Property management and maintenance.

Contents:

1) Introduction.

2) Our offer.

3) Annual property management.
a) Weekly property inspection.
b) Additional services.


4) Cleaning and Linen.
a) Departure / change over clean.
b) Cost of departure / change over clean.
c) Additional daily clean.
d) Cost of daily clean.
e) Linen service.
f) Costs for laundry.

5) Garden maintenance.

6) General maintenance and building work.

7) Refuse.

8) Rental service.
a) Rental requirements.
b) Costs for rental requirements.

9) Terms and conditions.

1) Introduction

Do you own a property in Slovenia which you are considering letting long or short term? It might be that you don’t want to let your property, but you do want someone to keep a check on the property and carry out regular maintenance?

We are a registered Slovenian company that can provide you, ‘the owner’, with a personally tailored service to look after your property and your guests. We provide a service which could provide you with a healthy return on your financial investment.

We are Ian and Louise Samuel, British born but now living in the North East region of Slovenia. We own and operate a legitimate Slovenian d.o.o. company managing people’s rental properties as well as our own four holiday cottages.

We are finding increasingly that foreign property owners have many demands on their time and cannot always be available to handle day to day events connected with their property. Full property management is an essential and economical way of ensuring the smooth running of a rental whilst also protecting the property and your investment.

It is very difficult to deal with the whole process of owning, maintaining and letting a property successfully if you are not living in the country.

As we are resident in Slovenia we are aware of many of the day to day problems connected with property ownership and property rental here. We can deal with most problems that may arise, quickly and efficiently and can prevent some problems from occurring with our reliable letting and management service.

We know that many of the problems that arise are the result of lack of communication, organisation or general logistics. Our aim by way of our management contract is to provide you with complete peace of mind and to safe guard your property investment in Slovenia.

Using the experience we have gained here we are able to deal with the whole rental process for you from start to finish. We can provide you with a wide range of advice from suggested rental inventories through to local tourist information. We can liaise and communicate face to face with your guests on your behalf and be a first point of contact should any emergencies occur with your property.

We are 100% committed to the service we provide and receive much support and encouragement from the local community here. We are certain that the service we are providing is an essential component of tourism in Slovenia and we fully expect our business to grow and grow. We are working closely with the Slovenian Tourist Board and are important contributors in advising how best to deal with the rapid growth of tourism in our region.

To ensure we continue to receive the support of the local community we use local companies, builders, trades people and cleaners whenever possible. We feel this is vital to improve the economy of the area and to help to raise living standards for all. People here also understand that tourism is essential for the region.

“We at Samuel and Samuel Turisticne Storitve d.o.o. look forward to building a lasting relationship with our clients. Using our experience we will deliver a comprehensive service, our best property supervision and an excellent rental service ensuring all our clients have complete peace of mind”

Personal reference

Ian Samuel worked as a fully qualified NICEIC Electrician in the UK and ran a small, successful electrical contracting company. Louise has 7 years experience working within the hotel industry as well as 3 years experience working for an IT maintenance and facilities management company. Through our work experience as well as the many self catering cottage holidays we have taken we know and understand the high standards that are required to successfully rent out a holiday property as well as the work involved in keeping the property in excellent condition to ensure it remains rentable for as long as possible.

2) Our offer

We can provide you with a complete property care and maintenance package. We will give your property the finest possible attention ensuring your investment in Slovenia is secure and in safe hands. We take pride in our work and our team of skilled professionals always deliver a prompt response. We aim to provide a complete proactive and reactive service to comprehensively prevent or deal with any problems that may occur.

If you decide to take up our annual management contract you can rest assured that your property will receive the best possible attention and will be kept in pristine condition all year round.

A percentage of revenue generated from our management contracts is invested into marketing and advertising our rental service. We have already spent considerable time and funds developing and marketing the trading names for Samuel & Samuel Turistčne Storitve d.o.o. ‘SLOVENIA FOR FAMILIES’ and ‘SLOVENIAN COTTAGE HOLIDAYS’.

To date we have conducted interviews for various British newspapers and magazines as well as Slovenian publications. We have a team of dedicated professionals in the UK constantly monitoring and updating our website ensuring your property will receive the maximum exposure possible in all the right places.

At present we are in position to offer the following services to our clients:-

Annual property management

Cleaning and Laundry

Garden maintenance

General maintenance and building work

Rental service

3) Annual property management

Set up:

• We can help you set up a bank account in Slovenia. We will organise all contracts for amenities such as Electricity, Water, Gas and Telephone and will help you set up your own direct debits with the bank.
• We will help you set up the necessary insurance cover i.e. building, contents and public liability insurance.
• We arrange to get keys cut and hold a minimum two sets of keys for your property.
• We will do an initial full inventory check of your property’s contents.
• We will write a report of the weekly checks your property requires.
• We provide a written information pack that includes information about local shops, doctors, important phone numbers etc.

Ongoing:

• We will do a property inspection every week, even when unoccupied and after any unusual weather conditions, (see the list of checks below).
• We will provide tourist information literature as and when we receive any.
• We will provide blank guest feedback survey forms, collect completed ones and report any comments back to you.
• We will send you a monthly report about the condition of your property. This report will also include the customer feedback. We will also create a property owners private section (online file) on our web site that allows the property owner to log in and view the report as well as any accounts / charges.
• We will be a point of contact for your guests regarding any issues with your property.

Annual property management costs.

a) Weekly property inspection

Our regular checks include:

Check over all areas of your property, bathrooms, kitchen, etc.

Check for pests and vermin and recommend remedial action.

Check that all lights are working.

Check that all your taps, bath, shower, toilets and bides are functioning correctly.

Check all your electrical equipment and appliances are working.

Check that any security systems / alarms are fully functional.

Check that smoke alarms are working and replace batteries, (batteries need replacing frequently in cold conditions).

Check around the garden.

Check for any problems with damp.

Check the terraces, balconies, patios, BBQ areas.

Check your post box.

Advise you about any necessary repairs or preventative maintenance to ensure your property is kept in excellent condition.

We check your fuel supplies (oil, gas, wood etc) and arrange for delivery.

We check the level of your septic tank and can arrange for it to be emptied.

We provide a regular monthly report about the status of your property and will inform you of any customer feedback received from your guests.

b) Additional services

Below is a list of services we could provide at an extra cost.

• We can furnish your property. This service can include the ‘selection, collection and erection’ of all furnishings and associated items. We have compiled a comprehensive inventory of items which should be included in your property for rental purposes.
• We can meet and greet your guests on your behalf, representing you under the ‘Slovenia for Families’ or ‘Slovenian Cottage Holidays’ umbrella.
• We can carry out any necessary maintenance work.
• We can carry out all your gardening and horticultural needs including garden design, planting schemes, landscaping and all general garden maintenance.
• We can arrange airport transfers with our team of reliable, presentable drivers.
• We can hold or forward all your mail.
• We can arrange to have your septic tank emptied.
• We can arrange and pay for your oil or wood to be delivered.
• We can exchange your empty gas bottles for full ones as necessary.
• We can arrange for your boiler to be annually serviced.
• We can arrange for your chimney / flu to be annually cleaned.
• We can arrange for your well water to be tested.
• We can clean out your guttering as and when necessary.
• We can clear snow from your drive.
• We can clean all your property’s windows externally.
• We can close your property down for the winter, i.e. drain water and heating system and put anti-freeze in toilets and drains.
• We endeavour to carry out all essential maintenance work within 24 – 48 hours. We will always try to contact you, and give you an estimate before any work is carried out, HOWEVER if for any reason we cannot contact you and we feel that the work is an emergency, we will carry out minimal works to prevent the problem from causing increased damage to your property.
• Our invoice for extra works will always give as much detail as possible i.e. nature of work conducted, the time the works took to complete and any materials used
• We will never charge you for work we have not done, we want to keep our good reputation for offering value for money service and will make our services and charges as clear as we can.

4) Cleaning and Linen

a) Departure / change over clean

A full cleaning schedule checklist will be written by us and translated into Slovene. This document will be laminated and kept at your property.

Included in our cleaning costs we will provide and replace the following items for your guests:-

• Pack of toilet rolls
• Sanitary towel bags
• Tissues at bedside
• Hand wash in bathrooms and kitchen
• Sponge, dishcloth, scourer
• Bleach for toilet
• Bin liners
• Pedal bin liners

We provide cleaning materials for our cleaning purposes which is included in the price you pay us for cleaning your property.

Example of cleaning regime

b) Costs of departure / change over clean

c) Additional daily clean

We can arrange for a daily clean to take place.

Example of a daily clean.

1.       We make everything tidy

2.       We clean all the dust from furniture, electrical appliances etc.

3.       We wash any dirty utensils in the kitchen

4.       We remove all dirty linen and towels

5.       We clean the bathrooms and replace used towels with clean towels

6.       We make up the beds with fresh linen

7.       We wash all inside floors including bathrooms.

d) Costs of daily clean

e) Linen service

• All laundry will be taken from the property and washed and ironed.

• We use a good quality washing powder and conditioner.

• We suggest that you buy good quality laundry as it is likely to be washed more than normal. Most people prefer 100% cotton, not polyester.

f) Costs of laundry

5) Garden maintenance

For us to offer you a price for this service it is necessary that we conduct an initial inspection of your garden or land to evaluate your needs.

Once evaluated we can offer services including grass cutting, fruit tree and vine maintenance, landscaping, etc.

Our team of professionals are fully equipped to deal with all your requirements.

6) General maintenance and building work

If you require any alterations, renovations or general maintenance to your property we can supply skilled trades-people to conduct any size job.

Generally smaller jobs will be carried out by us but when necessary we will use competent and trustworthy sub-contractors.

We always endeavour to use local trades-people.

We will provide you with a written estimate before carrying out any proposed works or a schedule of our hourly rates.

7) Refuse

We are actively trying to promote ‘RESPONSIBLE TOURISM’ in Prekmurje and therefore we would like to encourage ALL our property owners to purchase recycle bins for their properties. We suggest four; one for paper, one for metal, one for glass and one for plastic.

We suggest all our property owners purchase a compost bin and supply an additional small bin in the kitchen for waste that will go into the main compost bin.

By doing all of the above you are not only helping to protect the environment but may also save money. Refuse collection is a chargeable service in Slovenia.

With regards to refuse collection there seem to be three choices:-

1) You can acquire a refuse bin from your local depot and have your refuse collected by the local ‘Komanala’ service. Collection is generally every two weeks and only rubbish that is in your bin will be removed.

You will receive a bill from ‘Komanala’ regarding the refuse which you must pay to ensure your collection service continues.

Depending where your property is you may not be able to use this service, i.e. if the property is inaccessible for the dustbin lorry.

2) You can purchase special bags from the collection company that you leave next to a neighbour’s bin that has a registered bin for collection. As you pay for the bags up front you will not be charged additionally for collection.

3) We can remove your rubbish and take it to the tip / recycle bins, this is a chargeable service.

Cost for taking away rubbish and recycle material will generally be:- €10.50

8) Rental service

To complete our comprehensive list of services we would also like to offer all our clients the option of joining our cottage rental service. Included in this service is the advertisement of your property on our website. We will deal with all enquiries regarding your property and take bookings on your behalf.

This service is only available to property owners that take out the Annual Management Contract.

We feel that the only way we can be assured that your property is kept in the best possible condition for renting and that maintenance, cleaning and gardening are being kept up to date is if we are personally managing and representing the property on your behalf.

We take great pride in everything we do and we want every customer we attract on your behalf to experience complete satisfaction with every aspect of your holiday cottage and indeed every aspect of their holiday in Slovenia.

We are sure you will understand that the only way we can achieve this is if we are constantly making the checks and following the regimes that are detailed in the Annual Management Contract section.

A significant percentage of revenue generated from our Annual Management Contract will be used to further improve the advertising and marketing of our web site and will also be invested in the production and distribution of quality literature and into further research of tourism products in Prekmurje.

Should you decide to allow us to advertise your property an individual ‘availability graph’ will be created for your property on our web site. You can email us with bookings you have taken, and we will update this.

All bookings we secure on your behalf will be made using our ‘booking form’ software and a copy will be immediately forwarded to you.

We will take a number of external and internal quality photographs of your property as well as including a detailed description on our web site.

Unlike many booking agents we will communicate with your guests via email, answering queries and questions that relate to the booking, the accommodation, the location and activities in the area, as well as general holiday questions.

We have already submitted our web site to many search engines and have paid in advance for advertising on various other web sites, we will continue to do so.

We also hope to continually improve our web site and fill it with more tourist information as and when available including local attractions, restaurant reviews etc. We are currently in the process of negotiating discounts for all our guests with local restaurants and local attractions.

As we are a legitimate Slovenian company we have recently managed to achieve an entry on the Slovenian Tourist Board web site whom we will continue to work closely with.

We will soon be producing a brochure under the banner ‘Slovenian Cottage Holidays’, which will be distributed throughout the UK.

We are exploring the possibility of becoming involved in relevant holiday and outdoor pursuit shows in the UK which will offer maximum exposure for all our customers.

We are setting up a mailing list and are looking to produce a monthly news letter as well as a customer forum on our web site.

a) Rental requirements

As we will advertise your property along side our own properties we expect that your properties offer a similar standard.

For example if you wish to be classed as ‘family friendly’ you must make sure that you provide equipment that is suitable for babies and children such as cots and high chairs. A box of toys is also a lifesaver for many parents on those occasional rainy days in.

Most parents with small children prefer a secure enclosed garden with closable gates.

We will not advertise your property and take bookings on properties that are not finished for rental, or that proof of completion is provided.

If you decide to take up our booking service then we shall provide you a report about your property and make suggestions regarding equipment you may need to improve your chances of securing more bookings. This report covers every aspect of your property and includes recommended electrical appliances, bedding and towels, security features, kitchen inventory, etc.

If your property has old buildings on the site such as barns, stables etc, we recommend that you clear any rubbish from them including animal food and / or animal waste to prevent disease or vermin infestation.

Any outbuildings that are unused should be made inaccessible to small children.

It is obviously your prerogative to advertise your property with as many other sources as you feel necessary but we do insist that the price that we advertise your property for is always the same as it is advertised elsewhere. This is vital to ensure we maintain a competitive and respected service.

b) Cost for rental requirements

Web site set up, property inspection and detailed report.    FREE

Commission we take per booking    12%

Welcome pack*    €15.00

* Welcome pack is optional.

This is an optional service however we have found that this is an extremely welcome and valued addition to our range of services.

The welcome pack consists of milk, bread, bottled water, juice, tea, coffee and sugar, a locally produced bottle of wine and a plate of local meats / pate / cheese etc. from the local delicatessan.

We understand that all our clients may have different needs so the welcome pack can be personally tailored to meet all your guest’s requirements. All we ask is that you inform us 48 hours in advance of your guest’s arrival if you have any special requests. We will also inform you of any special requests we receive from bookings we take on your behalf.

9)Terms and Conditions

Property management fees must be paid in advance before the contract can commence.

The contact shall run for twelve months.

All additional costs will be invoiced on a quarterly basis and payment in full is expected within fourteen days.

All customers will be invoiced in EUROS.

We reserve the right to suspend our service at any time if our payment terms are not being adhered to.

Payment of invoices must be to our appointed Slovenian bank account, details of which will be forwarded as necessary.

The total sum invoiced must be the amount credited to our account. We are not liable for any exchange rate fluctuations or bank costs.

Your personal ‘on-line customer file’ will be regularly updated to allow you to monitor any costs you have incurred.

All paper records will be held in our office and will remain the property of ‘Samuel & Samuel Turistične Storitve d.o.o.’. Copies can be supplied to you on request.

We reserve the right to periodically review all charges but will inform you in advance of any proposed changes to our scheduled rates.

Indemnity.

The Owner shall indemnify and hold Samuel & Samuel Turistične Storitve d.o.o. completely harmless with respect to liability and damages, costs and expenses in connection with any damage or injury whatsoever to persons or property arising out of the use, management, operation, occupation, ownership, maintenance or control of the property or out of any matter or thing with respect to which it is elsewhere in this contract provided or agreed that the Agent shall not be under responsibility. However, the Owner will not indemnify the Agent against the willful misconduct of Samuel & Samuel Turistične Storitve d.o.o.

Suggested Inventory For property owners that are going to rent out to the public.

Inventory List

Example of costs for full Property Management offer.

Typical Costs (.doc)

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