The Importance of Accommodation Vetting
Albeit temporary, temporary serviced accommodation is a short-term investment. An investment that can cost you and inconvenience you if you do not do your due diligence. Relocating to the African continent can be an exciting adventure and new beginning, when vetting is done on the property you will be choosing.
In the temporary serviced accommodation industry, vetting is a detailed and systematic assessment of an apartment. Vetting is inspecting the property’s design, structures, amenities, and condition – measuring its proximity to its advertised description. Vetting is NOT simply verifying an apartment or an area online or via phone calls. It is a detailed and thorough process that most companies do not seek to do, often misleading potential clients.
We have all heard those stories where you scroll the internet in search of the perfect house, you click on it and the pictures look stunning. Top tier décor, great neighbourhood, working Wi-Fi, all is there. You click ‘BOOK”, secure payment and get excited about your new home. You arrive, and it looks nothing like the pictures you have seen. You have been scammed. And it is at this moment, you realise the importance of vetting.
Understanding the importance of vetting, MyResidence has a comprehensive and systematic vetting process. From the initial stages, internal vetting between My Residence and prospective property partners, right through to training our field agents to conduct comprehensive physical vetting in each city in Africa. They are trained and equipped with tools in examining apartment amenities, their structure, conditions, and submitting a full report to us. This report is inclusive of a completed report, a scorecard and pictures.
Having field agents conducting these vetting assessments in these cities is our unique selling point. Many companies or agencies that offer temporary serviced accommodation are not even based in Africa nor the cities. Online entities do not properly vet their properties. There is no assurance to the guest whatsoever that what they are paying for and expect to see is in fact real, up to the marketed standard etc. Because online portals are not “human”, there is room for a lot of error in respect of their stock, and there is room for fraudulent entries. MyResidence has independent agents who have years of experience in the relocation and mobility industry to uphold our reputation.
Our Client Services Coordinator and Legal Specialist, Tanja Glatz, speaks about the crucial phases in our vetting process:
1. The Initial Search: This is reviewing the property online and establishing communication with the property owner.
2. Paperwork: We dispatch comprehensive paperwork for completion.
3. Physical vetting by our local field agents: The agent receives our mandate, a form to complete and several instructions on the execution of the vetting. They attend the property, meet the staff, assess all areas of the premises, test Wi-Fi, test the staff and the problem-solving skills, language skills, knowledge of the industry etc.
4. Property Partner: If they have passed the above-mentioned phases, they become a fully verified property partner of ours and receive the appropriate stamp of approval.
It is important to do due diligence when looking for a property. Therefore, it is also important to choose a service provider that does this for you. You save time, stress and being inconvenienced. At MyResidence, we understand the anxiety that comes with relocating or simply visiting a new country. That is why we go the extra mile to ensure that you only get the best accommodation. In recent weeks, we have sent out a new and improved vetting form to our property partners with stricter and heightened measures on our standard operations and practices. We value your health and safety – your happiness is our priority.