Iain Duncan Smith & Andrew Neil for Upcoming Landlord Investment Show

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Investment Show:

The UK’s largest landlord exhibition, the National Landlord Investment Show, will return to London Olympia on the 21^st March for its 12th appearance at this location.

The National
Landlord Investment Show is the UK’s leading landlord and property exhibition and
offers attendees a chance to connect with thousands of other professionals in
the industry, such as investors, management companies, letting agents and various
suppliers of buy-to-let services. 

This month,
guest appearances will be made by Iain Duncan Smith and Andrew Neil, who will
both be partaking in the Government Panel Debate, sponsored by Nova Financial
and Less Tax 4 Landlords. Well-known political broadcaster Andrew Neil will
chair this himself, and will welcome other notable individuals, including the
Rt. Hon. Iain Duncan Smith, Paul Mahoney (Nova Financial), Tony Gimple (Less
Tax 4 Landlords), Sarah Davidson (This is Money).

With a substantial
expected turnout of up to 4,000 UK landlords and property investors, a large
focus will be on how landlords can grow and retain portfolios with success, with
in-depth discussions set to take place on important issues facing the private
rented sector today. These include Brexit, property licensing, tax, finance,
immigration and much more, which will be covered in seminars on the day
delivered by industry experts.

There will also
be a question and answer debate that will discuss the issues that UK landlords
are currently facing, exploring the various changes that individuals in this
sector should be aware of and predictions about the future of the industry. Attendees
will be given a unique opportunity to voice their own opinions and raise
questions that matter to their own individual operations.

Tracey Hanbury,
co-director of the Landlord Investment Show comments: “The Landlord Investment
Show is a unique opportunity for companies to showcase their services to landlords
throughout the UK.  Since we first
established the event, it has developed a strong reputation in the sector and has
attracted some of the industry’s most valuable players, including, Less Tax for
Landlords, NatWest Bank, Barclays Bank, Nova, Landlord Action, Strawberry Star,
and Alan Boswell Group.�

Steve Hanbury,
co-director of the Landlord Investment Show comments: “This exhibition provides
landlords with a unique and comprehensive opportunity to discover the latest
trends, news, insights and advice that matter to the industry. It is unlike any
other exhibition in that it gathers together so many of the UK’s leading
figures in the property world, with huge opportunities to share and
connect.  It’s also free to attend! So
anyone with an interest in areas such as property tax, buy-to-let opportunities
or legislation changes really has no excuse not to join us on the 21st.�

To learn more about The Landlord Investment Show or book free tickets to attend, visit the website: https://www.landlordinvestmentshow.co.uk/

Contact Information:

Tracey@landlordinvestmentshow.co.uk

Contact number:
020 8656 5075

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Iain Duncan Smith & Andrew Neil for Upcoming Landlord Investment Show | LandlordZONE.

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If someone said by this time next year they could make you a property millionaire, would you be interested?

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Alex Cook, Litigation Solicitor and Partner at Helix Law offers his view on the world of property development training.

Would you like to get rich quickly? There’s a host of people out there telling us we can all be property millionaires – but at what cost?

The post If someone said by this time next year they could make you a property millionaire, would you be interested? appeared first on Property118.

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Security & Locks – Buy to Let Renovation & HMO Projects

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Security:

Renovating a buy-to-let
property can be a great way for landlords to increase the rental income on
their property, or to turn a profit from a recent property purchase. Updating
kitchens and bathrooms or redecorating throughout makes a place much more attractive
to prospective tenants. For older, larger properties, renovations may include
completely overhauling heating, hot water systems and windows, or converting it
to flats to become an HMO (home of multiple occupancy).

A renovation project is
also an opportunity to upgrade a property’s security, sometimes something that
landlords overlook. How can landlords ensure the safety of their tenants and
their property after a renovation project? And what protections are they
legally obliged to deliver?

Let’s take a look at the
options with research undertaken by the home security experts at Locksmith Nottingham.

1. How the Type of Renovation Project Determines the Kind
of Locks You Choose

When renovating any
rented accommodation, it’s worth considering the type of property. As a
property owner, you could rent out properties such as flats, houses, holiday
homes, Airbnb rentals, and HMOs. Because of this, the type of lock that you
will need will vary.

Modern flats and homes
are most likely to have locks that rely on the use of a cylinder. If you rent a
property in a high-risk area or want to offer tenants additional security, you
may want to consider anti-snap locks, like those made by Ultion. These cannot be
snapped easily by burglars (making forced entry much more difficult).

Holiday homes and Airbnb
rentals may benefit from smart or keypad locks. Smart/keypad locks allow you to
change access codes easily, preventing people who have already used the property
from reentering.

2. Main Access Security and Front Doors

The next step when
renovating a property is to consider which type of security lock you will use
on your front door. You could use a standard five-lever mortice lock, but you
could save money on insurance premiums and improve security by choosing one
that conforms to BS3621 standards.

There are even smart
lock options here, which may encourage prospective tenants to pay a premium
rents.

3. Other Doors and Access

Considerations for HMO
properties differ. Not only do you have to provide adequate security for each
dwelling, but you must also provide a method for people to gain access to
common areas of the building, such as the main door to hallways. Front door
access can either by via a standard key operated lock, or a keypad lock where
residents have to enter a code. If you rent multiple holiday units that share
common areas, you may want to adopt a similar set up.

4. Window Security and Locking Systems

Criminals don’t always
enter a property through the front door, the windows can often be a week point.
That’s why it’s so important to have great window locks in place, not only to
protect your tenants but to prevent costly criminal damage to accommodation.

The best window locks
are those that snap shut as soon as you close the windows. These are common on
casement windows (that rely on a hinge to open). There are other windows
security systems that you might want to consider, including those that prevent
windows from being opened wide enough to allow a burglar to get in.

5. Fire Safety Law and Locks in Homes of Multiple
Occupancy

The law on HMOs has
changed recently, in October 2018, with minimum room sizes introduced for
sleeping areas. Parts of the property like kitchens and hallways that are
classed as common areas are subject to stringent fire safety regulations, the
responsibility for them falls to the landlord. Kitchens and hallways are,
therefore, subject to the same fire safety rules that govern shared internal
spaces according to The Housing Act, 2004.

Landlords are
responsible for ensuring that all escape routes are clearly marked, that there
are fireproof doors, fire protection, and warning systems and fire
extinguishing facilities, like fire blankets and fire extinguishers, in shared
locations. In these situations, landlords will need to provide a method for
tenants to gain access to shared areas, that complies with fire safety as well
as tenant/property security.

Managing shared area
security can be tricky, depending on where the area is and whether it has
external access points. You may want to consult with a professional locksmith
and fire safety expert as part of any major work to an HMO property.

6. Managing Locks Once Renovations Are Complete and
Tenants are in Place

Once renovations are
complete and tenants are in place, it’s important to have a plan for managing
locks. Ideally, you should have set out in the tenancy agreement the landlord
and tenant’s responsibilities regarding locks and your role, especially in
shared accommodation.

7. Conclusion

If you’re renovating a
property, it’s well worth considering your security situation, especially when
you are thinking about making changes to accommodation with shared areas.
Landlords need to make sure that they follow all regulations, while at the same
time finding lock and security solutions that meet their tenant’s needs. With
the right locks for the job, landlords can boost the security of their
accommodation, prevent burglary, improve fire safety and reduce insurance
premiums.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Security & Locks – Buy to Let Renovation & HMO Projects | LandlordZONE.

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Fire starting tenant an “affront to human decency”

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Joshua Rosenberg, a tenant in Clackmannanshire, has been found guilty and jailed for 12 years in Glasgow’s High Court for attempted extortion, attempted fraud, wilful fire raising and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

After moving into the property Rosenberg immediately started sending threatening emails to the two sisters who owned the property and their solicitor demanding compensation starting with £3,500 and escalating to £95,000 by February 2015

Alison Davidson

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One mortgage for all BTL properties?

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I am trying to help a friend who has 4 BTL properties all owned as an individual (rather than as a company). At present each property has a mortgage ( across the portfolio the LTV is approx 35%).

Not looking to take out any additional lending but the endless new mortgage arrangement / booking fees/ valuation fees for a fixed period are a drag and are really adding up.

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Zoopla to refuse “No DSS� ads

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Housing Benefit:

Leading UK property website Zoopla is to refuse to take advertisements for lettings from landlords who state “No DSS� or in any way bar people who are receiving housing benefit.

Zoopla has said it will in future prohibit landlords posting
ads which state “No DSS”, a commonly-used acronym referring back to a
time when housing benefit was paid by the now defunct Department of Social
Security.

Following a recent exposé conducted by The National
Housing Federation and Shelter it was found that one in 10 letting agents in
England were regularly refusing to let to Housing Benefit (DSS) tenants.

Even though it has been estimated that around 890,000 people
in England are in receipt of housing benefit payments, to help pay their rent,
it was found that the no DSS policy was being enforced by landlords and agents even
when tenants could show they could afford the rent.

There is some debate about the legality of refusing outright
all “DSS� tenants, there as question over whether it’s direct or indirect discrimination,
but according to the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
(MHCLG), around half of landlords would not be willing to let to them.

Responding to the Zoopla announcement, Chris Town, Vice
Chair of the Residential Landlords Association has said:

“We welcome today’s announcement from Zoopla which comes
after extensive campaigning by the RLA.  Landlords should not refuse
someone solely because they are on benefits, and should consider prospective
tenants on a case by case basis. But with growing numbers of benefit claimants
now reliant on the private rented sector we need to do more to give tenants and
landlords greater confidence in the benefits system.

“This means building on positive changes already made by the
Government by giving all tenants the right to choose if they want to have the
housing element of Universal Credit paid directly to their landlord; working
with bank lenders to remove mortgage terms that prevent landlords renting to
benefit claimants as NatWest has already done; and ending the Local Housing
Allowance freeze which has meant benefits bear little resemblance to rents.

“We look forward to working constructively with the
Government to address these issues.�

 RLA research has found that the average amount owed by
Universal Credit tenants in rent arrears increased by half from just over
£1,600 in 2017 to almost £2,400 in 2018.

Around two thirds of the largest buy-to-let mortgage lenders
do not allow landlords to rent property to tenants receiving housing benefit.

Research by Manchester Metropolitan University for the RLA
has found that 53 per cent of landlords reported that the gap between the Local
Housing Allowance and local market rent was more than £50 a month. Almost 25%
said the gap was over £100 a month. 

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Zoopla to refuse “No DSSâ€� ads | LandlordZONE.

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