Your checklist for 2026 success

In December’s PayProp Masterclass, Commercial Director Michelle Dickens looked ahead to the 2026 rental market and shared some high-impact ways for agents to get ready. Review her 8-point checklist to see how your agency can start the new year on the right foot!

Renewals management

• Make sure that each of your active leases has lease agreement documentation or renewal agreements in place.

• Verify that the amount of rent you are charging matches what is in the lease agreement or renewal agreement.

• Ensure that any tenant fees are provided for in the lease or renewal agreement.

• Determine the market-related rental value for properties in your area, so you can set rent escalations with confidence.

Landlord profitability check

• Make sure all relevant expenses are captured on the landlord’s monthly invoices. Identifying and recovering expenses individually rather than the rent helps with landlord retention.

Deposit management

• Check that every lease has a deposit, and that the value of the deposit matches what’s in the lease or renewal agreement.

• Make sure your lease renewals provide for a deposit top-up. This is extra important if funds have been used during the lease, but even untouched deposits can fall behind the rising cost of repairs if they aren’t topped up.

Asset management

• When was each property in your rental book last inspected? The longer issues go unaddressed, the more expensive they can be to fix. Scheduling interim inspections for properties midway through the yearly lease is a great way to keep your landlords’ assets in good condition – and they're a billable service, too.

In addition to these solid success strategies, December’s Masterclass looked back on 2025’s rental market with data from the PayProp Rental Index, and ahead to what rental agents can expect in 2026.  

If you’d like to share your own predictions for 2026, this is your last opportunity to complete our State of the Rental Industry survey. One lucky survey taker will win a R5 000 Takealot voucher!