BREAKING: YouTube rejects requests by ‘property guru’ to have critical videos deleted

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Attempts by self-styled property investment trainer Samuel Leeds to have videos critical of his ‘get rich quick’ courses removed from YouTube have begun to falter.

As we reported earlier this month, he successfully served a copyright infringement on several videos made by Andrew Burgess (left), arguing that the clips taken from his own videos were an infringement of copyright.

YouTube initially agreed with this claim and, following its own ‘three strikes and out’ rule removed Burgess’ entire YouTube channel.

Burgess has subsequently appealed this decision citing the video platform’s own ‘Fair Use’ rules.

But LandlordZONE has also spoken to another video maker, Mark Hughes, who was yesterday told by YouTube that Leeds had tried to argue that his videos were also copyright infringements and should be deleted.

An email from the video platform says: “We received the copyright infringement notification below regarding your videos.

“We believe your content is protected by fair use, fair dealing, or a similar exception to copyright protection.

“We are writing to let you know we do NOT plan to remove your videos at this time.”

Another YouTuber, Georgie Tayor, (pictured) says she has also been facing copyright infringement claims by Leeds.

She has shown LandlordZONE an email from YouTube in which it outlines its rejection of Leeds’ infringement claims, telling him: “It is legal to use copyrighted works in specific ways without the owner’s authorisation, particularly for transformative purposes such as news reporting, parody, commentary, or review.”

“Some countries protect such uses under doctrines of ‘fair use’ or ‘fair dealing’ while others allow for specific exceptions to copyright protection.”

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – BREAKING: YouTube rejects requests by ‘property guru’ to have critical videos deleted | LandlordZONE.

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‘Electrocuted in her own bath’ Why charity fought for electrical safety standards

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Just days before England’s new mandatory electrical safety standards kick-in for landlords, the charity that has led the charge on regulation in England, Wales and Scotland says it is now pushing to protect private renters in Northern Ireland.

Electrical Safety First‘ new report on Northern Ireland’s homes has found that renters have less protection from electrical risk than in other parts of the UK, while annual gas safety checks of PRS properties were legally demanded despite electricity causing more fires than gas each year – almost 60% of domestic fires in the region are caused by electrical faults.

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector Regulations, requiring all private landlords to have mandatory five-year electrical checks by a qualified electrician take effect in England on 1^st June.

There are similar rules in Scotland, with Wales to follow suit shortly. Landlords that fail to comply, or to undertake necessary repairs, face fines of up to £30,000.

Lobbied MPs

Their introduction follows a decade of work by the charity which has lobbied MPs, written reports and conducted surveys to bring about the changes, which it says have become more needed as the private rented sector has grown, along with a huge rise in electrical gadgets in homes.

It points to horror stories in the sector such as the 2008 electrocution of Thirza Whittall, a mother who was killed by an unidentified electrical fault when running a bath in a rented house.

An inquest heard the property hadn’t been checked since 1981. A prevention of future deaths report – and call for regular electrical checks in PRS properties – was also issued by a coroner in 2019, after the death of Professor John Alliston who was electrocuted by a faulty cable in the garden of a privately rented property.

The charity says it’s pleased to have helped highlight the problems. Chief executive Lesley Rudd (pictured) adds: “Making these checks a legal requirement, with a significant penalty if landlords fail to comply, brings clarity and reduces electrical risk for people and property.”

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – ‘Electrocuted in her own bath’ Why charity fought for electrical safety standards | LandlordZONE.

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HMO Covid-19 rent reduction conundrum?

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Hey 118ers, I have a contract with a letting agent for my HMO which has a guaranteed rent of x amount pcm. Recently, they have been asking me to reduce the rent due to the Covid-19 situation and in their words ‘the huge amount of people leaving London’.

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Do I have a right to know who lives in my house?

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I recently rented out my property and instructed a letting agent to fully manage it. As we are a family of tradesmen, I like to do any of the maintenance/gas safety checks/electrical certificates myself using my family.

Today the letting agent contacted me to say that the gas check was due.

The post Do I have a right to know who lives in my house? appeared first on Property118.

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Alarming Mortgage Transfer Letter?

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I have just received a letter from Amber Home Loans saying that in the transfer of my BTL mortgage to Skipton Building Society I have to accept a change of terms in which the SVR will switch to Skipton’s BTL SVR –

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Tired of being a real-life landlord? Try this bizarre new online game instead

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Landlords needing some downtime after dealing with non-paying tenants and urgent repairs can enjoy a new video game about… non-paying tenants and urgent repairs.

Life simulation game – The Tenants – has just been beta launched, offering players the chance to become a landlord with problematic tenants as they build a rental property empire.

In what might be a little too close to home for some buy-to-let investors, players get to decide how to react to irate neighbours or police visits.  

Developer, Ancient Forge Studio, warns: “You never know what’s gonna happen: annoyed neighbours, problematic tenants, police involved. Gotta stay alert!”

Maximum profit!

It advises: “Invest wisely to achieve maximum profit. Keep an eye out for the best bargain and strike when you see an opportunity. Stay calm, focused and ready to make your business rise all the way to the top!”

Gamers get to decorate and furnish houses before Sims-style would-be renters come in to look around.

They can then screen their tenants and negotiate to get the best deal. During the game, tenants send their landlord messages when they need help or repairs.

Youtuber Call Me Kevin has posted a video of himself playing it, labelled ‘I became a landlord and ruined a neighbourhood!’ on his channel, which has received 28,000 likes.

While he played – as the landlord character ‘Cheapskate’ – his tenant got dozens of rats in the house and also sent him a message saying she had forgotten to pay her first months’ rent.  Real-life landlords might take comfort in the fact that she chose to pay after Call Me Kevin sent her a polite reminder.

Play the game for free.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Tired of being a real-life landlord? Try this bizarre new online game instead | LandlordZONE.

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Tired of being a real-life landlord? Try this bizarre online game instead

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Landlords needing some downtime after dealing with non-paying tenants and urgent repairs can enjoy a new video game about… non-paying tenants and urgent repairs.

Life simulation game – The Tenants – has just been beta launched, offering players the chance to become a landlord with problematic tenants as they build a rental property empire.

In what might be a little too close to home for some buy-to-let investors, players get to decide how to react to irate neighbours or police visits.  

Developer, Ancient Forge Studio, warns: “You never know what’s gonna happen: annoyed neighbours, problematic tenants, police involved. Gotta stay alert!”

Maximum profit!

It advises: “Invest wisely to achieve maximum profit. Keep an eye out for the best bargain and strike when you see an opportunity. Stay calm, focused and ready to make your business rise all the way to the top!”

Gamers get to decorate and furnish houses before Sims-style would-be renters come in to look around.

They can then screen their tenants and negotiate to get the best deal. During the game, tenants send their landlord messages when they need help or repairs.

Youtuber Call Me Kevin has posted a video of himself playing it, labelled ‘I became a landlord and ruined a neighbourhood!’ on his channel, which has received 28,000 likes.

While he played – as the landlord character ‘Cheapskate’ – his tenant got dozens of rats in the house and also sent him a message saying she had forgotten to pay her first months’ rent.  Real-life landlords might take comfort in the fact that she chose to pay after Call Me Kevin sent her a polite reminder.

Play the game for free.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Tired of being a real-life landlord? Try this bizarre online game instead | LandlordZONE.

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Tourist areas seeing ‘investor bidding wars’ for staycation properties

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Demand for buy-to-let and holiday let or staycation properties has risen to unprecedented levels as investors pile in.

One Lake District estate agent, Nick Elgey, of Hackney and Leigh says that they are seeing “competitive bidding wars” which are bringing soaring house prices particularly around areas like Keswick in the North Lakes.

“I have specialised in estate agency throughout Cumbria for more than 30 years but I have never seen such intense levels of activity,” he has said.

Mr Elgey puts the sudden rush in demand and the resulting increase in house prices down the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Houses that are suitable for letting it seems are “flying of the shelves” with sales being agreed very quickly when they come on to the market. 

The unfortunate result is that locals are being priced out of the housing market at a faster rate than ever. Lake district property prices have been increasing at a faster rate than the average UK price for years, but this is now an unprecedented boom.

“Once we advertise a desirable Lake District house, we normally receive enquiries from all over the UK”, says Mr Elgey.

Safe haven

The Lake District is seen as a safe haven for property investment especially in times when travel abroad is restricted and likely to be so for some time – the staycation boom is increasing demand for all holiday let properties, but when they located are in an area of outstanding natural beauty, and a national park, to boot, the attraction is even greater.

In addition to the attraction of having the property for occasional personal use as a regular holiday destination for the family, the trend to more home working and increased commuter distances, some are considering these properties as a main residence

Holiday lets

“They are seeking Lake District houses for recreational use as a second home or to earn rental income from holiday letting, especially following the staycation boom due to the pandemic and the record low bank base rate which is stagnating cash investments,” Mr Earley told local media.

Demand has always been high in the South Lakes, which are seen as ‘honeypot’ locations for holidays, but this is a new trend now evident in the North Lakes, with places like Keswick, Threlkeld, Braithwaite, and Pooley Bridge, near Penrith coming under the investors’ spotlight.

Victorian properties in Keswick are now selling for over £400,000 whereas only 18 months ago they would have gone for around £300,000. Rightmove’s statistics show that sales within a five-mile radius of Keswick rose by 25 per cent in 2020 over those recorded in 2018.

Read more stories about holiday lets.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Tourist areas seeing ‘investor bidding wars’ for staycation properties | LandlordZONE.

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