to Howick. It is part of the wider Harcourts group and is associated with the sales and leasing team but is a separate business ensuring a combination of confidentiality and resources for market intelligence and property information. Our affiliations and resources mean that we are up-to-date with all legislation and compliance and have experts in-house for each area of this to support the property managers in their role.
Looking back on recent case studies, it is very satisfying to be able to say that we have added value to a property by improving the overall condition, changing tenants and improving the rental income and lease terms. It is not immediate, but understanding our client’s objectives and plans for the future means that we can operate not just as functional property managers, but as partners in achieving property goals.
