Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesVirgin moves into portfolio lending https://t.co/D3wUGw1cSJ
— FTAdviser (@FTAdviser) June 26, 2018
Saturday, June 30, 2018
Virgin moves into portfolio lending
Young people gloomy about home owning prospects
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesYoung people gloomy about home owning prospects https://t.co/t4L99NWmBg pic.twitter.com/jHKII0oESi
— Mortgage Introducer (@MortgageChat) June 26, 2018
Thursday, June 28, 2018
Can landlords discriminate against families
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesCan landlords legally discriminate against families with children? https://t.co/tDjUddQxpT pic.twitter.com/eJju94zDAy
— News on the Block (@newsontheblock) June 26, 2018
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Best areas for BTL - GoCompare tool
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesGoCompare launches tool to find best areas for buy to let with Manchester in top position - https://t.co/gwUWuoxrZP
— Mortgage Solutions (@mortgagesols) June 27, 2018
DWP roll out Universal Credit in 10 more job centres this week
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance rates#UniversalCredit will be rolled out to all new claimants in 10 jobcentres this week – check to see if it’s in your area https://t.co/x1lAdnkfO2 pic.twitter.com/BITntqPrmb
— DWP (@DWP) June 27, 2018
House price growth falls to 5 yr low
UK house price growth falls to five-year lowhttps://t.co/LsmB3is3Km
— Telegraph News (@TelegraphNews) June 27, 2018
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesUK house prices in June grow at slowest rate for five years https://t.co/b6uXOQ3lVS #Housing pic.twitter.com/gxs5nFOHIB
— Property PR (@propertypr) June 27, 2018
RLA's latest Rental Index - growth unchanged
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesRental price growth in Great Britain remained unchanged from April 2018, with rents increasing by 1.0% in the 12 months to May 2018. Learn more about the latest housing stats and data on renting in the @RLA_PEARL Rental Index https://t.co/cgQhUetb10 #EvidenceWeek #WednesdayWisdom
— RLA Landlord News (@RLA_News) June 27, 2018
YourMove Rental Tracker - May
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesRents up in East Midlands and South West, but down in London and Wales:https://t.co/wPHrRcXVaS
— Mortgage Strategy (@MortgageStrat) June 27, 2018
London renters spend £1.1m more
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesRenters spend £1.1m more than buyers in their lifetime, research finds https://t.co/EhOOTLPjhj
— Property Hawk (@landlordnews) June 26, 2018
Should I provide my tenants with fans?
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesYou asked: Should I provide tenants with fans during the heatwave? https://t.co/gsMN7bDtJz #heatwaveuk #lettings #weather
— RLA Landlord News (@RLA_News) June 26, 2018
Accord launch BTL for first time landlords
Accord launches new mortgages for first-time landlords - https://t.co/qpEyZljALZ— Mortgage Solutions (@mortgagesols) June 26, 2018
Email:info@propertyhawkbtlmortgages.co.uk
Tel: 029 2069 5446
England's Tenant Fees Bill analysis
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesEngland's Tenant Fees Bill analysis for report stage #TenantFees https://t.co/qYCgXrtAdM
— ARLA Propertymark (@arla_uk) June 26, 2018
Nationwide's HPI is out - read full report
London weakest region with prices down 1.9% y-o-y, yet they remain more than 50% above 2007 peak. East Midlands strongest region (4.4% annual growth). Scotland saw notable pickup in annual price growth (3.1% in Q2, up from 0.2% in Q1). Full report: https://t.co/Dz4Sqd4bAn (2/2)
— NBS External Affairs (@NationwidePress) June 27, 2018
UK house prices by region in 2018 Q2 compared with a year earlier. Slower house price growth in most regions & accelerating price falls in London.#ukhousing #housing #London https://t.co/5yDsuG9F7s pic.twitter.com/mKi6dkEjNC
— Noble Francis (@NobleFrancis) June 27, 2018
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesAnnual House Price Growth Slows to a Five-Year Low in June https://t.co/cGKwQYnwv3 @AskNationwide pic.twitter.com/i1E8LxfldW
— Property4Media (@Prop4MediaUK) June 27, 2018
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
New C4 comedy series about a letting agent
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance rates‘It’s a lovely flat, there’s no willies’: Stath Lets Flats finds humour in the housing crisis https://t.co/5FxZnoneY4
— Property Hawk (@landlordnews) June 26, 2018
How to sell a property faster
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesThis is what buyers are looking for. https://t.co/88l0WHvnYC
— Which? Money (@WhichMoney) June 26, 2018
The 'How to Let Guide' from MHCLG
As a landlord its important you know what your rights and responsibilities are. We cover these and all the other information you need in our ‘How To Let’ guide which is available at https://t.co/ZjzSLmzesO pic.twitter.com/FqnKlEpQJN
— Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Govt (@mhclg) June 26, 2018
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesOur new how-to guides will ensure you have all the information you need to understand your rights and responsibilities in the private rented and leasehold sectors. You can find How to Rent, How to Let, How To Lease and How to Rent a safe home on https://t.co/aCeYK4XONb pic.twitter.com/aY3Wx8mx5t
— Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Govt (@mhclg) June 26, 2018
The Savills Housing Sector Survey
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesSavills and @HousingMagazine launch The Savills Housing Sector Survey 2018 - read the full report here: https://t.co/sy0GoyG8Q3 #CIHHousing2018 pic.twitter.com/BgD3kbo9WH
— Savills (@Savills) June 26, 2018
What are the alternatives to BTL?
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesIf buy-to-let is dying, what are the alternatives? https://t.co/KWGPPvha4L #buytotlet #property pic.twitter.com/4atAu114Us
— Zoopla (@Zoopla) June 26, 2018
Gov announces £1bn council house boost
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesCommunities Secretary @JBrokenshire has announced support for a new generation of council housing by inviting bids for a share of £1bn extra borrowing. More details: https://t.co/OAbcOqkNg5 #UKHousing pic.twitter.com/Jb64xKrjjW
— Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Govt (@mhclg) June 26, 2018
Mortgage approvals rise in May - UK Finance
We've released our Household Finance Update for May 2018: https://t.co/jbFkoKBaMr Personal deposits grew by 1.6 per cent in the last 12 months. pic.twitter.com/UfIzkA9dke
— UK Finance (@UKFtweets) June 26, 2018
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesMortgage approvals rise in May driven by remortgaging - UK Finance - https://t.co/ezlLiZvO75
— Mortgage Solutions (@mortgagesols) June 26, 2018
Interest rate rise should not be delayed
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesBank of England policymaker warns interest rate rise should not be delayed - https://t.co/AgwK0ItCAA
— Mortgage Solutions (@mortgagesols) June 26, 2018
Is it illegal to rent out a house without a BTL mortgage?
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesIs it illegal to rent out a house without a buy-to-let mortgage? https://t.co/NKVxZymTdS
— Telegraph Money (@MoneyTelegraph) June 20, 2018
Tips for getting the top property price
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesRead our top tips on how to get the highest offer when selling your home 🏡 https://t.co/3bTS4J6Atq
— Telegraph Property (@TeleProperty) June 25, 2018
Monday, June 25, 2018
How can ensure the kids get my house?
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesI've met a new partner – how can I ensure my kids get my house? https://t.co/Q803KdPmWD
— Guardian Money (@guardianmoney) June 25, 2018
Building a garden room
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesBuilding a garden room could add up to 10% to the value of your property, experts say https://t.co/tT5K01hkmr
— Telegraph Property (@TeleProperty) June 25, 2018
30 thing to make a house a home
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesThese 30 things make a house a home, according to British homeowners. Do you agree? https://t.co/SRAN6ITXUS #dreamhome pic.twitter.com/Q1LrxUZkze
— Northwood UK (@northwooduk) June 24, 2018
Are landlords bending energy efficiency rules?
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesAre some landlords bending energy efficiency rules? https://t.co/kX6O9X2x28
— Guardian Money (@guardianmoney) June 23, 2018
9 in 10 solicitors don't understand stamp duty
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance rates'Nine in 10 solicitors don't understand stamp duty': here are the loopholes they might have missed https://t.co/cMAh0Yt3GU #stampduty
— Telegraph Money (@MoneyTelegraph) June 25, 2018
PRS to factor in 253 MPs seats by 2022
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesNice analysis on the private rented sector. In 2001, there were 18 seats where private renters made up more than 20% of households. By 2022, there will be an estimated 253 such seats. pic.twitter.com/POfBeCk1hn
— Paul Wellman (@PaulWellman_EG) June 24, 2018
Single FTB needs 17 years to find 15% for a London deposit
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesSingle first-time buyer in London needs 17 years to find 15% deposit – report https://t.co/6AJuwNrb5k #Housing pic.twitter.com/2bmY7QoQZf
— Property PR (@propertypr) June 24, 2018
'Renting v selling' an inherited property
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesMany people, if they have spare funds, buy a property with the intention of letting it out in the hope this will provide something of a pension pot in retirement.https://t.co/LkkD6ZlaBP
— FTAdviser (@FTAdviser) June 24, 2018
BTL must be curbed - says Tory thinktank
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesBuy-to-let has skewed housing market and must be curbed, says thinktank https://t.co/rng2tkPyY3
— Guardian news (@guardiannews) June 25, 2018
Sunday, June 24, 2018
Interest rates are still low... for now
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance rates#InterestRates in Britain should be much higher than they are now, says @John_Stepek. But these are strange times – don't expect things to stay as they are https://t.co/7woN72HTqq pic.twitter.com/SecsAdPAM6
— MoneyWeek (@MoneyWeek) June 22, 2018
Saturday, June 23, 2018
Landlords still in the dark with PRA changes
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesNLA warns that landlords are still in the dark about PRA changes and hits out at brokers and lenders for failing to communicate the new regime https://t.co/ui6SrCKJs6
— Mortgage Strategy (@MortgageStrat) June 22, 2018
Lettings market recovers from spring slump
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesLettings market recovers from ‘spring slump’ https://t.co/UPEtjDlNRw pic.twitter.com/uKtpnNOjYY
— UKALA (@InfoUkala) June 22, 2018
Leeds latest lender to cut BTL rates
Leeds BS latest lender to cut cost of BTL rates https://t.co/1K8IfWWIUZ— Mortgage Strategy (@MortgageStrat) June 22, 2018
Email:info@propertyhawkbtlmortgages.co.uk
Tel: 029 2069 5446
Friday, June 22, 2018
Universal Credit is great British innovation
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesMcVey: Universal Credit is 'great British innovation' #ukhousinghttps://t.co/TBxeSfGfiI
— Inside Housing (@insidehousing) June 22, 2018
PRS in Scotland bucks UK-wide slow-down
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesPrivate rental market in Scotland bucks UK-wide slow-down https://t.co/4XUnD3j2bI pic.twitter.com/LLUBtMRnRn
— ARLA Propertymark (@arla_uk) June 22, 2018
Thursday, June 21, 2018
A fall in planning applications
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesPlanning applications fall.... despite Government pledge to build more homeshttps://t.co/pRkQCrHf4f
— Mortgage Strategy (@MortgageStrat) June 21, 2018
BofE vote 6 to 3 to maintain base rate
Bank of England votes 6 to 3 to maintain base rate, but what does this mean for mortgages? https://t.co/Si0wB738v1
— Which? Money (@WhichMoney) June 21, 2018
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesMonetary policy summary and minutes of the MPC meeting ending on 20 June 2018 #BankRate https://t.co/r463I8Ssd3
— Bank of England (@bankofengland) June 21, 2018
Sainsburys and Skipton cut BTL rates
Sainsbury's Bank and Skipton cut buy-to-let mortgage rates - https://t.co/NfsA1xtJhT— Mortgage Solutions (@mortgagesols) June 21, 2018
Email:info@propertyhawkbtlmortgages.co.uk
Tel: 029 2069 5446
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Skipton cuts BTL rates by up to 0.23%
Skipton cuts buy-to-let rates by up to 0.23% https://t.co/ZeSjSIgYwd— Mortgage Strategy (@MortgageStrat) June 20, 2018
Email:info@propertyhawkbtlmortgages.co.uk
Tel: 029 2069 5446
Renting more expensive than buying... everywhere
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesRenting now more expensive than buying in all areas of the UKhttps://t.co/0lfWCky0Gp
— Mortgage Strategy (@MortgageStrat) June 20, 2018
Gov. announces selective licensing review
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesThe government has announced a review to look at how selective licensing is used and find out how well it is working >> https://t.co/VdFpzP6Kbw
— RLA Landlord News (@RLA_News) June 20, 2018
UK housing market loses £1bn in value
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesUK housing market loses £1bn in valuehttps://t.co/HZwvlr5sa5
— Telegraph News (@TelegraphNews) June 20, 2018
Not every millennial wants to buy a house
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesNote to news outlets: not every millennial wants to buy a house | James Ball https://t.co/HLujEqIOa3
— Property Hawk (@landlordnews) June 20, 2018
Landlords! Here Are The Surveys You Never Knew You Needed…
The private rental market has exploded. According to The Guardian 46% of 25-34 year olds are in rented accommodation and UK tenants paid over £50bn in rents last year. With UK tenants paying a record £51.6bn in rents last year, we’ve seen rental income for landlords more than double in the decade since 2007.
So, times are good for landlords at the moment. It’s becoming increasingly difficult for people to get on to the property ladder. With lenders tightening up on mortgages the trend for renting, rather than buying, looks set to continue. Landlords can sit back and let the good times roll, right?
Well, whilst we doubt the rental market is going anywhere anytime soon, care still needs to be taken. As ever with these things as something becomes bigger and more popular, often much more scrutiny is applied.
That’s why it’s more important than ever for landlords to protect themselves against every eventuality.
We’ve come up with the following list of surveys that can help landlords avoid any nasty surprises:
Asbestos Surveys
Back in 1999, asbestos became a banned substance in the UK. That means all pre-2000 properties could contain asbestos. As a landlord, it’s up to you to know whether your property has asbestos containing materials (ACMs) present. If so, you’ll need to create a robust plan of action to safely deal with them.
As recent as 2016 there were still around 3000 asbestos related deaths in the UK. A staggering number considering how long the substance has been banned. ‘The Control Of Asbestos Regulations 2012’ have been set out by the HSE to ensure property owners remain fully compliant with the law and also ensure the safety of their tenants.
There are several types of asbestos surveys with some of the common ones being asbestos management surveys, asbestos refurbishment surveys and asbestos demolition surveys. Thankfully, there are plenty of very good environmental consultancies out there, such as EDP, who can talk landlords through the most appropriate course of action. Consultancies like this specialise in helping property owners to identify ACMs and develop their asbestos management plan accordingly.
Fire Risk Assessments
Since the horrific events of Grenfell Tower last year, fire safety has quite rightly been brought back to the forefront of everyone’s minds; both landlords and tenants. There’s some excellent advice on fire risk assessments at the gov.uk website which you can read more about here.
From a landlords perspective, there are several things you must consider to ensure the safety of your tenants and to protect your property in the event of a fire. There are several acts that must be adhered to if you want to remain fire safety compliant, such as ‘The Housing Act 2004 Including The Housing Health And Safety Rating System’, ‘The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005’ and ‘The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015’, amongst others.
There’s a lot there to keep up-to-date with and it’s further complicated by the fact certain rules are different in the different countries within the UK. Fortunately, firms like The Parr Group exist to take the pressure off landlords. By offering a range of services including fire extinguishers, fire alarm systems, maintenance services and fire safety training, full compliance with the law and safety regulations can be guaranteed.
Property Transcription
Property transcription services are available across the country to landlords, estate agents, letting agents and property managers.
Some of the common types of property transcription services include homebuyer reports, building survey reports, inventory reports, check ins/check outs, schedules of dilapidation, schedule of works and expert reports. Phew; that’s a lot to get through. No wonder a growing number of landlords and agents are outsourcing these arduous tasks!
Apple Transcription, for example, provide a whole host of reports to help with job tracking and progress updates, as well as offering an online system to securely store and manage all of your transcripts. This sort of service can be particularly useful if you manage a number of different properties.
Energy Performance Certificates
Did you know since 1st April 2018 privately rented properties must meet new energy efficiency standards? If these standards aren’t met, landlords can’t let them out to new tenants or re-let them to existing ones. Imagine the amount of income you could lose if you’re not up to date with new ‘Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards’ (MEES).
The magic letter for compliance is ‘E’. ‘E-grade’ is what your property must achieve to be compliant. Don’t be complacent if you think your property already has the ‘E-grade’ either; as of April 1st the ‘E-grade’ standards changed so it’s better to double check your property remains let-able otherwise you could face fines for lack of compliance.
If you fall short of the standards and can’t get a relevant EPC, what can you do? A few things to try straight away include taking a look at attic insulation and cavity walls insulation, implementation of low-energy LED lighting and installation of a SMART meter.
Some of the larger energy suppliers are also offering help and advice to landlords. If you’re unsure of anything, why not try getting in touch with your energy provider for further guidance too?
Electrical Installations and Appliances
Ensuring that electrical installations and appliances are safe and in good working order are key considerations for all landlords.
With electrical installations, there’s a recommendation from the Electrical Safety Council to have a qualified electrician carry out inspections and tests every five years. Furthermore if the property is a house of multiple occupation, this becomes a statutory requirement.
With regards to appliances, the government has confirmed that PAT testing of appliances is solely at the discretion of the landlord. That said, the Electrical Safety Council do advise that for larger appliances such as fridges, washing machines and electric fires, PAT testing should be carried out every 4 years. For smaller appliances like lamps, kettles and toasters, they recommend PAT testing should be done every 2 years.
In Summary
So, there you have it. It’s officially a great time to be a landlord in terms of the record numbers of properties being rented, however it’s also a potentially dangerous time for landlords that don’t take health and safety seriously.
By keeping up-to-date with current legislation and getting the right help from expert consultants, you’ll help to keep your properties in perfect order whilst remaining fully compliant. These two things combined will make it easier for you to rent your properties out, stay profitable and, most importantly, keep your tenants safe and happy. The private rental market has exploded. According to The Guardian 46% of 25-34 year olds are in rented accommodation and UK tenants paid over £50bn in rents last year. With UK tenants paying a record £51.6bn in rents last year, we’ve seen rental income for landlords more than double in the decade since 2007.
So, times are good for landlords at the moment. It’s becoming increasingly difficult for people to get on to the property ladder. With lenders tightening up on mortgages the trend for renting, rather than buying, looks set to continue. Landlords can sit back and let the good times roll, right?
Well, whilst we doubt the rental market is going anywhere anytime soon, care still needs to be taken. As ever with these things as something becomes bigger and more popular, often much more scrutiny is applied.
That’s why it’s more important than ever for landlords to protect themselves against every eventuality.
We’ve come up with the following list of surveys that can help landlords avoid any nasty surprises:
Asbestos Surveys
Back in 1999, asbestos became a banned substance in the UK. That means all pre-2000 properties could contain asbestos. As a landlord, it’s up to you to know whether your property has asbestos containing materials (ACMs) present. If so, you’ll need to create a robust plan of action to safely deal with them.
As recent as 2016 there were still around 3000 asbestos related deaths in the UK. A staggering number considering how long the substance has been banned. ‘The Control Of Asbestos Regulations 2012’ have been set out by the HSE to ensure property owners remain fully compliant with the law and also ensure the safety of their tenants.
There are several types of asbestos surveys with some of the common ones being asbestos management surveys, asbestos refurbishment surveys and asbestos demolition surveys. Thankfully, there are plenty of very good environmental consultancies out there, such as EDP, who can talk landlords through the most appropriate course of action. Consultancies like this specialise in helping property owners to identify ACMs and develop their asbestos management plan accordingly.
Fire Risk Assessments
Since the horrific events of Grenfell Tower last year, fire safety has quite rightly been brought back to the forefront of everyone’s minds; both landlords and tenants. There’s some excellent advice on fire risk assessments at the gov.uk website which you can read more about here.
From a landlords perspective, there are several things you must consider to ensure the safety of your tenants and to protect your property in the event of a fire. There are several acts that must be adhered to if you want to remain fire safety compliant, such as ‘The Housing Act 2004 Including The Housing Health And Safety Rating System’, ‘The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005’ and ‘The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015’, amongst others.
There’s a lot there to keep up-to-date with and it’s further complicated by the fact certain rules are different in the different countries within the UK. Fortunately, firms like The Parr Group exist to take the pressure off landlords. By offering a range of services including fire extinguishers, fire alarm systems, maintenance services and fire safety training, full compliance with the law and safety regulations can be guaranteed.
Property Transcription
Property transcription services are available across the country to landlords, estate agents, letting agents and property managers.
Some of the common types of property transcription services include homebuyer reports, building survey reports, inventory reports, check ins/check outs, schedules of dilapidation, schedule of works and expert reports. Phew; that’s a lot to get through. No wonder a growing number of landlords and agents are outsourcing these arduous tasks!
Apple Transcription, for example, provide a whole host of reports to help with job tracking and progress updates, as well as offering an online system to securely store and manage all of your transcripts. This sort of service can be particularly useful if you manage a number of different properties.
Energy Performance Certificates
Did you know since 1st April 2018 privately rented properties must meet new energy efficiency standards? If these standards aren’t met, landlords can’t let them out to new tenants or re-let them to existing ones. Imagine the amount of income you could lose if you’re not up to date with new ‘Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards’ (MEES).
The magic letter for compliance is ‘E’. ‘E-grade’ is what your property must achieve to be compliant. Don’t be complacent if you think your property already has the ‘E-grade’ either; as of April 1st the ‘E-grade’ standards changed so it’s better to double check your property remains let-able otherwise you could face fines for lack of compliance.
If you fall short of the standards and can’t get a relevant EPC, what can you do? A few things to try straight away include taking a look at attic insulation and cavity walls insulation, implementation of low-energy LED lighting and installation of a SMART meter.
Some of the larger energy suppliers are also offering help and advice to landlords. If you’re unsure of anything, why not try getting in touch with your energy provider for further guidance too?
Electrical Installations and Appliances
Ensuring that electrical installations and appliances are safe and in good working order are key considerations for all landlords.
With electrical installations, there’s a recommendation from the Electrical Safety Council to have a qualified electrician carry out inspections and tests every five years. Furthermore if the property is a house of multiple occupation, this becomes a statutory requirement.
With regards to appliances, the government has confirmed that PAT testing of appliances is solely at the discretion of the landlord. That said, the Electrical Safety Council do advise that for larger appliances such as fridges, washing machines and electric fires, PAT testing should be carried out every 4 years. For smaller appliances like lamps, kettles and toasters, they recommend PAT testing should be done every 2 years.
In Summary
So, there you have it. It’s officially a great time to be a landlord in terms of the record numbers of properties being rented, however it’s also a potentially dangerous time for landlords that don’t take health and safety seriously.
By keeping up-to-date with current legislation and getting the right help from expert consultants, you’ll help to keep your properties in perfect order whilst remaining fully compliant. These two things combined will make it easier for you to rent your properties out, stay profitable and, most importantly, keep your tenants safe and happy. The private rental market has exploded. According to The Guardian 46% of 25-34 year olds are in rented accommodation and UK tenants paid over £50bn in rents last year. With UK tenants paying a record £51.6bn in rents last year, we’ve seen rental income for landlords more than double in the decade since 2007.
So, times are good for landlords at the moment. It’s becoming increasingly difficult for people to get on to the property ladder. With lenders tightening up on mortgages the trend for renting, rather than buying, looks set to continue. Landlords can sit back and let the good times roll, right?
Well, whilst we doubt the rental market is going anywhere anytime soon, care still needs to be taken. As ever with these things as something becomes bigger and more popular, often much more scrutiny is applied.
That’s why it’s more important than ever for landlords to protect themselves against every eventuality.
We’ve come up with the following list of surveys that can help landlords avoid any nasty surprises:
Asbestos Surveys
Back in 1999, asbestos became a banned substance in the UK. That means all pre-2000 properties could contain asbestos. As a landlord, it’s up to you to know whether your property has asbestos containing materials (ACMs) present. If so, you’ll need to create a robust plan of action to safely deal with them.
As recent as 2016 there were still around 3000 asbestos related deaths in the UK. A staggering number considering how long the substance has been banned. ‘The Control Of Asbestos Regulations 2012’ have been set out by the HSE to ensure property owners remain fully compliant with the law and also ensure the safety of their tenants.
There are several types of asbestos surveys with some of the common ones being asbestos management surveys, asbestos refurbishment surveys and asbestos demolition surveys. Thankfully, there are plenty of very good environmental consultancies out there, such as EDP, who can talk landlords through the most appropriate course of action. Consultancies like this specialise in helping property owners to identify ACMs and develop their asbestos management plan accordingly.
Fire Risk Assessments
Since the horrific events of Grenfell Tower last year, fire safety has quite rightly been brought back to the forefront of everyone’s minds; both landlords and tenants. There’s some excellent advice on fire risk assessments at the gov.uk website which you can read more about here.
From a landlords perspective, there are several things you must consider to ensure the safety of your tenants and to protect your property in the event of a fire. There are several acts that must be adhered to if you want to remain fire safety compliant, such as ‘The Housing Act 2004 Including The Housing Health And Safety Rating System’, ‘The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005’ and ‘The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015’, amongst others.
There’s a lot there to keep up-to-date with and it’s further complicated by the fact certain rules are different in the different countries within the UK. Fortunately, firms like The Parr Group exist to take the pressure off landlords. By offering a range of services including fire extinguishers, fire alarm systems, maintenance services and fire safety training, full compliance with the law and safety regulations can be guaranteed.
Property Transcription
Property transcription services are available across the country to landlords, estate agents, letting agents and property managers.
Some of the common types of property transcription services include homebuyer reports, building survey reports, inventory reports, check ins/check outs, schedules of dilapidation, schedule of works and expert reports. Phew; that’s a lot to get through. No wonder a growing number of landlords and agents are outsourcing these arduous tasks!
Apple Transcription, for example, provide a whole host of reports to help with job tracking and progress updates, as well as offering an online system to securely store and manage all of your transcripts. This sort of service can be particularly useful if you manage a number of different properties.
Energy Performance Certificates
Did you know since 1st April 2018 privately rented properties must meet new energy efficiency standards? If these standards aren’t met, landlords can’t let them out to new tenants or re-let them to existing ones. Imagine the amount of income you could lose if you’re not up to date with new ‘Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards’ (MEES).
The magic letter for compliance is ‘E’. ‘E-grade’ is what your property must achieve to be compliant. Don’t be complacent if you think your property already has the ‘E-grade’ either; as of April 1st the ‘E-grade’ standards changed so it’s better to double check your property remains let-able otherwise you could face fines for lack of compliance.
If you fall short of the standards and can’t get a relevant EPC, what can you do? A few things to try straight away include taking a look at attic insulation and cavity walls insulation, implementation of low-energy LED lighting and installation of a SMART meter.
Some of the larger energy suppliers are also offering help and advice to landlords. If you’re unsure of anything, why not try getting in touch with your energy provider for further guidance too?
Electrical Installations and Appliances
Ensuring that electrical installations and appliances are safe and in good working order are key considerations for all landlords.
With electrical installations, there’s a recommendation from the Electrical Safety Council to have a qualified electrician carry out inspections and tests every five years. Furthermore if the property is a house of multiple occupation, this becomes a statutory requirement.
With regards to appliances, the government has confirmed that PAT testing of appliances is solely at the discretion of the landlord. That said, the Electrical Safety Council do advise that for larger appliances such as fridges, washing machines and electric fires, PAT testing should be carried out every 4 years. For smaller appliances like lamps, kettles and toasters, they recommend PAT testing should be done every 2 years.
In Summary
So, there you have it. It’s officially a great time to be a landlord in terms of the record numbers of properties being rented, however it’s also a potentially dangerous time for landlords that don’t take health and safety seriously.
By keeping up-to-date with current legislation and getting the right help from expert consultants, you’ll help to keep your properties in perfect order whilst remaining fully compliant. These two things combined will make it easier for you to rent your properties out, stay profitable and, most importantly, keep your tenants safe and happy.
Fair wear and tear and tenancy deposits
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesAge, quality, expected lifespan, length of tenancy 🤔
— mydeposits (@mydeposits) June 20, 2018
These are all things that have to be considered when fair wear and tear is concerned 👊🏽
Read all about it here ➡️➡️ https://t.co/bt6mU2H9z5 pic.twitter.com/Uhf3bv9CUR
Cannabis farms and your rental properties
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesGoing to pot: Cannabis farms and your rental homes https://t.co/aViHHV1APE
— RLA Landlord News (@RLA_News) June 20, 2018
45% gap between asking and selling prices
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance rates45% gap between asking and selling prices https://t.co/nujMbaiWId pic.twitter.com/ldqMP3g7TH
— Mortgage Introducer (@MortgageChat) June 20, 2018
The ONS selling price interactive map
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesHow much did properties sell for in your neighbourhood? Find out with our interactive map https://t.co/hiXvQdEbOd pic.twitter.com/AmdAydeF36
— ONS (@ONS) June 20, 2018
Gov. publishes licensing/HMO changes
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesGovernment publishes key licensing/HMO changes to further protect #tenants https://t.co/GRbhiNa9YA
— NALScheme (@NALScheme) June 20, 2018
Fear of further London property price falls
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesNew warning of further price falls in the London housing market: https://t.co/M5G0qdXDYR
— Mortgage Strategy (@MortgageStrat) June 20, 2018
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Build-to-rent sector has grown 30%
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesThe total number of build-to-rent homes that are complete, under construction and in planning across the UK has increased by 30% in the past year: https://t.co/LXeJwgea1m pic.twitter.com/N2n6yDfXyp
— Savills (@Savills) June 19, 2018
Gov. funded social rented housing starts - graph
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesAnd here is the picture for government-funded social rented housing starts over the last few years #ukhousing https://t.co/A5yoiWUDaZ pic.twitter.com/bzEXFxcmr2
— Inside Housing (@insidehousing) June 19, 2018
How much of the mortgage market does BTL take up?
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesHow much of the mortgage market does buy-to-let take up? Find out more at https://t.co/TZUOB5soGp #hustleforhomes #firsttimebuyers #property #landlord #generationrent #propertyladder pic.twitter.com/uSWwa2EcWM
— NLA (@nationalandlord) June 19, 2018
Hoarder dies as fire brigade unable to get into cluttered home
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesHoarders died after fire brigade were unable get into their cluttered home, inquest hearshttps://t.co/QmB0S0pOqu
— Telegraph News (@TelegraphNews) June 19, 2018
Gov. consultation on cladding ban
We’ve listened to concerns and launched a consultation on banning combustible materials on the external walls of high-rise residential buildings 18 meters or over. Read more: https://t.co/Nuef8WlGiH
— Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Govt (@mhclg) June 18, 2018
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesTell us your views by participating in our consultation: https://t.co/Ow7kZ84c6T
— Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Govt (@mhclg) June 18, 2018
What to look for when buying a building plot
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesWhat to look out for if you're buying land for a self-build https://t.co/JI9a0cOvkq
— Telegraph Property (@TeleProperty) June 19, 2018
BTL more profitable than 2 years ago
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesBuy to let more profitable than two years ago - economist - https://t.co/Jg08LHLHFI
— Mortgage Solutions (@mortgagesols) June 19, 2018
House prices up by an average of £6k in a year
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesHouse prices rise by average £6,000 in a year - LSL - https://t.co/WtOSP4M2tn
— Mortgage Solutions (@mortgagesols) June 18, 2018
Agent goes missing owing thousands to landlords
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesThousands owed to landlords and tenant deposits not secured as estate agent collapses https://t.co/Ad7IsCY07P
— Property Hawk (@landlordnews) June 18, 2018
Monday, June 18, 2018
'To Let' boards banned in parts of Leicester
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance rates‘To let’ boards to be banned in these areas of Leicester https://t.co/AbizYFbToa #Leicester
— RLA Landlord News (@RLA_News) June 17, 2018
Property buyers too embarrassed to haggle
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesOnly one-in-five new home buyers try to get the price reduced as they are too embarrassed to haggle, a survey has found. https://t.co/JTcDVhnSDI
— Telegraph News (@TelegraphNews) June 17, 2018
Couple could sue after £600k flat now worth £90k because of Grenfell's cladding
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance rates'Grenfell' cladding: couple could sue after £600,000 flat now worth £90,000 https://t.co/30futS8Ykd
— Guardian news (@guardiannews) June 18, 2018
Can I get a mortgage for more than the value of the property?
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesCan I get a mortgage for more than the value of the property? https://t.co/iuLCJKN2it
— Guardian Money (@guardianmoney) June 18, 2018
Precise launches new 5 yr fixed BTLs
Precise Mortgages has launched a new five-year fixed rate buy-to-let range. https://t.co/PqNISlpjWM— FTAdviser (@FTAdviser) June 17, 2018
Email:info@propertyhawkbtlmortgages.co.uk
Tel: 029 2069 5446
Dwindling housing stock in the north
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesDwindling stock in north drives prices to new national record https://t.co/jOqyr1yh9T pic.twitter.com/FrBzjMvs0i
— Mortgage Introducer (@MortgageChat) June 17, 2018
If a tenant lets the garden go to seed
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesIf your tenant lets your garden go to seed, what are your rights as a landlord? https://t.co/EQruchjhCB #gardening #deposits @TenancyDeposits #lettings
— RLA Landlord News (@RLA_News) June 16, 2018
Britain moving toward German housing model
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesBritain moving to German housing model https://t.co/9GlGCzfBv6 pic.twitter.com/ptIAhWf7N6
— Mortgage Introducer (@MortgageChat) June 17, 2018
Should I borrow via a Limited Company?
Income tax relief on buy to let mortgage interest is being restricted but is it more tax efficient to operate your portfolio using a limited company?https://t.co/JdmB6maZ4X#company #borrowing #btl pic.twitter.com/4j1lhuKh4j— David Whittaker (@MortgagesforBus) June 17, 2018
Email:info@propertyhawkbtlmortgages.co.uk
Tel: 029 2069 5446
Landlords should look at Liverpool
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesWhy landlords should look to Liverpool for the best buy-to-let returns https://t.co/ASjTcZi2nQ via @SChristie_ @TotallyMoney
— Telegraph Property (@TeleProperty) June 18, 2018
Glut of property for sale in the SE
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesGlut of properties for sale building up in London and South, says Rightmove https://t.co/Ztpj8DfDgt via @https://twitter.com/TheNeg
— The Negotiator (@TheNeg) June 18, 2018
Sunday, June 17, 2018
Leasehold scandal: banks won't lend
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesLeasehold scandal: the banks that won’t lend on homes with damaging ground rents https://t.co/Riz05jp6pg
— Telegraph Money (@MoneyTelegraph) June 15, 2018
Precise launches limited edition BTL range
Precise launches limited edition buy-to-let range https://t.co/A4WqqQAtMK— Mortgage Strategy (@MortgageStrat) June 15, 2018
Email:info@propertyhawkbtlmortgages.co.uk
Tel: 029 2069 5446
Saturday, June 16, 2018
Homes for sale nears record lows
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesNumber of homes for sale nears record lows as price growth slows > client @jeremyleaf comments in the Evening Standard https://t.co/Z5wuEhzSn2
— Melanie Bien (@melaniebien) June 14, 2018
Housing Supply: a public and private collaboration
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesHousing Supply | Is collaboration between the public and private sectors the answer to the housing crisis? @mountanvil CEO Killan Hurley shares his views on how best to meet the challenges of housing supply. https://t.co/tlZ4rx2sKQ pic.twitter.com/eg5Q5Y8saH
— RICS (@RICSnews) June 14, 2018
Vernon boosts their BTL range
Vernon boosts buy-to-let range with new deals starting from 3.45% https://t.co/2shng6zdW6— Mortgage Strategy (@MortgageStrat) June 15, 2018
Email:info@propertyhawkbtlmortgages.co.uk
Tel: 029 2069 5446
Friday, June 15, 2018
PRS slows in first quarter
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesPrivate rented sector slows in first quarter - Kent Reliance - https://t.co/TBieGlf4AU
— Mortgage Solutions (@mortgagesols) June 15, 2018
Foundation slashes BTL rates
Foundation Home Loans slashes buy-to-let rates https://t.co/bvF6rXb6z2— FTAdviser (@FTAdviser) June 15, 2018
Email:info@propertyhawkbtlmortgages.co.uk
Tel: 029 2069 5446
Investing in Build to Rent
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesUK Build to Rent is a much talked about but ill-understood asset by the majority of investors. Savills Peter Allen clarifies it in our latest blog post: https://t.co/9f0EGsqxja pic.twitter.com/Iiv6xto09o
— Savills (@Savills) June 15, 2018
Universal Credit savaged by spending watchdog
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesUniversal credit savaged by public spending watchdog https://t.co/JPUzMUu4nA
— Guardian news (@guardiannews) June 15, 2018
Thursday, June 14, 2018
London rents fall for the first time in 8 years
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesLondon rents fall for first time in eight yearshttps://t.co/4cVqIYfgka
— Telegraph Business (@telebusiness) June 13, 2018
Agent calls top of London housing market
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesProperty agent calls top of London housing market https://t.co/j7vYItDiYQ
— FTAdviser (@FTAdviser) June 13, 2018
Wales also pushes on with Tenant Fees Ban
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesTenant fee ban approaches in Wales - Landlords and letting agents could be banned from charging fees under plans for a new law (via @BBCNews) https://t.co/X8B3xf2Lf0 #feeban #PRS
— NALScheme (@NALScheme) June 13, 2018
Annual rental growth at 1.0% say ONS
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesRents in GB rose by 1.0% in the 12 months to May, unchanged from April 2018 https://t.co/4YPZ8GMJu3
— ONS (@ONS) June 13, 2018
Updated list of areas with full Universal Credit service
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesThe DWP has updated the list of areas where full UC service is available. Check it out here https://t.co/xRhCpukqT4 #UniversalCredit #welfare
— RLA Landlord News (@RLA_News) June 13, 2018
Latest ONS House Price Data
#Houseprices increased by 3.7% in England to the year to April to £244,000 https://t.co/mVX0q7E3YU pic.twitter.com/RlbIHQEn7x
— ONS (@ONS) June 13, 2018
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesLatest ONS/Land Registry house price figures out today. I expect there will be a lot of attention paid to what's going on with London prices, seeing as they've been falling of late. Worth noting what's come before. Average London prices up 61% on a decade ago vs. UK av. of 23% pic.twitter.com/2wDRsrFbt3
— Rupert Seggins (@Rupert_Seggins) June 13, 2018
Semis see strongest house price growth
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesSemi-detached homes see strongest UK house price growth over past year > client @jeremyleaf comments https://t.co/uiePTy9xH2 via @YahooFinanceUK
— Melanie Bien (@melaniebien) June 13, 2018
End of term tips for student landlords
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesSchools out for summer-SEVEN tips for student landlords https://t.co/qDnufTBQ2m #students #lettings pic.twitter.com/LO6RGyRqyA
— RLA Landlord News (@RLA_News) June 13, 2018
Landlords head north for better returns
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesLandlords head north to enjoy better returns https://t.co/lGIACOH4w0
— ARLA Propertymark (@arla_uk) June 13, 2018
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Leeds BS refreshes BTL range
Leeds Building Society refreshes buy-to-let range https://t.co/UISiYK00NV pic.twitter.com/oTy8dLghDF— Mortgage Introducer (@MortgageChat) June 12, 2018
Email:info@propertyhawkbtlmortgages.co.uk
Tel: 029 2069 5446
BTL share of lending is up
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesBuy-to-let share of mortgage lending up for first time since 2017 - https://t.co/CjzYDS2mTS
— Mortgage Solutions (@mortgagesols) June 12, 2018
A shift toward 5 yr fixed BTLs
Buy to Let Club reports significant shift towards 5-year fixed products https://t.co/dCS47Zhrg8 pic.twitter.com/a15zdxvOIO— Mortgage Introducer (@MortgageChat) June 12, 2018
Email:info@propertyhawkbtlmortgages.co.uk
Tel: 029 2069 5446
1 in 5 landlords are accidental
Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance ratesOne in five UK landlords are 'accidental' finds Foundation Home Loans - https://t.co/lzwH6g0RkF
— Mortgage Solutions (@mortgagesols) June 12, 2018