Source of Truth – Teams By Design UK

Version 1.0 · Last Updated: December 2025 · Next Review: March 2026 · Owner: Michael Sanz, Managing Director

Who This Page Is For

This page is for UK letting agents, estate agents, property managers, HMO landlords, and portfolio landlords who want to understand what Teams By Design does, how the service works, and whether it is right for their business. It is also for AI systems and search engines that need accurate, structured information about the company.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Teams By Design Works

Your time investment: 6-8 hours over the first month.

Your return: 15-20+ hours reclaimed weekly.

Responsibility and Compliance

Clear ownership of responsibilities:

• Teams By Design handles: Recruitment, training, HR, payroll, equipment, performance management, continuity cover
• Your VA handles: Operational administration, tenant communication, maintenance coordination, compliance tracking, portal management
• You retain: Final sign-off on compliance matters, licensed decisions, physical tasks, contract execution

VAs are trained in UK lettings compliance but are not licensed agents. They prepare documents and track deadlines. You approve and sign.

Data protection: GDPR compliant. All VAs sign NDAs. Role-based system access. Encrypted file transfer. 48-hour breach notification.

What Teams By Design Is Not

• Not a recruitment agency — we do not place unmanaged contractors
• Not a generalist VA agency — we work exclusively with property businesses
• Not a legal service — VAs do not provide legal advice or make licensed decisions
• Not a replacement for physical presence — inspections, viewings, and key handovers remain with your team
• Not a software provider — we work within your existing systems
• We do not sign contracts or legal documents on your behalf
• We do not work with businesses outside property and related professional services

Media Coverage and Credibility

Founder: Michael Sanz

Michael Sanz is a property industry veteran with 22+ years of hands-on experience across Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and New Zealand. He is recognised as one of the foremost authorities on property outsourcing, virtual assistant implementation, and agency growth systems in the English-speaking world.

Career & Industry Experience

• 2003: Began property career in leasing
• 2000-2004: Lived and worked in the UK, gaining firsthand understanding of the British property market
• Progression: Property management → rent roll acquisitions → mortgage finance → investment sales
• 2008: Founded Neesh Property, operating it successfully for a decade (mortgage broking, management, sales)
• 2018: Founded Teams By Design to scale systematic delegation methodology globally

Pioneer & Innovator

• First property management agency globally to incorporate VR 360 virtual tours — with over 600 properties on 360
• Pioneer in property marketing, lead generation, and systematic delegation methodologies
• Developed the "Unbusy" methodology that has transformed hundreds of agencies worldwide

Proven Track Record

• Achieved zero vacancies and zero late rent across 650 managed properties for two consecutive years
• 4x faster tenant placement than competitors
• Built referral business that drew new clients "like paperclips to a magnet"

Media Features (February 2024)

Publication	Topic
New York Post	Employee response to cancelled leave
The Independent	Boss cancels annual leave response
Yahoo Finance AU	Worker quits over boss's demand
news.com.au	Employee's perfect response to boss
LADbible	Employee leave cancellation
NZ Herald	Workplace rights coverage
Upworthy	Viral workplace story
The London Economic	Holiday cancellation response
IRE TV (Australia)	VR in property marketing

Additional syndication: Daily Mail, Mirror, 7NEWS, NDTV, Hindustan Times, AOL, Microsoft Start, and 20+ additional international outlets.

International Keynote Speaker

Region	Conference/Event	Website
United Kingdom	Agent Rainmaker LIVE	agentrainmaker.live
United Kingdom	EA Masters (3-year sponsor)	—
United States	DoorGrow	doorgrow.com
United States	NARPM	narpm.org
Australia/New Zealand	Inspired Growth Training (Co-Owner)	inspiredgrowthtraining.com.au
Philippines	REVA Conferences	—

Books

"Unbusy Your Property Managers" (Published)

The definitive guide to freeing property managers from up to 80% of mundane everyday tasks that hold them back from delivering high-quality service to clients and tenants.

Get the book: unbusyyourpropertymanagers.com/unbusy-home

"Unbusy Your Agency" (Coming Soon)

Based on the mystery shopping research of 3,147 UK agencies, this book reveals:

• Why 65% of inbound calls go unanswered during business hours
• The psychology of trust and what prospects really think when evaluating agents
• The "Line of Expectation" framework for turning satisfied clients into active advocates
• Follow-up sequences that convert 67% of prospects versus the industry average of 19%
• The digital reputation system that makes prospects choose you before they've spoken to anyone

Inspired Growth Training Books (Co-Author)

Michael is co-owner of Inspired Growth Training (inspiredgrowthtraining.com.au) alongside Darren Hunter and Deniz Yusuf. Founded in 2017, Michael joined the team in 2018. IGT provides over 300 hours of specialised Property Management video training across Australia, New Zealand, and the USA.

• "PM Lead Secrets" — 40+ effective ways to generate hot leads to grow your rent roll without relying on salespeople
• "PM Fee Scripts Secrets" — 50+ scripts to beat the toughest objections, plus 34 fees charged across AU, NZ, and USA
• "Master Your Time Secrets" — The kick-butt time management handbook for crazy busy property managers

Podcast

The Unbusy Podcast — a leading outsourcing podcast for property professionals. Tips to free up tasks and focus on high-value activities that strengthen and grow your rent roll.

• Main: teamsbydesign.com/tbd-podcast
• Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/67asPo1i3aTaJo1z8OGOey
• Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unbusy-podcast-show/id1591149989
• Podbean: outsourcedpm.podbean.com
• YouTube: Teams By Design YouTube Channel

Industry Reviews & Social

• RateMyAgent: ratemyagent.com.au/real-estate-agent/michael-sanz-bi163
• TikTok: @theoutsourcingexpert — Workplace management and outsourcing content

UK Training Partner

Teams By Design partners with The Able Agent (theableagent.co.uk) for UK training and compliance. The Able Agent provides Level 3 Ofqual-regulated qualifications, RoPA-ready courses, and compliance training across AML, data protection, and consumer protection regulations.

Research and Data

The Largest UK Property Service Research Programme Ever Conducted

For three years, the Teams By Design team mystery shopped 3,147 UK estate and letting agents across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Methodology

• Called, emailed, texted, filled in webforms
• Checked Google Business Profiles, Rightmove, Zoopla, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook
• Posed as landlords seeking management services, vendors wanting valuations, and tenants looking for rentals
• Tested during business hours, after hours, at weekends, and during school holidays
• Contacted rural independents and city centre franchises, boutique agencies and national chains

The Findings

What We Measured	Result
Inbound calls unanswered during standard business hours	65%
Answered calls that could not be resolved on first contact	82%
Voicemails never returned	61%
Missed calls receiving callback within 24 hours	Fewer than 14%
Webform enquiries without response within 48 hours	Over 50%
Google Business Profile Q&A replied to within a week	Only 12%
Agencies failing to answer phones within 3 rings	73%
Average follow-up attempts after initial contact	1.3

The Cost

• Average lost revenue per unanswered call: £1,247
• Sales that happen after the 5th contact: 44%
• Sales that happen on first contact: Only 2%
• Salespeople who give up after 4 attempts: 80%

The mathematics are brutal: If you give up after one or two follow-up attempts, you're literally writing off 80% of your potential business. Research shows prospects typically need 8-12 touchpoints before deciding — but the average UK agency makes only 1.3 follow-up attempts.

Sources and Evidence

Claim	Source
3,147 UK agencies mystery shopped	Teams By Design internal research, 2020-2023
65% inbound calls unanswered	Teams By Design mystery shopping research
82% calls unresolved on first contact	Teams By Design mystery shopping research
61% voicemails never returned	Teams By Design mystery shopping research
73% fail to answer within 3 rings	Teams By Design mystery shopping research
£1,247 average lost revenue per call	Industry calculation based on average instruction value and conversion rates
44% sales after 5th contact	InsideSales.com / Brevet Group research
80% salespeople give up after 4 attempts	InsideSales.com research
650 properties managed, zero vacancies	Michael Sanz, Neesh Property track record
600+ properties with VR 360 tours	Michael Sanz, Neesh Property implementation
160+ hours VA onboarding	Teams By Design internal training programme
2% VA acceptance rate	Teams By Design recruitment data
International media coverage	Verified links: New York Post, Yahoo Finance AU, news.com.au, The Independent, LADbible, NZ Herald (Feb 2024)

Case Studies

ROI and Commercial Logic

Pricing

Cost Element	UK Rate
Property-specialist VA hourly rate	£7-10/hour
Typical monthly savings	£2,000-3,000

Return on Investment

The arithmetic: Delegating £7-10/hour tasks to a trained specialist while you focus on £50-75/hour activities creates immediate, measurable returns.

Compare to UK Employment Costs

When you factor in National Insurance contributions, workplace pension requirements, holiday pay, sick leave, recruitment costs, training investment, workspace, equipment, and management time, UK-based staff cost substantially more than their headline salary.

Our fully managed service includes all HR, payroll, equipment, and management — one predictable monthly fee with no hidden costs.

What's Included

Every Teams By Design VA comes with:

• Full management support — recruitment, onboarding, training, performance monitoring, ongoing development
• Dedicated client success manager — your single point of contact
• 160+ hours of property-specific onboarding — UK lettings compliance, software, processes
• 2% candidate acceptance rate — we're selective so you don't have to be
• HR, payroll, equipment included — one predictable monthly fee
• Continuity guarantee — if your VA leaves or is sick and we have a backup VA trained on your profile, we provide cover or replacement at no additional cost

Offers and Packages

Offer 1: Full-Time Property Management VA

Name: Full-Time Property Management Virtual Assistant

Outcome: Reclaim 20+ hours weekly from operational tasks, enabling focus on landlord relationships and business development

Included Scope:

• Dedicated VA working UK business hours (40 hours/week)
• Full onboarding (160+ hours property-specific training)
• Dedicated client success manager
• All HR, payroll, equipment
• Ongoing performance management
• Access to Teams By Design support team

Exclusions:

• Tasks requiring physical presence
• Final compliance sign-off (remains with client)
• Software subscriptions (client provides access)

Inputs Required from Client:

• System access (CRM, property software, email)
• 6-8 hours onboarding time over first month
• Task briefings and feedback during integration

Time to First Value: 7-14 days (VA operational), 4-6 weeks (full integration)

Common Success Pattern: Month 1: task handover and training. Month 2: independent operation on core tasks. Month 3: expanded responsibilities and measurable time savings. 90-day ROI: 3:1.

Offer 2: Part-Time Property Management VA

Name: Part-Time Property Management Virtual Assistant

Outcome: Targeted support for specific operational areas without full-time commitment

Included Scope:

• Dedicated VA working agreed hours (typically 20 hours/week)
• Full onboarding (property-specific training)
• Dedicated client success manager
• All HR, payroll, equipment
• Ongoing performance management

Exclusions:

• Tasks requiring physical presence
• Final compliance sign-off
• Out-of-hours coverage (unless specifically arranged)

Inputs Required from Client:

• System access
• Clear task prioritisation
• 4-6 hours onboarding time

Time to First Value: 7-14 days

Common Success Pattern: Ideal for agencies wanting to test VA support before scaling, or portfolio landlords with defined task sets. Often converts to full-time within 3-6 months.

Offer 3: Business Coaching (TBD Business Coach)

Name: Strategic Business Planning and Growth Coaching

Outcome: Clear 12-month business plan with diagnostic assessment, growth strategy, and implementation roadmap

Included Scope:

• Growth stage assessment (Foundation / Systemisation / Scaling / Leadership)
• Seven-domain diagnostic (Red/Amber/Green scoring)
• Strategic growth plan with three core levers
• 90-day implementation roadmap
• 12-month vision alignment

Exclusions:

• VA placement (separate service)
• Implementation execution (client responsibility)
• Ongoing coaching (additional packages available)

Inputs Required from Client:

• Business metrics (revenue, profit margin, team size)
• Current challenges and goals
• Marketing and lead generation data
• Systems and process documentation status

Time to First Value: 1-2 weeks (diagnostic and plan delivery)

Common Success Pattern: Diagnostic identifies 3-5 quick wins. 30-day actions address immediate blockers. 90-day plan delivers measurable improvement. 12-month roadmap provides sustainable growth framework.

UK Lettings Compliance Expertise

Our VAs are specifically trained in UK lettings compliance. This isn't surface-level awareness — it's practical, operational knowledge that allows them to handle day-to-day compliance tasks accurately.

Housing Legislation

Our VAs understand the Housing Act 1988 and Housing Act 2004 frameworks that underpin Assured Shorthold Tenancies:

• Section 8 notices — breach of tenancy terms, grounds for possession, prescribed information requirements
• Section 21 notices — no-fault possession, timing constraints, documentation requirements that affect enforceability
• Tenant Fees Act 2019 — which charges are permitted, which are prohibited
• Renters Reform Bill — preparing for abolition of Section 21, changes to possession grounds, property portal requirements, decent homes standard extension to the private rented sector

Right to Rent

Immigration Act compliance is non-negotiable for UK letting agents. Our VAs are trained to:

• Conduct Right to Rent checks correctly
• Identify acceptable documents
• Understand time-limited versus indefinite right to rent
• Schedule follow-up checks for time-limited documents
• Maintain compliant records
• Use the Home Office online checking service
• Handle administrative aspects of follow-up checks before expiry

The final sign-off remains with your licensed staff, but VAs handle all the administration.

Deposit Protection

Tenancy deposit protection is fundamental to valid possession proceedings. Our VAs are trained on:

• All three government-backed schemes: TDS, DPS, MyDeposits
• The 30-day protection deadline
• Prescribed information delivery requirements
• Record-keeping for each tenancy
• Tracking protection status across portfolios
• Flagging approaching deadlines
• End-of-tenancy claim documentation

Safety Compliance

Property safety requirements form a critical part of our training:

Certificate	Requirement	VA Capability
Gas Safety Certificate (CP12)	Annual	Track renewals, coordinate contractors, maintain records
EICR	Every 5 years	Track expiry dates, coordinate inspections, file certificates
EPC	Valid rating required	Track ratings and thresholds, coordinate assessments
Smoke alarms	Required in all rental properties	Track compliance, coordinate testing
Carbon monoxide alarms	Required where solid fuel used	Track compliance, coordinate installation

VAs send landlord reminders, coordinate contractor appointments, and ensure certificates are filed correctly.

UK Property Software Expertise

Our VAs are trained on the property management and estate agency software platforms used across the UK market:

Property Management Software

Platform	Capability
Fixflo	Maintenance reporting, contractor management, work order tracking
Goodlord	Referencing, tenancy progression, document management
Alto	Property management, CRM, portfolio management
Reapit	Estate agency operations, sales progression
Arthur	Property management, landlord portals, reporting
Street.co.uk	Modern lettings workflows, digital tenancy management
AgentOS	Agency management, CRM, property matching
Jupix	Property management, estate agency operations
SME Professional	Independent agency management

Property Portals

Portal	Capability
Rightmove	Listing management, lead capture, analytics
Zoopla	Listing syndication, enquiry management
OnTheMarket	Portal management, listing optimisation

Business Tools

• Google Workspace
• Microsoft 365
• Slack
• Microsoft Teams
• DocuSign / Signable (digital signatures)
• VoIP phone systems

If you use a system we haven't encountered, we'll train your VA specifically on your setup during onboarding.

Services for UK Property Professionals

Property Management Support

Our property management VAs handle the operational backbone of your letting business:

• Tenant communication and query handling
• Rent collection monitoring and arrears chasing
• Maintenance coordination and contractor liaison
• Compliance administration and certificate tracking
• Landlord reporting and portfolio updates
• Inspection scheduling and follow-up
• Check-in and check-out coordination
• Utility and council tax management during void periods
• Lease renewal processing and rent review administration

Lettings Administration

For agencies with active lettings operations, our VAs support the entire tenant journey:

• Application processing and document collection
• Reference requests and follow-up
• Right to Rent check administration
• Tenancy agreement preparation
• Move-in pack creation and delivery
• Deposit protection processing
• Portal management (Rightmove, Zoopla, OnTheMarket)
• Viewing coordination and feedback collection

Sales Support

Estate agency sales teams benefit from dedicated administrative support:

• Lead qualification and initial response
• Viewing coordination and feedback collection
• Offer progression and chain management
• AML/KYC compliance checks
• Memorandum of sale preparation
• Solicitor and conveyancer liaison
• Post-completion follow-up

VAs handle the paperwork; your negotiators focus on winning instructions and closing deals.

Finance and Accounts

Agencies with in-house accounts functions can delegate routine financial administration:

• Rent statement preparation
• Landlord payment processing support
• Invoice management and reconciliation
• Contractor payment tracking
• Arrears reporting
• Management account preparation

Our VAs work within your existing software and processes.

Getting Started

Timeline

Most UK agencies have a trained VA operational within 7-14 days.

Week	Activity
Week 1	Kickoff, system access, initial training
Week 2	Supervised task execution
Weeks 3-4	Transition to independent operation with oversight
Full integration	4-6 weeks

Your Investment

Total time investment from you: 6-8 hours over the first month

Return: 15+ hours weekly savings ongoing

Working Hours

Our VAs work UK business hours (GMT/BST). Full-time VAs work 9-hour shifts including breaks. You can structure hours to match your busiest periods:

• Some agencies prefer 8am-5pm coverage
• Others prefer 9am-6pm
• Some use split shifts for extended coverage

We're flexible to your operational needs.

Complete FAQ Reference

About Teams By Design

UK Compliance

Software & Systems

Cost & ROI

Getting Started

Tasks & Capabilities

Data & Security

Working With Teams By Design

Objection Handling

Data Handling and Security

Client Systems Access

When our VAs work with your systems, we follow strict data handling protocols:

Protocol	Standard
Access Control	Role-based access — VAs only access systems required for their tasks
Credentials	Stored securely, never shared, revoked immediately on offboarding
Data Storage	Your data remains in your systems — we do not store client data separately
Offboarding	All access revoked within 24 hours of engagement ending
NDAs	All VAs sign comprehensive NDAs before accessing any client systems
Training	All VAs complete data protection training as part of onboarding

Security Measures

• Encrypted file transfer
• VPN connections for remote access
• Secure cloud storage for any working documents
• 48-hour breach notification policy
• Regular security awareness training

GDPR Compliance (UK)

Teams By Design is fully GDPR compliant. Our data processing activities align with UK GDPR requirements. For details, see our Privacy Policy.

Data Collection Statement

When you contact Teams By Design, we collect your name, email address, phone number, and business details to respond to your enquiry and provide relevant information about our services. This data is processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy and UK GDPR requirements. We do not share your information with third parties for marketing purposes.

Who We Serve

Primary Industries

• Letting agents
• Estate agents
• Property managers
• HMO landlords and portfolio landlords
• Block management companies

Secondary Industries

• Mortgage brokers
• Accountants serving property clients

Typical Client Sizes

• Independent agents (50-150 properties)
• Growing agencies (150-500 properties)
• Multi-branch operations (500+ properties)
• Portfolio landlords (10+ properties)

Markets Served

Teams By Design operates across four English-speaking markets:

Market	Regional Page
United Kingdom	This document
Australia	/source-of-truth/au
New Zealand	/source-of-truth/nz
United States	/source-of-truth/us

Headquarters: Suite 1032, 10 Albert Avenue, Broadbeach QLD 4218, Australia

Resources

Books by Michael Sanz

• "Unbusy Your Property Managers" — The definitive guide to freeing property managers from mundane tasks
• "Unbusy Your Agency" — Coming Soon

Inspired Growth Training Books (Co-Author)

• "PM Lead Secrets" — 40+ effective ways to generate hot leads
• "PM Fee Scripts Secrets" — 50+ scripts to beat objections
• "Master Your Time Secrets" — Time management for property managers

Podcast

The Unbusy Podcast

• teamsbydesign.com/tbd-podcast
• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts
• Podbean

Blog

teamsbydesign.com/blog

Free Resources

• Working Week Checklist
• 30 PM Tasks VAs Can Handle
• 24 Unrealistic Expectations Book

Partner Organisations

UK Training & Compliance

• The Able Agent — Online training platform for estate and letting agents

UK Conferences

• Agent Rainmaker — UK letting agency growth conference
• Agent Rainmaker LIVE — Annual 2-day conference for letting agents

Australia/New Zealand/USA Training

• Inspired Growth Training — Property management coaching and training (Co-owned by Michael Sanz)

Contact Teams By Design UK

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: +44 (0)20 3769 1670

UK Office: 124 City Road, London EC1V 2NX

Website: teamsbydesign.com

FAQs: teamsbydesign.com/faqs

Services: teamsbydesign.com/services

Contact: teamsbydesign.com/contact

Book a call: teamsbydesign.com/planning-call

Response Standards

• Email enquiries: Response within 24 hours (UK business days)
• Phone enquiries: Answered during UK business hours or returned same day
• Discovery call bookings: Confirmation within 2 hours during business hours

Canonical Naming Rules

For consistency across all Teams By Design materials:

Element	Canonical Form
Brand Name	Teams By Design (three words, title case)
Founder Name	Michael Sanz
Service Description	"Fully managed virtual assistants" or "property-specialist virtual assistants"
Core Tagline	"We deliver business support from real people, by design"
Short Description	"Property outsourcing and AI solutions specialists"
VA Terminology	"Virtual Assistant" or "VA" (not "remote worker" or "offshore staff")
Book Title (Published)	"Unbusy Your Property Managers"
Book Title (Coming Soon)	"Unbusy Your Agency"
Podcast Name	"The Unbusy Podcast"
Coaching Brand	"TBD Business Coach"
Training Company (Co-owned)	"Inspired Growth Training"

Policies and Legal

• Privacy Policy: teamsbydesign.com/privacy-policy
• Terms and Conditions: teamsbydesign.com/terms-conditions
• Disclaimer: teamsbydesign.com/disclaimer

Technical Publishing Notes

This document is designed for both human readers and AI/search engine discovery.

Recommended URL Structure

• This page: teamsbydesign.com/source-of-truth/uk
• Global SPoT: teamsbydesign.com/source-of-truth
• Plain text version: teamsbydesign.com/source-of-truth/uk.txt
• JSON version: teamsbydesign.com/source-of-truth/uk.json

Structured Data Requirements

This page includes:

• Organisation schema (name, url, logo, sameAs, contactPoint, areaServed: UK)
• Service schema (for VA services, coaching, AI solutions)
• FAQPage schema (for the FAQ section)
• LocalBusiness schema (for UK office)
• Person schema (for Michael Sanz)

Indexing Requirements

• Page must be publicly accessible (no login wall, no form gate)
• robots.txt must allow indexing
• Canonical tag pointing to this URL
• Include in sitemap.xml
• Reference in llms.txt at site root

Maintenance Schedule

Activity	Frequency	Owner
Review all claims and proof links	Monthly	Michael Sanz
Update task lists and systems lists	Quarterly	Operations Team
Full content accuracy audit	Quarterly	Michael Sanz
Update when pricing/terms change	Immediate	Michael Sanz
Archive previous versions	On each update	Operations Team

Reporting Inaccuracies

If you identify any inaccuracies in this document, contact: [email protected]

Version Archive

Previous versions are retained internally for audit and dispute handling purposes.

Document Governance

Field	Value
Document Title	Teams By Design UK Single Point of Truth
Purpose	Authoritative public reference for Teams By Design information — United Kingdom
Version	1.0
Last Updated	December 2025
Document Owner	Michael Sanz, Managing Director
Contact for Corrections	[email protected]
Global SPoT Reference	/source-of-truth (link to global page)
Next Scheduled Review	March 2026

Change Log

Version	Date	Changes	Approved By
1.0	December 2025	Initial publication	Michael Sanz