Letting Agent Talk
7 in 10 landlords are yet to understand their obligations under new “Right to Rent” rules?
With the threat of a fines of £3,000 it would appear that Landlords should be well up on knowing who are renting their homes and if they are entitled to do so… Though is it fair to say that 70% of landlords will not fully understand their obligations re Right to Rent? The Government have…
Christopher Walkey
The Merseyrail Rental Map 2016.
You may remember that back in November we featured the ManchesterMetrolink Rent Map from the Digital Media Team. Two months later they’re at it again, this time turning their hands to Merseyside. Using the Merseyrail network they’ve listed the average monthly cost for a two-bedroom property based on the postcode of each station. You can view the image in full by clicking…
Alex Evans
Tax Changes to Affect Landlords in 2016.
Following last year’s Budget announced by George Osbourne, we have had to come to terms with the fact that Mortgage Interest Relief for residential landlords will be restricted to the basic income tax of 20%. In addition, landlords will no longer be entitled to a wear and tear allowance for furnished properties. Under the current…
Alex Evans
Visit properties regularly to stamp out multiple sub-tenants.
Recent news released from the NLA (National Landlords Association) reported that almost half of the tenants occupying rental property also partake in subletting that is not known by their landlords. This illegal practice is a growing trend, especially as immigration in to the UK continues to rise and costs landlords £1,000’s in costs for repairs…
Christopher Walkey
How to take care of the home interior when you live in a rental
Living in a rental is just as a responsible task as living in your own home. You need to maintain the place, pay the bills, provide repairs when necessary, etc. The fact that you don’t own the apartment may tempt you to do very little to preserve its possessions. It’s not advisable you do so,…
Repair Tips For Landlords from @Fixflo:
Investing in property may be seen as a safe way to make money, but it can be an expensive one too! If you’re new to buy to let you’ll quickly find out that the costs don’t stop once you’ve purchased the property. While ensuring that rent covers your fixed outgoings (mortgage, insurance, service charge etc) is…
Alex Evans
What to look for in a buy to let.
One of the most frequent questions I get asked from would be Landlords, what is the best type of property to buy? It is also the most sensible question to ask yourself. Purchasing a property to most people is the biggest item they will have ever bought in their life. If you’re buying it to…
Alex Evans
Is this the answer to self-regulatory controls in the private rental sector?
“There is an increasing call for more controls over the private rental sector and greater protection of tenants, while at the same time agencies are operating in an economy where tenants are under increasing financial pressure and the risk of rental default is very real,” says Shawn Brown, Director at PayProp. “The need to achieve…
Our tips for landlords: Make your rental property stand out.
As mortgages are becoming harder to obtain; this especially applies to first time buyers. It is not surprising that people are deciding to rent instead of buying a home. This might seem like an ideal situation for landlords but in fact it starts a fierce competition between landlords and rental prices. So if you are…
Alex Evans
Property maintenance: weathering winter storms.
Abigail, Barney, Clodagh and Desmond – what the first four severe storms were called following the Met Office’s decision to give bad weather names. It’s another reminder of how our little island gets battered and bruised by Mother Nature. Inclement weather shouldn’t take us by surprise but as we enter the season of gales, snow, sub…
ARPM
Swapping tenants mid tenancy ~ Importance of tenants attending check out.
Check Outs: In a recent survey in September 2015 the DPS (Deposit Protection Service) reported that nearly 50% of tenants do not bother to attend check outs. The survey was of 8035 tenants and those that had not attended are a reported huge 48%, nearly half of which said they had not been invited to…
Alex Evans
Smoke alarms, EPC’s and floor plans.
Smoke alarm and CO2 detectors With the recent new legislation for landlords to provide such working alarms at the outset of new tenancies we have come across a handful of properties at check in since 1st October where landlords/agents have not fully complied with the new laws. Considering this leaves the inventory clerk, agent and…
Alex Evans
Agency Essentials that every busy letting agent needs…
If you’re a letting agency business owner, you have limited time to spend on many tasks. You have to ensure that the business is gaining new ground and winning business, and this can only be achieved when you streamline your operations. Technology is playing an ever more critical role in helping property professionals stay competitive…
Retaliation Eviction – Can the Councils Cope?
Press release from Landlord Action: Today [Thursday 1st October], as part of The Deregulation Act 2015, a whole range of changes come into force which affect whether or not a landlord can serve a Section 21 notice on an assured shorthold tenancy (in England) as well as changes to the form itself. However, following lengthy…
Christopher Walkey
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms – do you have the right checks in place?
It’s been widely reported that landlords will be required by law to install working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in their properties, under measures announced by the then Housing Minister Brandon Lewis back in March 2015. The Government’s aim is to create a safer private rented sector, and a key part of that is to…
Alex Evans