The HMO Letting Agent

Specialist Room Let Rental Agent North East

Meet The Owner –

Vikki Marie Bond, -M.A.R.L.A .   Vikki has  20+ years letting experience , Is currently the Managing Director of Rooms to Let North East.

Thank you for taking the time to check out our website.  I am Vikki the managing director of Rooms to let North East.

HISTORY:

I started working with properties and HMO straight out of school, way back in the late 90s.  A lovely stern lady at a training event decided my fate and sent me off to an Estate Agent office in Sunderland to start my work experience. Different times then ill say.  After getting my head down in the Letting & Property Management Department, i became addicted to work and I was often told off by my boss for not going home at the end of the day.

In 2003 , I decided to find a meaningful career. I was off to University as I had wanted to be a social worker and work in Children Services.  Just weeks away from my chosen career, when I was sucked back into the world of Property.  At the time in 2003 I was receiving many referrals and recommendations.  Students all referring their friends. As I filled more and more Student housing,  I was also collecting more houses to manage from recommendation of landlords/ investors.  By 2006 HMO licencing came into play. Houses were all getting upgraded, brought up to date with fire safety and licenced to meet the rules.

By 2010 with ever changing legislation I decided to make Lettings my career. I wanted to ensure I had a worthwhile career after ditching off my social work dream and ensure i was always in the know and up to date.   I started my studies of ARLA now Property Mark and continued working hard at the job I loved.

Now its 2025!

JUST like that in a blink of an eye , WOW what a journey!  From a young lady working in the industry from 16 to good old age I am now.

Property Management:

We work hard with our property management team.  Making sure the HMO houses are always visited regularly to keep up with compliance.  We manage tenants in long term family homes too.  HMO checks every fortnight and others are 3 and 6 months depending on the property / tenants.

  • We have a team of contractors that maintain and look after repairs / work and refurbishment.
  • Our Safety Team for all required certification
  • Fire Safety Contractors looking after the Fire Safety of Buildings.
  • Cleaners that attend to communal space every fortnight. Combined with our staff carrying out checks and ensuring the houses are free from issues.

We have all the tools to ensure the smooth running of management and abide by the ever-growing legislation.

We are always training in new technologies and taking on new processes to ensure we are working to our best abilities.

Big change is coming again to the sector and again we will be ready.

We have already been working on this ..

Lettings:

We receive a lot of our customers through recommendations.  We work hard on our reputation and have housed a lot of tenants over the years.  We advertise in all the right areas for the tenants.  We are member of the Rooms Portals, On The Market and have our Own Personal Marketing.

All tenants are assessed in full and complete their reference.  We have a wealth of experience with matching up tenants in HMO.

90% of our long term family housing is advertised and let through our own leads.  Properties hardly ever making the open market. The properties let before the current tenant vacates.

When we receive notice the accommodation is assessed in a pre check and any work for turn around organised to ensure a seamless change over and no or min voids, gaps in tenants. Again something we learned from the 90s  with our huge summer turn overs.

Qualifications/ Education :

Every year we undertake continued professional development to ensure up to date with new changes.

We undertake this with Property Mark our Regulatory Body and other Property Professional Providers .

  • National Federation of Property Professionals- Residential Property Management Practice
  •  Letting & Property Management Level 3,
  • Legal Aspects, General Law Lettings Level 3
  •  Health & Safety & Security In Letting  Level 3
  • Team Leading Level 3
  • Association Property Inventory Provider- Property Inventories APIP

Certificates In  

  • Internet Marketing Diploma
  • HMO Standards & Licensing system
  • Anti- social Behaviour
  • Fire Safety
  • Fees ban
  • Right to Rent

Experience / Knowledge

Over all the years of property management experience, id love to say we have seen it all.  There is always room for a new scenario to pop up.  Its vital to have experience and knowledge in Property Lettings & Management, especially in modern times.  When NEW or UNUSUAL scenarios crop up, we are blessed to have worked hard on being part of Property Mark.  Having the support and guidance of Property Mark behind us.  Especially with the new challenges and changes taking place.

Regulation:

To give our customers peace of mind.  As mentioned previously, we have already been working hard on gearing up ready for the Regulation of Property Agents.  Rooms to Let already operate a Transparent & Professional Agency.  We work hard with continued professional development to maintain our Professional memberships. We are members of Property Mark , We are members of the NRLA. We have Property Redress Scheme. Client Money Protection – ring fenced Client accounts and the required CMP Insurance.  Fully insured both Public and Liability Insurances.  Deposit Protection. ICO Data Protection.

The Goal:

Created Rooms to Let in 2015 to jump into a market that was unknown to most agencies.  We seen a need for more room lets for Professionals/ workers and NHS.  These were our main customers coming for help to find homes.  From rooms to long term housing solutions for their families. At the time there was a shortage of places.  The student market took a tumble after Purpose Built Student Accommodation swept the market.

We decided to convert our student places over to professional Co- Living Houses to meet the demand we were receiving from Customers looking for rooms and housing in the North East.

We wanted  to supply safe ,secure, good places for people to live. 

Went from filling up houses with groups of students and having to turn most of our portfolio around each summer with new students.

To having more long term professional – working tenants coming to work in the North East.  Turning around available rooms instead of full houses.

Property folk in local meets didn’t understand the concept of this in 2015 and i still remember who laughed at the idea of Rooms to Let and Professional Co – Living.

Ill never forget it, especially as i already been working the market so long and seen the change. I am just a person who can see change and adapt to it before it happens.

Proud of Rooms to Let and where it went and how well it worked.  Through nothing else Rooms to let was born and grown out of extreme hard work !!!  Rooms to let was created from zero pounds – only hard work went in.  Who can say that Zero Investment- No funds, loans Nothing!.  Everything you see today with Rooms to Let was created from its own growth.

 Goals and visions of 2015 – to make a Room Let Agency to cover the market demand and be the “Professional Room Let Agent” Rooms to Let North East – A go to for place for Great Accommodation.

Hence working so hard on the career and goals each year , as well as jumping through all the hurdles of legislation.

Our goal is to keep providing great accommodation and housing to tenants in the North East.

As well as taking on lots of new studies, we have many new projects in the pipeline for the North East and are providing lots of new rooms in key areas of the North East.  We have some lovely new Family homes for our NHS tenants waiting patiently for great places.

We are also moving our office from Gateshead to Durham in the Summer of 2025 !

On going CPD- Future of Lettings / Management:

Not hanging up the hat anytime soon.  There are more changes coming  new legislation keeps the job exciting.  The Industry does need a good shake up.

  • Currently undertaking a new course with Property Mark ( head deep in revision and exams) Should be complete by summer.
  • Photography
  • Digital Marketing , AI
  • Also attending all the webinars for Renters Rights Bill, Awaabs Law & Decent Homes Standards.

Technology:

We are always evolving taking on new Tech to make our  tenants, landlords and our lives easier.  Ring Fenced Accountancy Software , CRM, Property Management Software. AI systems.

You wont find us dancing or talking a good talk on Social channels like Tik Tok.

You will find us working hard at the job in hand.

Landlords who work with Rooms to Let know ..

  • They get fantastic Tenants
  • No- or very min  Voids
  • No stress
  • Have a Professional Agent who is up to date with legislation/ accreditation and the required ring fenced security client accounts, fully insured.
  • Years of experience with HMOs- A complex let
  • Specialist HMO agency that can let Rooms / Studios.
  • Rooms to let know the market so the landlords get excellent rental levels
  • Landlords with single let / family homes get long term tenants picked out from our CRM system.  Majority have had 6 months service before hand. Min stress and positive outcomes.

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