We’re aware there can be a misconception about the work we do here in the Property Finding team. We all love browsing Rightmove (who doesn’t?) but the work we do to secure the right rental or purchased property is about much more. So, here’s a challenge: see how many of these 10 services we deliver you are actually aware of.
1. Deliver Market Understanding
Part of our job is to understand what’s happening in the housing market. So, we don’t just search, we analyse. We monitor shifts in supply and demand, landlord sentiment on adaptations and potential legislation changes. This insight helps clients understand how future expectations might shape available options.
With approximately 12 renters competing for each available property, we have to build relationships with estate agents and landlords, ensuring our clients have a voice at the front of the queue. More fundamentally, we have to have a grip on local market conditions. Our PMA Reports (Property Market Analysis) do just that. The PMA delivers local market insight on the kind of property a client needs, the budget to buy or rent and the likely outlay on adaptation. It’s a great gauge for ensuring funding is made available to the right levels for the needs of the client.
2. Market Searches
Perhaps the most misunderstood element of our work. It’s not about getting on Rightmove. The first part of any property search is getting to know our clients and all the stakeholders involved. We assess the need, both now and in the future to build a bespoke property brief.
From there, it’s about the 3 Rs – Research, Relationships and Reach! We hit the property portals, of course, but it’s just as much about leveraging our relationships in regional estate agent networks to surface hidden opportunities, often before the wider market becomes aware. For rentals, we ask estate agents about properties for sale that meet our brief (and might have been for sale for a while) – just in case a vendor might instead consider offering their property for rent. We research regional markets too and promote new instructions to all estate agents in the area so they’re clear about PLG and the opportunity our clients offer.
The immediate thought of “there are just not going to be any properties that cater for my needs” can often loom large at the start of a search. A big part of our work is an understanding of what’s possible with property adaptations and an immediate perspective of the kind of budget that might be required.
So, we don’t send every property for review, we filter first for accessibility:
- Step-free entrances or the opportunity to adapt
- Space for wheelchairs through doorways and corridors, or for stairlifts
- Wet room potential
- Room for carers and equipment
- Therapy spaces or ceiling track needs
Sometimes, in the initial review of a property, it may not seem suitable, but if it offers both external and internal space, we can usually be creative and overcome certain constraints. And it’s not hypothetical: our property finders work alongside the wider client team to evaluate these elements clinically, not just visually.
3. Viewings
Given the fast-moving nature of the property market, it is essential to view properties quickly. For rentals, that would be within 24 hours, sometimes the same day. Time is of the essence, so we work with speed to secure viewings and be in the physical location quickly to undertake them. Wherever a property might be, we have people constantly on the road up and down the country to ensure we can be there.
For joint viewings with families, we plan up front. We access properties in advance and assess them in person to ensure they’ve got the right potential. When the answer is yes, we scrutinise access points, ensuring that ramps and gravel matts are available where needed so wheelchairs are not impeded when the family comes to view.
For some clients, physical viewing won’t be possible, but did you know that we act as your eyes and feet, visiting multiple properties on your behalf, filming walkthroughs, sending detailed videos and annotated photos via WhatsApp and our secure client portal? This real-time insight helps you compare, contrast and make decisions from wherever you are. It’s a valuable record of how a property really views, not just how it’s presented on property portals.
4. Negotiation
Our work continues way beyond viewing. We position the opportunity to work with our clients to agents and landlords and sell the benefits our clients offer. We negotiate too – pricing of course, but contractual clauses too around access adaptations, tenancy reinstatement, legal approvals and specialised build conditions.
Whether it’s rental or purchase, we provide full support, so you don’t have to repeat yourself, get tied up in property legalese or manage communication across multiple parties.
We can even negotiate on your behalf in cases where you’ve found the property. We’ve often been called upon by case managers, solicitors, deputies or families to negotiate the purchase of a property they’ve found directly. Our experience and tenacity have created significant savings for families over the years, all of which can go back into the fund for the injured party.
5. Rental Admin
At this stage, letting agents often need additional guidance on how to handle the referencing process, particularly regarding how funds are acquired. When agents ask whether a potential tenant is employed, for example, responses such as “no” from family members can often cause them to lose interest and prioritise other offers. This is where educating the agent becomes key.
We advise them during the referencing process and have great working relationships with industry-wide referencing agencies. We also assist in securing a proof-of-funds letter alongside a brief on the client’s situation and, when appropriate, a Deputyship Order.
6. Contractual
Whether for purchase or rental, we guide the process to ensure the most seamless experience in getting into the property. Rental searches can be tricky. There’s usually a comprehensive application and referencing process. Then there’s the Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement. These can vary significantly in complexity and content.
Here, our role is to ensure:
- The terms are fair
- Any negotiated additions are included
- Unenforceable clauses are challenged and removed
Key areas we focus on:
- Tenant-only break clause: Must be clearly defined within the agreement
- Adaptations: Any agreed-upon adaptations must be explicitly stated
- Reinstatement clause: Ensures the property is returned in suitable condition (fair wear and tear considered)
- Permitted occupiers: Family members can be included as non-paying residents when the tenancy is held by a client or their deputy
- Inspection notice period: We seek to extend the standard 24-hour notice period to 72 hours, supporting clients who may have therapy or medical routines
- Compliance: We check for clauses regarding outdated or prohibited fees and request their removal
7. Independent Reports That Support Decisions
While property condition is important, there’s little point in paying for surveys until suitability has been established. This should be the priority once a transaction is agreed.
A PLG Suitability Report details how a proposed purchase property may be adapted to provide suitable accommodation. Lead by a member of our RIBA Chartered Architecture team, they assess how an adaptation scheme could work, outline associated costs and highlight potential risks such as planning implications. This is not a final design but an initial assessment to mitigate the risks of purchase, with ongoing design and logistics discussed, based on the findings. They frame the property against the clinical brief, financial position and legal timing so everyone involved (clients, lawyers, therapists) can make properly informed decisions.
8. Pre-Purchase
Once suitability has been confirmed, it’s onto a closer inspection of the property being purchased. A standard building survey only provides limited insights and is often heavily caveated. At PLG, we produce a Pre-Purchase Report, which includes not just the building survey but also additional essential surveys that surveyors typically defer to specialists for, including:
- CCTV Drain Survey
- Plumbing Condition Report
- NICEIC Electrical Condition Report
- Asbestos Management Survey
- Damp and Timber Report
The results of these surveys (and others) provide a clearer picture, enabling you to budget accurately and mitigate potential cost increases before work begins, when you can still act on the findings.
9. Inspections and Maintenance
Over the years, we’ve seen occasions where properties stand empty prior to adaptation work commencing. We also know that unoccupied homes can quickly deteriorate without regular care. Issues like water leaks, pest infestations, garden overgrowth or a broken boiler can become expensive problems if left unattended.
Not least is the issue of insurance compliance. A condition of most insurance policies will be proof of regular inspections that demonstrate a vacant property is being taken care of. The Property Finding team here at PLG provide a comprehensive Home Inspection Service tailored to meet the needs of our clients for vacant properties, ensuring that we can avoid any unwelcome surprises.
10. Keeping Everyone Informed
We insist on delivering weekly updates, every Monday, to ensure our clients stay informed. Every week, without fail, every stakeholder is on the same page through an update delivered within a convenient and dedicated, secure client portal.
So, how did you do? If you got all ten, consider yourself a PLG superfan (or a PLG team member)! And you’ll know that we find more than a roof, we aim for lifetime suitability. By focusing on equipment space, anticipated clinical progression, therapy access and location situation, we help deliver homes that evolve with needs.
Crucially, our focus is always on independence, dignity and long-term comfort. The living environment becomes a platform for recovery, not just a stopgap.
