Spreading the Word

Today our presentation will be short and sharp Where are we now – Other People’s Comments. Catch up or get ahead - Who is picking up the Challenge and using property condition and management as a marketing tool. What should we be doing! SEAL Street Blitz to improve the Street Scene grows into a Community of Street Groups and Community Website. What next for the future of the SEAL network.

‘Why worry about that few hundred pounds fine, it is nothing compared to the huge fines going through the PSH now.’ Why don’t they just spend the money on the property! ‘It is so hard for us agents to get our landlords to do anything.’ There has to be a way, they are just getting so far behind the market, it is not reflecting well on us, their agents ‘OMG, The Task Force is now visiting residents door to door.’ We did warn them ‘Of course SEAL Members are ahead of the game now that the systems are embedded, they have become the norm.’ ‘We just added this app into what we already do, job done!’ These people are bright, of course they sorted it. Let other people’s words pin point where we are now

Catch up or Get Ahead ? Agents, please inform your landlords that times are changing fast, and they now really have to, really need to, keep up or it will affect their business. To get ahead and protect yourselves comply with the SEAL system. Ensure fences, gates and paths are in good repair. Ensure gardens are well maintained to be rubbish and vermin free, weeded and trimmed. Ensure that each tenancy has at least a black bin, and if the rubbish is stored at the front that you have some kind of well managed bin store. Offer support to your Street Groups as part of marketing your services.

Who is Leading the Way? SEAL Members are starting to use their stronger management techniques as marketing tools, through their advertising, resulting in attracting better tenants, and the bad ones are circulated on the SEAL network, saving future disaster. SEAL Members are changing, rebranding and reforming, such as Lifestyle and others, including my family group. SEAL Members are now included on the SEAL Website, and soon will belong to street networks on the Community Website And so the ‘Old school’ Landlords are now even clearer targets for the local authorities, thus the huge fines going through.

Blitz grows into Community Network With the contact numbers volunteered by residents in the Blitz survey, we have started 2 street groups so far, with the help of Agents and Landlords local to those streets, also Councillors and the Multi Agencies. The Community Website will be launched any day now, to support those groups and as well as existing Community Associations, thanks to the hard work put in by SEAL Resident’s Representative, Dave Batter. Obviously the website will show SEAL Members, those who are helping the Community, where to go to for help, where to take their business.

What Next Back to what has been overheard : – ‘Can’t be doing with all that organising paperwork, and my property is in bad condition.’ You are not expected to join SEAL with the perfect portfolio, but through joining show your forward looking attitude, move to develop strong management, make higher standards the norm for your business. The advantages of SEAL are a useful local network, increased professionalism thus increased protection, peace of mind that you are not a target, and a better run business all round. If you have these issues, talk to us, we can definitely help you move to a stronger more confident position.

Join Us Please remember, Selective Licensing has only been shelved, not dropped, and we need your support to build a stronger action group with a shared voice, which can achieve the Licensing aims without the disastrous effects of licensing on undeserving compliant businesses. Join us and contribute to the future of the town through SEAL, by working together, Landlords, Agents and Residents, Councillors and Council Officers, to make a better Southend. Thank you.