At Proper Local, we do things differently. Let your property in Canary Wharf with Proper Local and find out what makes us special.
If you’re a landlord with a property to let in Canary Wharf or the surrounding E14 area, we can help let your property for you and then manage the tenancy, so you have complete peace of mind.
We’ve examined every aspect of the property management business and if something can be done better, we’ll improve it. Here’s what that means for you:
- Fixed property letting fees. We know that most of our competitors offer percentage- based fees, and that a fixed fee may seem unusual at first. However, we feel that percentage-based fees are a little outdated, and we want to keep our business in the 21 st century. Our fees are designed to benefit you the Landlord and keep our business firmly modern
- Exceptional local knowledge. We believe that a key part of matching tenants with properties is strong local knowledge. London is a large place and trying to know everything about the whole city would be almost impossible. Proper Local focuses on areas like Canary Wharf, Limehouse, Isle of Dogs and Blackwall; areas which we know inside out and give informative answers when potential tenants have questions.
- Strong customer relationships. With Proper Local, you’ll always have just one point of contact. From initial valuation to rental administration, everything will be handled by a single agent who understands you and your property. You’ll have the opportunity to build a relationship with a professional who knows so much about your property, they can take care of issues immediately.
- Regulations support. It can be difficult for the average landlord to understand and navigate the minefield of lettings regulations, now more than ever. At Proper Local, we’ve done the hard work, so you don’t have to. We’re earned several accreditations (which you can find at the bottom of this page) so that our process is in line with all lettings regulations. We can show you exactly what you need to know and how to apply this knowledge to your property.
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Property Management
For us, Property Management should be simple.
That isn’t to say that we’ll do the bear minimum to make our own lives easy, what it means is that if you apply some common-sense to property management, the process becomes much easier.
From experience, we know the one thing that annoys both tenants and landlords the most is poor communication. At Proper Local we’re not scared of the phone, we like to talk, and we always return emails promptly. The simple fact is that bad things do happen in a tenancy, things do break down, but we also know that if you’re kept updated (both landlord and tenant) then you’ll be assured that it’s going to be resolved.
We also find it invaluable to know as much about the property as possible on tenancy commencement, not just the basic, obvious details whether it is gas or electric heating, but what kind of system it is. If we know that, and we can’t help the tenant try and fix the problem over the phone, we know the best engineers to call out to fix it. Heating engineers aren’t all the same: you wouldn’t take a Porsche to a Mercedes garage would you?
Our property managers also use the same software as our letting agents, so they can see the full history of the property, and, this might appear really simple, they can see the photos of the property – they can see what they’re dealing with.
Good property management also comes down to good property managers, and an acknowledgement that not all staff are the right personality types to work in property management. Good property managers are problem solvers. Good property managers are also the type of people who don’t need thanks and congratulations all the time, because in property management if the phone rings its normally a problem!
We could write a book on property management, but we’ll spare you that and tell you about our service in bullet points!
- An experienced, dedicated property manager
- We always return calls and emails promptly
- Inventory, check in and check out process managed
- Deposit protection and release process managed
- Rent collection and arrears chasing
- A common-sense approach to property maintenance, based on experience
- A pool of good value, reliable tradespeople
- Bi-annual property visits
- Regular financial statements
- Accounting to HMRC for Non-Resident Landlords
Why it pays to choose an independent letting agent
Decisions, decisions, decisions.
Life is full of them.
There are everyday ones like what to have for dinner.
Or slightly bigger ones including which box set to start watching.
And there are the really big choices such as who to settle down with or which career to pursue.
And while deciding which letting agent to let, and maybe manage, your property is a big decision it’s certainly not life or death, but it will have an influence on how successful your move is, or how profitable your investment is.
You have two main options when it comes to renting your property.
There’s going down the route of selecting a corporate letting agency, which may have branches across London and the UK. Or you can instruct an independent letting agent, local to the Canary Wharf area.
Yes, there’s also the online agency option, but if that’s the route you’re considering you probably wouldn’t have read this far.
So, what are the differences between corporate versus independent?
Here are four reasons why we believe that choosing a local, Canary Wharf based independent letting agency like Proper Local is the best choice for sellers.
1) Local. We only take on properties for rent in the areas we know. Having lived in the area over twenty years, Christian understands the different characteristics of E14 neighbourhoods such as Canary Wharf, Limehouse and Isle of Dogs. This isn’t always the case with larger agencies who move staff around regularly.
2) Experience. I’ve been a letting agent for 17 years. I’ve also bought, sold and rented personally on several occasions, so I have experience on all sides of the fence. This familiarity means there’s hardly any issue or challenge I haven’t had to face and overcome on behalf of my clients. The approach of some corporate agencies is to send out an experienced employee to value the property but when instructed to market the property the transaction is handed over to a junior employee (or in some cases several different people.) This is often frustrating for vendors who feel passed from pillar to post.
3) Personal. I genuinely believe in providing great personal service to my clients. Letting a property isn’t a job to me, it’s my business and what I love to do. Far from being a number on a spreadsheet as is the case with some corporates (I’ve worked in that sector, so I know) each rental I take on matters to me. And when people instruct Proper Local they are guaranteed that I’ll be with them every step of the way from the initial accurate valuation, marketing the property, accompanying viewers, negotiating offers, administration and everything else along the road to a successful tenancy. I guarantee that and I’ve never come across a corporate agency that can offer the same level of total personal commitment.
4) Communication. I’ve always believed honesty is the best policy. And that’s why I always give my honest opinion to clients even when it can be difficult to hear. I’ll never overvalue a property to get the instruction. In the long run it damages the landlords’ chances of getting a successful outcome. Through regular, honest feedback from viewings my clients get a picture of what potential tenants like or loathe about their property and this puts us in a position to act upon that to ensure a tenancy is made at the best possible price. All clients have my personal mobile and there’s no such thing as office hours with me, I’m there when you need me, not when it suits me.
Our Awards & Accreditations
How can you tell the difference between a good agency and a bad one?
Feedback. And lucky for you, we’ve got lots of it.
At Proper Local, we’ve worked hard to earn our awards and accreditations so we can show you that we’re an agency worth trusting. Choosing a property management agency is difficult, and we want to make your decision easier by sharing evidence of the good work we do.
Awards
We firmly believe that the best way to measure success is customer feedback. That’s why we’re incredibly proud of our Platinum Trusted Service Award from Feefo – 4 years running, 2021 to 2024 – and in 2024 the Exceptional Service badge too, one of only 32 awarded across over 6,500 businesses. You can read our customer feedback here to learn exactly how we provide first-class service to our customers. We have also been recognised as one of the top 500 letting agents in the country by the Best Estate Agent Guide. We have been awarded by The Guide in 4 of the last 6 years, including an ‘Exceptional’ mark in 2022, in addition to being crowned a winner in the Lettings category, and an Excellent mark in 2024 for both Sales and Lettings.
Accreditations
We’ve earned numerous accreditations from national consumer protection schemes so you can be sure that working with us is a safe decision. Each of these accreditations means that we have examined and improved our work practices in line with their codes of conduct.
Unlike most Canary Wharf estate agents, Proper Local voluntarily signed up for the Client Money Protection (CMP) scheme before it became mandatory. The scheme ensures that a client’s money is protected in any situation. Working with an agency that is not part of this scheme can leave your money open to theft, improper use, or loss in the case of company bankruptcy.
We are signed up to The Property Ombudsman (TPO) scheme which ensures high professional standards among members. We follow its Code of Practice to the letter so any issues you may have can be resolved quickly and painlessly.
As a member of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), we follow a Code of Conduct that protects our clients’ safety and wellbeing in all business situations.
Our Marketing Service
Many landlords think that the only way to have their property properly marketed is to work with a large agency. Thanks to the growth of the Internet and online marketing resources, this is no longer the case. Now, working with a smaller agency like Proper Local will give you professional marketing for your property, but you’ll also get a more personalised client experience. The world of property hunting has moved online, and we know exactly how to get your property clicked on.
Professional marketing photos
Landlords working without an agency miss a lot of potential when it comes to showcasing their property through photos. Prospective tenants first see your property through an online portfolio, so you want those photos to impress.
We’ll help you stage your property for marketing photos and show you what needs to be done to get the right shot. We’ll help you move furniture, get the right camera angle, and advise on what features should be showcased.
Eye-catching property descriptions
Many landlords and agencies write generic descriptions when listing properties online. There’s a temptation to describe everything as “stunning” and use your words to make a studio apartment above a Tesco Express seem like the Taj Mahal. A description like that might get you some viewings, but your client will see the truth once they walk through the door. Inaccurate descriptions will end up wasting your time and theirs - they aren’t worth it.
Here’s how we create informative, interesting descriptions that will get you viewings:
- We help you get the perfect photos that showcase your property.
- We write a bespoke property description that’s full of useful information and free from grammar and spelling errors.
- We take these features and add a detailed property floor plan, so your online posting shows everything a potential tenant needs to know.
- We market the property on our website, as well as online property portals like Rightmove, Zoopla, and Prime Location.
Renting in London can be difficult, and many tenants stick with an estate agent once they find one they like. We have a number of clients at Proper Local who refuse to work with any other agency, because they know they can trust us. By listing your property with us, you’ll get access to a database of clients who you wouldn’t get anywhere else.
Wonder why we’ve received so many awards, and why we have tenants who don’t go anywhere else? Because our number one priority is trust. Letting a property is a big task, and it makes total sense that you wouldn’t want to work with someone you don’t trust. We’ve built up a track record as an agency trusted by landlords and tenants alike, and that record is very important to us. The awards we’ve received from Feefo and the Best Estate Agent Guide show us we’re providing people with high-quality services. If you’d like to hear more, fill out this form for a Free Property Valuation.
Proper Local Promises
We promise:
- To treat you like an individual, so you never feel like just another customer.
- To give you one point of contact throughout the process, so you’re working with someone you trust.
- To only work in areas we understand, so we can provide solid local information.
- To answer all communication promptly. You can call, text, email, or WhatsApp us- if we don’t pick up immediately, we’ll call you back very soon.
- To never be late to an appointment. (If disaster strikes and this happens, we’ll make sure to notify you beforehand.)
- To remove as much stress as possible from your experience, whether you’re buying, selling, or renting.
- To work hard, be transparent, and do everything we can to give you a fantastic property experience.
