WHAT THE DEATH OF BLACKBERRY CAN The news of the death of the Blackberry last week, saddened us. It felt a lot like the end of an era and, in that respect, quite nostalgic. It also felt a little “unjust” that a pioneering company, who were once at the forefront of an innovative product, lost out to competition.
This inevitably gets them into hot water. The phrase “accidental landlord” does not imply that carelessness is “ok”, it really isn’t! At a time when, regulations and compliance get heavier and more numerous, seemingly daily, in the private rental sector, it is now, more than ever, crucial to educate and professionalise as a landlord, keep up to date on changing legislation and, ensure that those you partner with are up to date too – because it’s your name on the title deeds and the buck stops with you! Remember who your customers are
BlackBerry devices running the original operating system and services will no longer be supported after 4th January 2022. This marks the end of an era for the device that made popular mobile working. BlackBerry devices and their physical keyboards were once the go-to mobile device for professionals keeping up with emails and younger people messaging on its proprietary platform (BBM). The company’s appeal diminished, as handsets with larger displays, better graphics and wider app offerings took over the market.
This is the same in any business, not just property, but it is surprising how many business owners make this fundamental error. In the Private Rental Sector, if you are a Landlord, then your customers are tenants. During lockdown, we were shocked (and we don’t use that word lightly) at the, often, huge divide between landlords and tenants.
Sometimes that divide was more of a chasm! As letting agents, we regularly found ourselves in the middle of disputes, facilitating communication between two sides who could no longer rationally and reasonably communicate with each other. On a human, interpersonal, level, this is bad enough but, on a business level, to put it bluntly, it’s really Here are some thoughts and considerations, bad for business. As a landlord, remember, to keep you ahead of the competition: “it’s business.” As an inherently people-centric profession, being a landlord can all too often Landlords should treat their property mean getting caught up in emotions, taking businesses as a business things personally and being dragged into the day to day “tit for tat” but it’s important not to Far too often we see landlords who do not let that happen. If things start to feel all too comply with regulations, or do not keep personal, then it’s time to give yourself some proper accounts or observe basic duty of care distance and think about partnering with protocols with their tenants. someone to do the communicating for you. Nothing is ever gained by allowing things to get too personal, out of hand and letting emotions override common sense – know when to step away. In an ever changing business world, where it is no longer a surprise, to see once household names go out of business, what can it teach us about running our own property businesses and how can we learn from others’ mistakes?
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