The Home+ Property portal offers complete automation of the maintenance function, closing the loop between tenant, property manager, landlord and service provider.
Business Development and Partnership Head, Adriaan Hugo estimates that it can free up to 40% of a rental agent’s time daily.
“Home+ Property is a platform that makes it easier and more efficient to maintain properties by connecting property managers to a network of tradespeople,” Hugo explains.
“Our platform and network of verified tradesmen (our Heroes) make managing multiple properties with multiple tenants easier, more efficient and it reduces risk while doing so.”
The process is simple: When a tenant logs a job, the Home+ Property system requests approval from the managing agent and/or landlord. If approved, the agent assigns a Hero to the job while giving all parties visibility so there is no more back and forth.
The Hero accepts the job, visits the property on the scheduled date and provides a quote if the cost is over R1000*.
If the agent approves the quote, the tenant is prompted to schedule a time for the Hero to return. The Hero completes the job, taking after photos and invoices.
Payment is made on invoicing. (*If the cost is under R1000, the Home+ Hero completes it and invoices.) Should there be a dispute, payment is withheld.
Tenants can add pictures before the work starts and the service provider is also prompted to take photos. Service providers are guided to provide detailed quotations and assessment by adding timestamps.
All actions are digitally recorded for an end-to-end report, ensuring transparency throughout. This allows agents to easily track all maintenance tasks throughout their portfolio in real time.
Clients already using the portal include House of Realtors, Harcourts, Vermaak Properties and Rawson Properties. Peter Noctor, MD House of Realtors, confirms the convenience of the portal: “Home+ has saved us significant amounts of time in assigning credible tradespeople, and allowing for communications to be automated.
“At any given point in time, we can see every job that is happening across the platform, with the option to intervene at any point if necessary.”
Who are the Home+ Property Heroes?
The carefully selected Heroes on the Home+ Property network provide a wide range of property maintenance and handyman services. All are fully qualified and insured, and the vetting process ensures that:
- They have no criminal history
- References are checked
- They follow good service standards
- They maintain a strong user rating
- Professional qualifications are verified
- Qualifications required for specialist work are verified
The Heroes include:
- Plumbers
- Locksmiths
- Gas installers
- Electricians
- Glass fitters
- Pest controllers
- Landscapers
- Deep cleaners
- Air-conditioner installers
- Flooring contractors
- Waterproofers
- General maintenance (handymen)
- Rubble removers
- Uberising the property maintenance sector
The first-of-its-kind in South Africa, the Home+ Property web-based platform is taking the hassle and stress out of scheduling property maintenance and finding credible, trustworthy service providers.
It offers real-time tracking and communication between landlord/agent, tenant and vendors and it’s cash-less., which reduces the risk for all parties.
Home+ also rewards customers with loyalty points which can be spent by Home+ retail partners.
“Home+ Property takes the hassle out of maintenance logistics,” says Hugo. “Saving time, money, energy and resources, it frees up rental agents to focus on generating revenue.”