There doesn’t seem to have been even a few minutes to breathe between the chaos of the summer and then the deluge of the Autumn rains. Some areas on the Costa del Sol and the Balearic Islands have been affected terribly this year and there have been some tragic accidents, which must be devastating for all those involved.

Anyone who has personal experience with flooding knows how heartbreaking the damages can be and nothing but sympathy goes out to anyone who is dealing with this at the moment.

Even though we can’t fight mother nature, what can we do as Professional Holiday Property Managers to help minimise damages from adverse weather and deal with the aftermath better?

1. First and foremost, No Heroics
   1. No matter how much a property owner or client tries to convince you otherwise, material objects and possessions are not worth putting yourself or your team in dangerous situations for. Objects can be replaced, people can´t. Wait until the storms are over and the water has subsided before attempting any recovery missions. If anyone is in personal danger, call the emergency services who are trained and equipped to deal with the situation.
2. Plan and Prepare
   1. If extreme weather is forecast to be on its way, warn any clients and guests who are staying at your properties. They may not be aware of this or know how dangerous the weather can get and how quickly this can happen.
      1. There are some great weather Apps that you can download which send notifications for any weather warnings to help keep an eye on this.
   2. Bring in and/or secure all exterior furniture, close shutters and make sure everything is locked up tight.
      1. Take up any rugs around doors and secure any curtains away from windows that are prone to leaks.
      2. If the property is unlikely to be used again until the spring, you could also include this in your standard winter close down list.
   3. If a property is prone to flooding, a short term measure is to have sand-bags on site in a storage area that can be put out at vulnerable doors.
      1. A better solution is to investigate removable flood barriers which can slot in and out of fittings in door frames when needed. There are plenty on the market which can be found with a simple internet search.
   4. Kit yourself out properly
      1. At the risk of stating the obvious, keep a decent waterproof coat and a pair of wellies in the boot of your car at all times in the rainy seasons. They are pretty useless in your storeroom at home and it is almost guaranteed that you will need them when you least expect!
3. Check Insurance Policies
   The worst thing you want to discover in the event of a flood damage is that your insurance policy does not cover you for things your believe you would be covered for. To avoid this, it is important that you review your insurance policy to see be clear on what type of cover you have and what exclusions there might be. Things you might consider checking would include:
   1. What cover is included for flood damage and what are the exclusions?
   2. What is covered and excluded on terraces and balconies?
      1. Some policies specifically exclude damages that cause damage to the neighbours property that can come from these areas.
   3. What cover is in place generally and are the levels high enough when considering kitchens and bathrooms (that can sometimes be considered as contents) in addition to the actual contents and buildings cover?
   4. What does the insurance company cover if there is a problem? Just the cosmetic repairs or actually fixing any underlying faults?
   5. Consider bringing in a professional to help you make the right policy choice.
      1. As much as we all get used to wearing different hats depending on the job we are doing, don’t open yourself up to liability from trying to be helpful when a professional should be consulted who has the appropriate Professional Indemnity Insurance in place.
      2. Some of your clients may have policies in a language that they cannot speak or understand, so they may not be aware that the cover they have in place is not what they think it is or is insufficient.
      3. A broker or similar will be glad of the opportunity for more work and you will be even happier that they are there for you should you have to make a claim. A a good broker will be able to help manage the claims process more efficiently so check this when asking for help.
      4. A broker should be able to review policies and provide recommendations as necessary that you can present to your clients and owners.
      5. Take care with data protection and make sure your clients are aware and agree to you doing this before you provide any personal information.
      6. If a client does not wish to take part in this review or follow any recommendations, file this in writing (confirmed to them) to support any problems that can result from any differences of opinion in the future.

You may be thinking that these are just more things you have to do that you don’t get paid for. After all, a small retainer or management fee can only stretch so far. Or you may not be charging Property Management fees for all of your properties.

However, it is best to be clear and transparent about what is and is not included in any of your services and fees, as Property Management can be perceived as a “catch all” if not clearly defined in scope.

Transparency and clarity is not an issue when dealt with in a calm and professional manner at the right time. When people are faced with damages and what is or is not included in your fees has not been addressed up front, the client is more than likely going to think you should have done more and if you had done your job properly, the damage would not have been so extensive. They may also tell everyone they know the same, whether this is true or not! And this won’t be good for your business reputation.

If these services are not something that you currently do or offer, you could take this opportunity to make it clear to your clients and owners that this service is not currently included in their fees, however, you can provide them for an increase in management fees. Or you could use it as an opportunity to discuss Property Management Services to the clients who do not currently pay for this.

Most people are reasonable and understand that you don’t get “first class seats for economy prices”, but they also appreciate knowing what is and what is not included in what they do pay for and how much the difference in price is, in order to benefit from a fuller level of service. If they choose not to go ahead, this choice has been made on an informed basis so everyone is clear and no one can be accused of not doing their job properly when emotions are involved.

We will be covering the benefit of a comprehensive Property Management Services Agreement with some examples of what to consider including in this, in a later post. In the meantime, keep dry and keep safe.