Industry Interview: Jack Barnett Director, Rent North East

December 1, 2016

Do you feel that more should be done to regulate the lettings industry and help improve the reputation of it? Many suffer from a few rogue traders it would seem.

Absolutely. Landlords and tenants don’t feel that they have a clear idea of what they should be entitled to. Regulating the industryÿcould serve to bring the trust back by giving consumers clarity in their expectations. I do feel that agents should be consulted when new regulation is considered, to avoid creating a difficult climate for the many smaller players, which would ultimately effect the consumers.

How important is it to stay ahead with marketing innovation and property technology both for finding new clients and managing client property?

Imperative. Clever use of technology helps us to automate a lot of the work that required hours of an agents time just a few years ago. These savings are passed on to our clients, and also helps to prevent costly errors in the management processes. We have worked closely with proptech companies including FixFlo and ExpertAgent, and have actually built bespoke automations with the FixFlo dev team which help us to keep tenants in the loop about repairs that they have requested.

International landlords are particularly effected by communication challenges caused by time zone differences, and our web based software allowing landlords to approve/decline maintenance requests online, and view/download statements online is very popular with landlords living all over the world, including South America, Dubai, China, Israel, France, and Germany.

Our landlords want us to be focused on increasing their bottom line. Deploying technology throughout our processes allow us to keep tenants happier, obtain quicker and more cost effective work quotations, provide a more transparent service, and use new and faster methods of communication. All of which allow us to save time, keep tenants for longer, save money on maintenance, and work on optimising our clients asset. I could spend hours showing you how software also saves time and streamlines processes in our business…

The proptech scene is very exciting right now. I predict that in 5-10 years, many tech savvy landlords will be using software to manage and let their properties, with no agent involvement at all. The market for agents will slowly move into portfolio management, with more focus on maximising client returns. Agents must consider that the need for their services may be massivelyÿdecreased in 5 to 10 years, and certainly in the longer term.

In a short summary, what makes a good Letting Agent and Letting Agency?

A great agent must constantly be thinking of ways to increase his clients bottom line. This must be approached holistically, and with in depth knowledge of all factors. A great agency will support and encourage effective team members, and will have a low staff turnover to allow for a consistent approach and result.

Jack Barnett Director, Rent North East

EAN Content

Content shared by this account is either news shared free by third parties or sponsored (paid for) content from third parties. Please be advised that links to third party websites are not endorsed by Estate Agent Networking - Please do your own research before committing to any third party business promoted on our website. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

You May Also Enjoy

Estate Agent Talk

Buy-to-Let Explained: How It Works and Is It Worth It?

Buy-to-let is one of the most popular property investment strategies in the UK, attracting investors who want to generate regular rental income while benefiting from long-term property value growth. Whether you are a first-time landlord or someone considering adding property to an existing investment portfolio, understanding how buy-to-let works is essential. If you are exploring opportunities with Whitegates…
Read More →
Letting Agent Talk

The Hidden Cost of Deposit Disputes for Letting Agents

Nobody gets into lettings because they love arguing over oven grease. Yet for a growing number of letting agents across London and beyond, deposit disputes at the end of a tenancy have become one of the most quietly destructive parts of the job — eating into time, draining morale, and slowly eroding the trust that…
Read More →
Breaking News

Britain’s strongest housing markets revealed

The latest research from Benham and Reeves reveals the best-performing housing markets across Great Britain when it comes to the average rate of house price growth seen over the course of 2025, with the northern regions and Scotland outperforming most of the rest of the country with annual price growth of up to 11%. Last…
Read More →
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Over £900 million economic opportunity lost to property fall throughs

Analysis from the UK’s largest property platform Rightmove reveals there is an economic opportunity of over £900 million in England if the number of property transactions falling through can be reduced The calculations show that nearly £392m in potential estate agency revenue and £515m in potential government stamp duty receipts were lost last year to…
Read More →
Breaking News

Landlords chasing rental arrears of £470m

The latest research from Propoly – the platform that automates compliance, reduces risk and protects landlords – has revealed that landlords in England deal with more than £470 million worth of rent arrears in a year, with the largest number of tenants in arrears found in London and the North East. Propoly has analysed the…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

Building Buyer Trust Through Architectural Visualization in Real Estate Marketing

In real estate marketing, trust is not a soft value. It is a transaction driver. Buyers commit to years of financial exposure based on how credible a project feels long before it is built. That credibility is no longer shaped by brochures alone. Today, developers often work with a rendering agency to construct a visual…
Read More →