No bed of roses? Top tips for maintaining gardens

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What are your rights if your tenant lets your garden go to seed? TDS adjudicator, Michael Hill, delves into the world of garden-related disputes – outlining where responsibilities lie and how to protect yourself. With summer just around the corner, and the weather finally taking a turn for the better, thoughts turn to the garden. […]

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10,000 signatures – Government to respond

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Mark Homer’s online petition has attracted over 10,000 signatures, which is the point where the government must respond top the point raised.

If over 100,000 signatures are achieved before November 14 it must then be considered for a debate in Parliament.

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Renting to sister and renewing mortgage?

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My sister returned to the UK after separating from her husband in which I agreed to rent one of my properties to her which is done through a letting agent. She is not on any benefits and works part time.

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We can live with longer tenancies says Grainger

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Longer Tenancies:

Briton’s biggest private residential landlord and now Build-to-Rent provider Grainger PLC says it welcomes longer tenancies.

The company thinks there’s a growing need for longer term tenancies in the UK’s private rented sector and says “We can handle longer tenancies” and they are ready to respond to the challenge.

Grainger claims it already has or is in the process of building 9,000 homes across the major English cities, London, Birmingham and Manchester. Many of these form part of an £850m new investment programme which has seen Grainger moving away from its traditional rent reversion strategy (investing in regulated tenancy properties occupied by sitting tenants).

Grainger’s focus now is Build-to-Rent, schemes where blocks are created for block management where they will be rented by the company and not sold off to individual buyers or landlords.

As well as city centre lets for working and professional people, Grainger sees a big market in letting to families who want the stability of a longer term contract when they have work and children at schools in a particular locality.

It is currently involved with landlord schemes in London and Portsmouth which will cater for family needs cater for renters and particularly families in different ways.

Customer relations director at Grainger, Anish Thobhani, has indicated that offering flexible up-to 5-year tenancies with “no hidden fees and transparent yearly rent reviews,� is what they think people want. He has said:

“Many people see renting as a tenure of last resort and we want to change that by offering certainty, service and quality. As a long-term investor, we can take a long-term view – which is not the same as many amateur buy to let landlords whose situation could change at any time.

“Many people wouldn’t think twice about leasing a car these days because of the excellent service and fully inclusive offers you get. We want to replicate this with home rental.�

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – We can live with longer tenancies says Grainger | LandlordZONE.

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New Online Presentation Simplifies Tax Planning Options for Landlords

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In association with Mark Smith, Head of Chambers at Cotswold Barristers, we have put together a PowerPoint Show which can be watched free of charge from the comfort of your own PC – see below.

The presentation provides an outline of a variety of tax planning opportunities available to landlords with anything from one property to hundreds.

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Landlords need to plan for higher letting agents’ fees

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Letting Fees Ban:

Buy-to-let landlords who use letting agents and those others that charge their own fees need to think seriously about how they will deal with the inevitably higher letting fees, or lost income, when the tenant fees ban comes in, most likely next year.

The extra costs involved will put a strain on some landlords, as the tax changes begin to bite and if interest rates start to rise as predicted.

It is almost inevitable that most agents will raise their landlord fees in order to recoup some of their lost income when the lettings fee for tenants ban comes in.

The government has carried out its own impact assessment of the fees ban and has estimated that landlords will lose around £83m in the first year of the ban, and the caps on damage and holding deposits have been estimated at £1.3m in total.

Letting agents themselves could be hit even harder with an estimated loss of income in the region of £157m in year one.

Tax and other regulatory changes in the private rented sector mean that landlords and agents are already facing significant challenges ahead.

Not all of these extra costs are likely to get passed on in the form of higher rents, as tenants themselves are under financial pressures. Landlords and agents need to find other ways to reduce their costs and increase efficiency.

Some landlords will consider more self-management of tenancies, but anyone taking this on for the first time must be prepared to do their homework, to mug-up on the law and to take on some extra work, especially when it comes to tenancy change-overs.

What is involved with a Fees Ban

The fees ban will apply to landlords as well as letting agents but only in England, at least initially. Scotland already has the ban.

The ban will not apply to existing tenancies, though it will apply to new tenancies and renewals which includes when a tenancy becomes periodic, after the Tenant Fees Act comes into force.

All fees required as a condition of the “grant, continuance or renewal� of an assured shorthold tenancy (AST) or licence agreement are to be banned. Company lets and non-assured tenancies will be exempt.

Examples of banned fees include:

• Admin fees
• Credit checks
• Referencing
• Inventories
• Guarantor checks
• Cleaning services
• Professional cleaning
• Gardening services

There are some exemptions:

• Rent
• Holding deposits, capped at one week’s rent and limited to 15 days
• Damage / Security deposits capped at 6 weeks’ rent
• Reasonable charges for defaulting, breach of tenancy, reminder letters, interest on arrears etc.

Varying the rent, for example setting a higher rent to cover fees for a period of time before reverting to a lower rent will not be allowed, thought rent level setting is unrestricted, so long as it is applied consistently.

Penalties for non-compliance will be a fine of up to £5000 for a first offence. Any subsequent breaches will be classed as criminal offences, or alternatively the landlord may be fined up to £30,000 and will be subject to a banning order.

These requirements may be subject to change once the Tenant Fees Act comes into force.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Landlords need to plan for higher letting agents’ fees | LandlordZONE.

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UK Landlords Campaigning To Save Tenants From Rent Hikes and Eviction

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Whoever thought we would see landlords funding a campaign to save tenants from rent hikes and eviction?

It’s happening though!

Bournemouth is the latest City to see the erection of Section 24 campaign billboards.

The first in Bournemouth is located just off 549 Wimbourne Road

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Evicting tenants who are keeping pets without permission

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The first question to ask is do you have a clause in your tenancy agreement prohibiting pet ownership at the property?

Why have a clause?

Landlords commonly will have a clause prohibiting pet ownership for the following reasons:

• Potential damage to the property
• Problems for future tenants due to pet allergies
• Noise and disturbances
• Fleas
• Unwanted odors and mess in the garden
• Fur

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Grenfell Tower: Hackitt Review published

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New building regulations will be but in place in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, with details released in the Government’s official report into the devastating blaze, published today. Seventy one people died in the tragedy on June 14th last year, with the Government’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, led by Dame Judith Hackitt, […]

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Shelter want default fees banned

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In addition to the government lettings fee ban Shelter are calling for a ban or limit on what they term ‘backdoor’ or default fees.

Default fees are a charge written into the tenancy contract when an agreed term has been broken or a service has to be provided.

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