Location, Location, Location

Landlords and property investors have known this for years but thanks to the Nationwide we now have the statistical evidence to prove it.

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There research shows that the difference in price for a similar house in the most and least desirable areas was 72% in 1991, 80% in 2005 and is now 98%. If this trend continues then landlords could do a lot worse than stretching themselves and going for a 'trophy asset' as we have advised in the past.


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The best landlord software in the world .....probably

We are confident that Property Hawk's landlord software is the best in the world....probably.

It has been engineered by a team of cyborgs led by 'Stig' our genius head programmer. It has been designed to be easy to use, simple to navigate and has the reliability of a German built washing machine - bullet proof!

However in our more contrite moments we realise that even perfection can be improved on. So help us keep Property Manager the best and most popular landlord software in the world. Send or post your comments on what Property Hawk can do to keep PM2.0 'simply the best'. I can hear Margo bursting into song as we speak.


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Tenant tried for murdering landlord

A tenant has denied murdering his landlord in court in Lancaster this week.

Read more on the case here

Leeds Local Landlord Licence Scheme

LANDLORDS in an area of Leeds will now have to get a licence to rent out properties.

The local initiative is aiming to improve conditions for tenants and the local community.

Leeds City Council has been granted special powers to make parts of Cross Green and East End Park a 'Selective Licensing Area'.

Add to the comments on the introduction of a national mandatory landlord licence.

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A Second Tier of Long Term Tenancy Agreements

As we see a move away from the automatic default of home ownership by the young aspirational class of the UK after the demise of the property dream.

As a nation we seem likely to move towards the European standard of long term property rentals.

This raises the question of the creation of a two tiered tenancy to provide longer term tenants greater security within their rented property.

Should the Government be looking to add a second, more secure tenancy for long term renters, alongside the short more flexible, shorthold tenancy agreement that is standard?

For me the idea of encouraging long term commitment by both landlords and tenants seems very attractive, with fewer rental voids and less time and money wasted re-letting properties.

As a landlord looking at the long term, the idea of a tenancy that commits tenants could benefit both tenant and landlords equally.

Read more on this idea in this blog post

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Why not a register of renters NOT a register of landlords

Landlords interested in a tenants perspective of renting could do worse than read Penny Andersons blog about renting in Manchester called Rentergirl.

Penny has recently called for greater and tighter regulation of landlords. She urges in a recent piece in the Guardian that:

"Landlords must be educated about their duties when they register, but more should be said about sanctions for failing to do so, and what it takes to be struck off. The response proposes some sort of renting tribunal, but it must be powerful and feared by all. Otherwise, I can see no point of a register without teeth for biting bad landlords."

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In some ways I do agree. If you are going to regulate, do it properly and not through a pointless register of landlords. I still as it happens believe that the downside of regulation will be greater than any positive spin offs and so would a pose mandatory licensing of landlords in any shape or form. In particular I completely object to the proposed landlord's register as a complete waste of time and imposition on law abiding landlords.

Register of renters

So Penny, you like the idea of landlords being controlled. How about licensing for tenants? Why not a register of tenants that would have to be paid for by each tenant before they can rent a property. If they have shown to have failed to pay the rent, vandalised property, been evicted, etc then they would be banned from the list. Not so funny when the tenant has to 'cough up' money just to do what is their right, to rent a property.

Are there any winners from more 'red tape'?

The reality is that we could go on and on with more a more registers, licences, control. The reality is that the vast majority of law abiding citizens will get strangled by 'red tape', whilst the really bad continue to evade control.

The only winners in all this are the bureaucrats who get a nice cushy job and pension and the lawyers who have yet another piece of legislation that they can charge lots of money to people to try and unravel.

This is don't think is what landlords or tenants ultimately want or deserve.

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