Posts with tag: tenants

Landlords Refusing Energy Efficiency Improvements

Published On: July 29, 2016 at 9:08 am

Author:

Categories: Landlord News

Tags: ,,,

A new report has found that 58% of tenants that have requested energy efficiency improvements from their landlords have been refused, while over half of renters say their home is cold and draughty.

Landlords Refusing Energy Efficiency Improvements

Landlords Refusing Energy Efficiency Improvements

The study, conducted by PropertyLetByUs.com – an online letting agent – also found that seven out of ten tenants have made requests to their landlord to make improvements to the property. A further 76% of renters claim their property has an old gas boiler that is unreliable and 48% do not have double-glazing.

From 1st April 2016, tenants have been able to request energy efficiency improvements, such as more insulation, and landlords cannot unreasonably refuse. However, it is a tenant’s responsibility to fund the works.

Additionally, from 1st April 2018, all rental properties must have an energy efficiency rating of E or above.

It is estimated that more than 10m British families live in a home with a leaking roof, damp walls or rotting windows. Damp, condensation and mould are all big problems in rental properties, as a result of older, single-glazed homes.

This guide to condensation control will help both landlords and tenants avoid costly and potentially unhealthy issues: /landlords-guide-condensation-control/

The Managing Director of PropertyLetByUs.com, Jane Morris, comments: “It is very disappointing to see that so many tenants have been refused when they have requested their landlords make improvements to the property. Landlords that are trying to rent cold, draughty and damp accommodation should immediately start improving their properties. Otherwise, they could be falling foul of the legislation that requires them to bring their properties up to an E rating.

“It is estimated that around 1m tenants are paying as much as £1,000 a year more for heating than the average annual bill of £1,265. These excessive costs are mainly down to poorly insulated homes, many of which are thought to be the oldest and leakiest rental properties in Europe.”

Morris adds: “Landlords that are currently renting out F and G-rated properties should be looking at the improvements they can make, and researching costs and available help, through the Energy Saving Advice Service (ESAS) or Home Energy Scotland.”

Landlords, remember that you must ensure your properties are safe, efficient and secure. It is also your duty to protect your tenants and make sure their home is comfortable.

RLA Encourages Members to Help Charities with Gone for Good

Published On: July 29, 2016 at 8:29 am

Author:

Categories: Landlord News

Tags: ,,,,

The Residential Landlords Association (RLA) has announced its support for Gone for Good, a smartphone app that encourages businesses and individuals to donate unwanted products and goods to charities.

Last week, we revealed how Gone for Good can help landlords across the country get rid of clutter in their rental properties and support a good cause at the same time.

RLA Encourages Members to Help Charities with Gone for Good

RLA Encourages Members to Help Charities with Gone for Good

Following a successful pilot stage in Greater Manchester, Gone for Good rolled out across the UK earlier in the year. It aims to help charities raise the vital funds they need and stop unwanted items ending up in landfill.

The app matches those wanting to dispose of items in their properties with charities that are actively looking for certain goods and will collect them for free.

Gone for Good is especially useful for landlords, who often have to clear out goods left over by tenants or themselves have furniture or items that they are able to donate when they refurbish a property.

The firm aims to re-channel 6% of the saleable clothing and other items that currently end up in landfill. If it achieves this goal, charity shop income will double, meaning that good causes receive more support.

The app also enables users to give away their unwanted belongings to charity from the comfort of their own homes.

The CEO of the RLA, Andrew Goodacre, explains: “We are delighted to be supporting this innovative and important social enterprise.

“Gone for Good is quick and easy to use, and its values fit squarely with our own. We know that our members like to act responsibly in terms of disposing of unwanted items in their properties. The app helps them to do so, reducing waste whilst at the same time supporting charities and local communities as well.”

The Managing Director of Gone for Good, Mark Charnock, adds: “Gone for Good underpins the work that the RLA does in encouraging a well-managed and professional residential rental market. The app helps landlords manage their properties more easily and saves them money, whilst helping good causes. It’s a win-win for everybody concerned.

“We have had such a positive response to the Gone for Good app from businesses, the public and charities across the UK, and are delighted that the RLA and its members are able to support us.”

Download the app now from Google Play or the App Store and help out charities in your area!

Landlords, Clear Out Your Property and Help a Good Cause!

Published On: July 23, 2016 at 8:12 am

Author:

Categories: Landlord News

Tags: ,,,

Landlords, Clear Out Your Property and Help a Good Cause!

Landlords, Clear Out Your Property and Help a Good Cause!

As a landlord, there will be many times when your rental property is full of clutter that you need to get rid of. Now, there’s a new way to clear out your property for free and help a good cause along the way!

Gone for Good is a free smartphone app (available on iPhone and Android devices) that allows you to get rid of any clothing, furniture, or other household items that may be left over in your property, while helping out local charities.

Whether your tenants have left their belongings behind, you’re replacing furniture in your property, or a tenant is moving in but doesn’t want a furnished property, there are many instances when a landlord will need to remove unnecessary clutter.

Gone for Good allows you to donate these items to local charities and doesn’t cost a thing.

The award-winning app (Gone for Good was recently awarded the Best Not For Profit Project at the Big Chip Awards) helps you turn your clutter into something good for the environment and for those in need.

The service aims to re-channel 6% of the saleable clothing and other items that currently end up in landfill. If it does this, charity shops will receive double their income, which will go towards helping important causes.

Gone for Good also aims to double the amount of stock for those living below the poverty line that rely on charity shops for clothes, children’s toys, furniture and other items.

How can you use the app?

  • Download the app – From Google Play or the App Store (or go to www.goneforgood.org.uk).
  • Snap it, give it – Take a photo of your item on your phone using the app, so that the charity knows what to expect.
  • Your donation, collected – Your chosen charity will collect your item(s) direct from your door.
  • Give more, for free – Opt in to Gift Aid and your charity gets more at no extra cost to you.
  • Reduce theft – If your charity knows what to expect, you reduce the chances of your donation being lost or stolen.
  • Share the love – Tell your friends and family about your donation and encourage them to give too. 

Mark Charnock, the Managing Director of Gone for Good, says: “Landlords can play an important role in increasing the amount of goods donations that charities receive. The app has a house clearance function that should appeal to them. And the app also ensures a donation is offered out to other charities if the donor’s chosen one can’t take it. This ensures a donation offer can be dealt with quickly, which is important to landlords. It’s a win-win situation for them. It solves a problem and saves them money.”

If you have any leftover items in your rental property, remember that they need not go to waste; you can get rid of clothes, furniture or other objects for free while helping out those in need and protecting the environment.

Don’t waste money on a removals van – try Gone for Good at www.goneforgood.org.uk!

Lettings Market Sees Month-on-Month Growth

Published On: July 20, 2016 at 8:38 am

Author:

Categories: Landlord News

Tags: ,,,

After a slowdown in the UK lettings market in May, the latest data from the Agency Express Property Activity Index shows month-on-month growth in both properties to let and let properties over June.

Across the UK, the number of properties let increased significantly over the past month, by 9.6%, while new listings rose by 1.8%.

Although Agency Express did witness some buoyancy across the market, historical data from the Property Activity Index shows that supply has dropped annually.

Lettings Market Sees Month-on-Month Growth

Lettings Market Sees Month-on-Month Growth

Recent reports from the Council of Mortgage Lenders show that landlords borrowed £2.6 billion in May, down by 4% over the year.

Despite this, seven of the 12 UK regions included in the Property Activity Index experienced increases in new listings to let and ten recorded growth in the number of let properties in June.

Some of the regions that recorded the greatest increases include:

Properties to let 

  • North East – 26.5%
  • East Midlands – 13.4%
  • London – 10.3%
  • Yorkshire and the Humber – 8.3%
  • South East – 5.2%

Let properties

  • London – 24.2%
  • South West – 19.2%
  • Yorkshire and the Humber – 18.6%
  • Wales – 15.1%
  • East Midlands – 14.6%

June’s top performing region was the North East, which saw record figures for the month. The number of new listings to let rose by 16.5%, while the amount of let properties was up by 13%.

The greatest declines were seen in central England, with properties to let falling for a second consecutive month, down by 5.9%. The number of let properties also dropped, by 1.6%. However, looking over the past three months, figures for new listings remained resilient, up by 3.5%.

If you are considering a further investment in the private rental sector, it may be best to avoid the areas where the number of properties to let is rising, as supply levels will be high. However, look to the areas where the amount of let properties is up, as demand from tenants is strong in these locations.

Rogue Landlord Jailed for Illegally Evicting Tenants

Published On: July 18, 2016 at 11:38 am

Author:

Categories: Landlord News

Tags: ,,,,

A rogue landlord in Wembley has been sentenced to four months imprisonment and ordered to pay costs and compensation of £20,000 after illegally evicting his tenants.

Rehan Sheikh, of Manor Drive, was found guilty at Willesden Magistrates’ Court of illegally evicting the tenants from his property, 90 Wembley Park Drive.

Brent Council prosecuted the rogue landlord for the unlawful eviction of six tenants, as well as for failing to obtain a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) license and for the

Rogue Landlord Jailed for Illegally Evicting Tenants

Rogue Landlord Jailed for Illegally Evicting Tenants

poor conditions of the property, which enforcement officers discovered during an unannounced visit in January 2016.

Sheikh, who is the landlord of eight properties in Brent, was convicted of all offences and sentenced to four months imprisonment and ordered to pay costs of £9,000 and compensation totalling £11,000 to the evicted tenants.

The court heard that although Sheikh was receiving around £3,000 each month in rent, the property was in a terrible state of disrepair, with holes in ceilings, walls and the floor, and filthy carpets. The front of the property was also being used to dump rubbish. When the tenants complained about the condition of the property, Sheikh fraudulently told the court that the tenants were squatters and issued a claim to evict them.

Without informing the tenants of his plans, Sheikh obtained a possession order from the court and used it to evict the tenants in February 2016, assaulting one of them in the process – a crime for which he was convicted in May 2016. Sheikh gave all of the tenants, including one with two young children, just two hours to move out, even refusing to allow a tenant to wait until their children had returned from school.

The Brent Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Harbi Farah, says: “This was an appalling case which caused great distress to the victims and demonstrates the necessity of our private sector licensing scheme. Good tenants and their children were forced from their home by this heartless landlord’s deliberate actions.

“Our ground-breaking licensing scheme, which has been running since January 2015, is helping us to tackle poor standards in the private rented sector and focus on the minority of unscrupulous landlords who refuse to comply with the law. However, as this case shows, we also need to look at the eviction practices of some of the landlords operating in the borough. Brent Council will not tolerate this kind of criminal behaviour and we will prosecute any landlord or agent we find treating their tenants in such a despicable way.”

Sheikh, who pleaded guilty to all of the charges, has since appealed the custodial sentence and has been granted bail pending the appeal hearing.

Since the start of this year, the council has considerably increased its enforcement activity, carrying out two to five prosecutions per week, and with many more raids expected in the coming months.

If you suspect that someone is renting out an unlicensed property in Brent, you can report them anonymously at prslicensing@brent.gov.uk or by calling 020 8937 2384/5.

Tenants being hit by uninsured landlords

Published On: July 15, 2016 at 10:43 am

Author:

Categories: Landlord News

Tags: ,,,,

UK tenants are being hit with unforeseen costs that are not being covered by their current landlord, according to a concerning new report.

The study from insurance providers Endsleigh shows that many are not insured against features such as boiler repairs, flood damage and property maintenance.

Costly

Data from the report shows that 14% of tenants face unexpected costs averaging £165.41 per year. 70% of these renters said they did not agree with the reasons for these charges.

The investigation of tenants also found:

  • 47% are not expecting rises in rents
  • 45% do not understand their responsibilities under tenancy agreements
  • 83% are happy with their current landlord

41% of landlords questioned said that they would go the extra mile in order to keep hold of quality tenants. 28% stated that they would take on the increased costs of rental increases in order to keep reliable tenants in the property for longer.

Tenants being hit by uninsured landlords

Tenants being hit by uninsured landlords

Positivity

David Hadden, head of property at Endsleigh Insurance, acknowledges that, ‘although the research could paint a picture of discontent in the worlds of both landlords and tenants, the positives far outweigh the worries. Noticing the number of landlords surveyed willing to go the extra mile for their tenants is reassuring to say the least, highlighting the fact that they are valued and listened to.’[1]

‘Inevitably, costs will continue to held high on the tenants’ agenda and though unexpected charges may occur in some cases, hearing that almost a third of landlords will absorb these is very encouraging,’ he added.[1]

[1] http://www.propertywire.com/news/europe/uk-residential-tenants-costs-2016070712115.html