Letting Agent Talk
Buying with “sitting tenants”
Finding a buy-to-let property with a tenant already occupying is in many respects an ideal situation for a new landlord looking to buy that property, there will be income from day one of ownership and all the hassle of finding a tenant would have been avoided, however before any potential buyer goes rushing ahead with…
Alex Evans
Buying a buy-to-let project.
An easy mistake to make when deciding to start a portfolio of buy-to-let properties is to under estimate the need for a professional approach and that infact you are running a business, to many it can appear a relatively simple way to make money with little risk, emphasis should be made on maximising potential return…
Alex Evans
Revealed … 75% of landlords left their agent due to poor service.
The Landlord & Tenant Survey, carried out by The Property Academy every year, has recently been published. With approximately 5000 participants, it’s one of the largest independent national surveys carried out each year. The results gave some key insights for letting agents when looking at how to grow your business. Landlords were asked what their…
2 Minute Repairs Survey: Your Chance To Win A £50 Amazon.co.uk Voucher!
Last year The Fixflo Report highlighted some startling trends for the lettings industry. Of particular note was the fact that over half of the property managers surveyed knew of a landlord who had switched agency due to a repair-related issue. This year’s survey is now open and there are TEN £50 Amazon.co.uk vouchers available for…
Alex Evans
Know your Money Laundering Red Flags
The term “Red Flag” originated during the days of gallant galleon combat where ships would signal their intent to engage each other in battle. Alas, those were simpler times. Criminals and scoundrels nowadays are unfortunately less forthright and you need to look for other signals that might be putting your business at risk. As I…
The lights are on but nobody’s home.
There are many different ways of looking after an empty property. Putting lights on timers, asking a neighbour to pop in and clear the post, nipping backwards and forwards to open the curtains at random times of the day. That’s all well and good if someone is going on holiday for a couple of weeks…
ARPM
More tips and advice when renovating a Buy-to-Let.
I have built up a good stock of reliable tradesman and I’m always glad to recommend their services. Ask for quotes and how long it will take to complete a job before anything is agreed. Getting a price upfront usually means that the electrician or plumber will not drag the job out and will want to move…
Alex Evans
Tips and advice when renovating a Buy-to-Let.
I purchased a one bedroom ground floor flat in Gorgie, Edinburgh last November with a plan to refurbish and rent it out. The property was in total disrepair. The previous owner had passed away and her son was selling the property. I viewed the flat on a wet and cold November evening and I could tell from the son…
Alex Evans
Top 5 Questions We’re Asked By Our Landlords.
As a first-time landlord there is so much to think about. If you are letting out the property you currently live in and purchasing a new home, not only will you have to deal with the stress of buying and moving, but you’ll soon realise that there is so much to organise before tenants arrive….
Alex Evans
Get with the programme, say tenants.
Half of tenants believe the tenancy application process is slow and outdated, according to market research company, Populus, who conducted a survey on behalf of tenancy software specialist OnBoard Pro. 1,000 Private Rental Sector tenants were questioned to give an independent analysis of the technology used in the lettings market. The results raised some thought…
Anti-Money Laundering: Senior Manager Responsibilities.
This is the second in a series of articles on mitigating money laundering risk in property transactions. Today’s article is about the role and responsibility of senior managers in the property market. Who falls under the scope of HMRC regulation? Estate agents and businesses carrying out estate agency work must register with HMRC. Further, HMRC…
Alex Evans
Tips For Renting To International Students.
BRITISH universities are experiencing a boom in foreign students, with the number of international students coming to the country to study having soared by 67% in 10 years. With the percentage of overseas students at British universities expected to rise from 15 per cent of all students in 2008 to 21 per cent in 2018,…
Alex Evans
Cleaning Issues Are Ongoing Problem At Check Out.
When carrying out inventories, check in’s and check out’s we notice there is a general overall lack of respect for property by tenants with a change in tenant’s hygiene standards. Many tenants fail to leave their property in the same condition as check in at check out and we have seen many properties left in…
Alex Evans
How to maximise your buy-to-let profits.
The buy-to-let market is flourishing, especially in areas where lots of people want to live and work, such as London and the South East. Other investments (such as bonds) are not producing the returns they have in the past and interest rates are still at an all-time low of 0.5% above base rate, so savvy…
Alex Evans
Should I Renew My Tenants’ Tenancy Agreement?
Should I Renew My Tenants’ Tenancy Agreement? Although most landlords and agents will be very familiar with the concept of a “standard” 6-month or 12-month tenancy, how tenancy renewals are handled can be considerably different from one agent to the next. In this article we look at the options that are available and the pros…
Alex Evans