.png)
Real Talk For Property Investors
Real Talk for Property Investors by EXCLUSIVELY MANAGED; the podcast that pulls back the curtain on the real world of managing investment properties in Brisbane.
I’m Samantha Eason; Principal and Licensee of Exclusively Managed, Property Management agency located in Brisbane. Each episode, I share the untold stories, hard lessons, and everyday realities that come with property management, from difficult tenants and dodgy maintenance to untrained managers and costly mistakes that could’ve been avoided.
This isn’t a sugar coated industry podcast. It’s honest, practical, and straight to the point, with a few laughs along the way. Whether you’re a property investor, landlord, or simply curious about what really goes on behind the scenes, Talking Property Management gives you the insight you didn’t know you needed.
I’ll be sharing real life experiences, expert advice, and proven strategies to help you avoid pitfalls, protect your assets, and get the most out of your investment.
And who knows… I might just be talking about your property manager in the next episode.
Real Talk For Property Investors
Chaos, Cameras, and Carelessness: The Rental Viewing Nightmare!
Have you ever wondered what actually happens when your property manager conducts inspections at your rental? The truth might shock you.
We recently went undercover to witness firsthand how agencies handle property viewings when landlords aren't watching, and what we saw was nothing short of appalling. At one viewing, more than 20 strangers were allowed to crowd through a tenant's home simultaneously, shoulder to shoulder, with zero supervision. The agent remained outside the entire time, completely abandoning their responsibility to protect the property and tenant's belongings.
The ripple effects of such negligence are far reaching. Current tenants feel violated and are less likely to renew leases. Quality applicants walk away from chaotic viewings, leading to longer vacancies and weaker tenant pools. Security risks multiply when crowds aren't properly supervised, potentially resulting in theft or property damage. And while the agency may conduct the viewing, it's ultimately the landlord who bears the financial and reputational consequences.
This isn't an isolated incident. From agents who never show up to those who ask tenants to conduct viewings themselves, we've witnessed a pattern of negligence that puts investments at serious risk. At Exclusively Managed, we take the opposite approach, conducting structured viewings with limited numbers, respecting tenant privacy, and ensuring every aspect of your property is protected with professional care.
Your investment deserves better than what we witnessed and have witnessed before.
If you're ready for property management that treats your rental with the respect and professionalism it deserves, contact Exclusively Managed today.
We'll safeguard your investment with the care, control and accountability that every property owner should expect.
If you have any questions or scenarios you would like us to discuss on an upcoming episode, please email samantha.eason@exclusivelymanaged.com.au or visit https://www.exclusivelymanaged.com.au/
Donate to the sleepbus foundation here.
https://www.sleepbus.org/services/sleepbusfund
Well, another episode on Real Talk for Property Investors. I'm Samantha Eason from Exclusively Managed, and today I want to share something that most landlords never get the chance to see what really goes on at a rental inspection when you're not there. On paper, agencies will tell you that the inspections and the viewings are being done properly, that the tenants are happy, there's no damage to your property and your property is protected. But is that really the truth? And that is why we conduct secret rental inspection viewings for our clients. We go undercover to see firsthand how agencies are treating tenants, how they're presenting your property at the viewing and whether your investment is actually being safeguarded. And yesterday's viewing proved just how wrong things can go. I'm all for the secret shopping. It makes a lot of sense, especially from a business's standpoint. You need to know where you can do better and what the feedback is.
Speaker 1:What we witnessed yesterday was just appalling. So we turned up to observe an agency's open home and from the very start it was disorganized. The agency arrived late. They tried to unlock the wrong house, then they blocked a neighbor's driveway with their car parked across someone else's driveway parked across someone else's driveway. That's sloppy, unprofessional and it really does set the tone for everything that followed. But what shocked us the most was how they ran the actual viewing. And it's ridiculous because this was a small agency and I've had dealings with large agencies when we conduct these little secret rental inspection viewings but they, like, opened the doors and let in more than 20 people at once and this is a roughly 400-square-metre block. The house was not large. There were strangers pouring through a tentative property shoulder to shoulder, shoulder to shoulder, and instead of managing the crowd or protecting the tenant's privacy, the agent even told respective tenants they were welcome to record the property on their phones.
Speaker 1:Let that sink in for a bit. Without the tenant's consent, strangers were filming inside their home, their furniture, their children's bedrooms, their private possessions, potentially ending up on a stranger's phone, shared around or even posted online. And it's not just careless, it is so wrong on so many levels and here's why there is an obvious breach of privacy and consent. Tenants have a legal right to quiet enjoyment of their home. Allowing strangers to record without consent tramples all over that right. With recent reforms in Queensland placing heavy emphasis on tenant privacy, this isn't a small oversight. It's a serious breach that could open the landlord up to complaints, disputes or even legal consequences. And I find it ridiculous because every single property manager complained about the new rental form for privacy and the new obligations. Some complaints were fair, but these exact property managers who complained are doing the wrong thing by prospective tenants, so they're obviously not getting the hint.
Speaker 1:The obvious is obviously the security and theft risk when you allow 20 or more people into a property, and it's not an exaggerated amount. There was over 20 people in that property at once. I would even likely say 30. We could not move through the property. There is absolutely no way the agent can supervise that inspection properly. One person distracts the agent, another slips down the hallway. The agent didn't even walk through the house to oversee the house. They stood outside the whole time and suddenly personal belongings are gone.
Speaker 1:Tenants blame the landlord, landlords end up with insurance claims and the relationship between all parties is damaged. And, considering that the tenant was there in the lounge area of this property at the viewing, they have no idea what was happening in their bedroom. They have no idea what people were going through. If someone did take something, because no one was there to supervise it. The agent was outside of the house the whole time For a 15-minute viewing. While more than 20 people showed and walked through this property, the agent was outside.
Speaker 1:Think about the tenant strangers crowding their home, touching surfaces, filming possessions and blocking walkways. It's not safe and if something was to happen a fall, an incident or worse liability could easily come back to both the agency and the landlord. And let me ask you this If you were the tenant, how would you feel? Your privacy has been invaded, your possessions are at risk. Your home was treated like a circus. That tenant is not going to want to renew their lease, which they're obviously not but even the prospective tenants were talking about how disorganised the viewing was. They're likely not going to apply, they're going to leave and the landlord is left with a vacancy they didn't need to have.
Speaker 1:Again, poor applicant experience. Several complaints were made from prospective tenants that they couldn't see the house properly. It felt chaotic. It's common sense. When inspections are overcrowded and rushed, good applicants walk away. That directly affects the landlord's bottom line. Longer vacancy, weaker applicants and ultimately less rent achieved. Longer vacancy, weaker applicants and ultimately, less rent achieved. Everything the agent does reflects on the landlord Parking across the neighbor's driveway, fumbling the address, running a very chaotic open home. All of that makes the landlord look careless, useless, and it's annoying because the reality is the agency's failed and it's not an isolated case.
Speaker 1:This isn't the first time we've uncovered poor management. In another secret viewing, not that long ago, agency that was running it didn't even bother turning up. They told the tenant to show prospective renters through themselves. Imagine that the tenant, who has no responsibility for leasing, was put in charge of letting strangers through their house. They don't have insurance for it, they don't have any training, there is no accountability. It's negligent. It's not just unprofessional, but the way that these are being conducted is negligent. So who really is managing your investment? These situations expose a much bigger issue who is actually managing your investment property? Because, from what we've seen too often, it's not a professional property manager. It's not what you're sold at the beginning of the relationship, it's the exact opposite. It's chaos, it's shortcuts and it's negligence that puts your property and your tenant relationships at risk. And remember, when an agency gets it wrong, it's not them who pays the price, it's you. It's the landlord, it's the investor. You wear the vacancy, the complaints, the claims and the damage to your property. So how do we do it differently?
Speaker 1:At Exclusively Managed, we take the complete opposite approach Structured viewings. We limit numbers, manage groups and make sure every prospective tenant gets a fair and proper look at the property. I don't care if I have to be there for 30 minutes. I want prospective tenants to be able to see the property properly. It makes sense to me. We do not allow recordings or overcrowding. Tenants' privacy and comfort comes first.
Speaker 1:It does not make sense to me what happened yesterday. I don't get it. But, most importantly, we provide peace of mind for our clients. Every viewing is run with professionalism, safety and care, so your investment is protected at every step. And that's why we conduct these secret inspections, because until you've seen it, you might not realise how badly your property could be managed by the wrong agency. Managed by the wrong agency. If you're trusting your agency to handle inspections, ask yourself do you actually know what's happening behind closed doors? Because yesterday showed us the truth is often very different to what you're told. If you want an agency that treats your property with respect it deserves, get in touch with us at Exclusively Managed. We'll protect your investment the way it should be managed with care, control and accountability.
.png)
