Exclusive: ‘I’m within my rights’ says landlord facing ground-breaking short lets test case

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A landlord in Scotland who could be the first to face court action over illegal short-lets activity has protested his innocence to LandlordZONE.

Jamal Boutoubane, who rents out a flat in Victoria Road, Glasgow, is still advertising rooms on sites including Booking.com despite receiving two council enforcement bans.

Glasgow Council has received complaints about anti-social behaviour and poor management of bookings, and neighbours say they have had to help guests who’ve been left waiting outside the building, unable to get into their rooms.

The council is also looking into neighbours’ claims that the two-bedroom flat was converted into four bedrooms without planning permission and that fire doors were replaced or removed entirely.

Boutoubane was told by the council that the flat should only be used for residential use in October 2017 and again in July 2020.

Court injunction

Council planners are said to be confident they have enough evidence to persuade a sheriff to issue a court interdict (injunction) to prevent the property being used for holiday lets, in what would be a test case.

A Glasgow City Council spokesman says: “The council is considering legal action in light of the failure to comply with the enforcement notice.”

Jamal Boutoubane tells LandlordZONE that his neighbours have been trying to sabotage the business.

“Airbnb is totally legitimate and calling the property that you rent out to suit the style and decoration is 100% allowed and temporary modifications within the interior do not require any consent,” he says.

“I live in this apartment with my brother and do not rent out regularly – I rent out two rooms which I am allowed to do.”

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Third of landlords prefer using online lettings agencies, says poll

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Online letting agents now have 35% of the private sector market, with many landlords happy to forgo trips to their local high street office to meet agents face-to-face.

Online comparison site Rentround collated data from 35,000 landlords and found that while 45% still prefer a traditional agent, 35% now opt for an online agent, while 20% use both.

Another surprising finding is that 60% of landlords choose to pay a one-off fee for finding a tenant, with 21% plumping for a fixed monthly rent, with the least preferred option being a percentage of monthly rent, which 19% of landlords choose.

Most landlords want a hands-on services from their agent, with 42% looking for full management, while 19% choose guaranteed rent.

Guaranteed rent

But Rentround says landlord searches on the site showed a 34% increase in those looking for guaranteed rent services after May, which shows this has become more in demand since the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It indicates landlords are willing to part with more of their rental income in exchange for rental security during these difficult times,” it says.

The survey found that 58% of landlords use mobiles to look for an agent and conduct their searches mainly after 3pm on weekdays, so it suggests that agents ensure websites are mobile-friendly, with more staff manning the phones in the late afternoon.

It adds: “On Rentround it’s common for landlords to choose to send their details to a number of agents to discuss fees. The quickest agent therefore has the first chance, and highest chance, to convert the lead.”

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Third of landlords prefer using online lettings agencies, says poll | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: Third of landlords prefer using online lettings agencies, says poll