Living in France - property management

Above: Steven Medley is the managing director of Let Managers, a leading property management company based in the Dordogne

Q We have just completed on the purchase of a property in France. We only intend on using it as a holiday home as we are not yet retired and we are worried about maintaining it from afar. I understand that there are companies who manage properties; what services do they offer? What is considered essential and what sorts of things are optional?

I hope you can help.

Mrs Morse, Bedfordshire

A Property management companies can generally offer bespoke services to the client and it would depend on the individual circumstances as to which services would be considered essential. Sometimes it is little more than assistance with administration and other times it is more or less everything associated with a property.

Owning a property in France should be a pleasure and employing a property management company can be an  easy, stress-free way of keeping the house and gardens maintained.

The type of services you need depends upon your circumstances and wishes. If the property is a holiday home, you need to decide whether or not you are going to let the property out to third parties or not; in either instance, you need to consider everything that needs to be done in your absence.

Clearly as a minimum you would probably need to have the house cleaned and gardens and grounds maintained. A swimming pool needs a good deal of attention especially over the summer months; it is not something that can be left unattended for weeks at a time – unless you are trying to encourage pond life!

Security measures

Maintaining a garden is essential. Long overgrown grass is a telltale sign that a property is empty, so if for nothing else other than as a security measure, you should set up a grass-cutting contract. It’s worth noting that the quality of the grass itself remains healthier if it is cut regularly so try to avoid those who perform a panic chopping days before your visit.

For all garden lovers, a full garden maintenance package caring for the borders, shrubs, hedges and trees is essential. There is nothing worse than seeing that beautiful garden you acquired slowly deteriorate with each passing visit.

For the house, a property management company can help with property inspections to check the security of the house and to check there are no unwanted visitors. Some companies will offer a severe weather check service as well to help keep your mind at rest. If the worst happens, at least you will have someone at hand who will be able to deal with any problems that may arise, from liaising with the insurance company to arranging registered and insured artisans to effect repairs.

Cleaning services are usually available including the obligatory Saturday changeover for all letting customers. If you have ever left a house from autumn until spring, you will know just how the dead flies and spider webs can accumulate. It’s also not everyone’s idea of their first day of a holiday clearing them up! Also, don’t forget the annual chimney sweep to ensure your property insurance remains valid too.

You do not have to be an absent homeowner to take advantage of these services though, as many residents prefer the comfort of having trusted help at hand also.

Facilitate lets

Some owners prefer to rent their homes as residential lets and while a property management company cannot act as a rental agency unless licensed as an immobilier, they could certainly help owners facilitate these lets privately. They could act as a local contact, carry out inventory checks and property inspections on the owner’s behalf and ensure handovers from one let to the next go smoothly.

Of course you do not necessarily need a property management company to help as you could employ any number of separate companies. However by employing a company that can provide all the services you need in one place, any issues you may have can be resolved in just one phone call, or more commonly preferred these days, via email.

Nobody is usually more cost effective in taking care of your home than your neighbour, who quite often is only too eager to help. However be warned: if they don’t quite live up to your expectations, or your guests’ demands, they will still be your neighbour and you may find it difficult to replace them without too much upset. There are also potential risks of employing someone illegally if a legal agreement is not in place. A reputable property management company will be registered and will have public liability insurance for your peace of mind. Plus, most of the costs incurred by a property management company can be offset against taxable income in France, depending on circumstances.

A property management company will co-ordinate the services it provides so that the grass will be cut to a schedule to minimise disturbance to your guests’ visits. The swimming pool will be kept clean and treated, and the house will be cleaned and prepared to ensure your home gives you a holiday not a headache. Leave that for the rosé!

Fact file
Let Managers
Tel: 00 33 (0)5 53 63 32 79
www.letmanagers.com