Tenants wariness of flat and house sharing on the rise, says academic Covid research

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The pandemic has prompted a drop in the number of people wanting to flat or house share while more tenants now want to live with smaller groups of people.

A survey by the University of Bath and flat-sharing site Ideal Flatmate reveals a big shift in attitudes since the start of Covid, with trends likely to remain beyond the lifting of lockdown restrictions.

The site, a matchmaking service that pairs up compatible flatmates, found that 64% of respondents would feel uncomfortable living with people who broke the social distancing rules, which it reckons could affect flatmate preferences in the future.

Most (68%) flat-sharers still prefer to live in cities although there has been a shift towards rural locations, such as villages, towns or suburbs. Many young sharers have relocated back home to families during the pandemic.

Working from home

The study also found an increased desire for gardens and green spaces, with a 33% rise in flat-sharers saying this would be a key factor in the future. Meanwhile, 55% of flat-sharers now work from home more than they did before Covid.

Tom Gatzen (pictured), co-founder of Ideal Flatmate, says it was aware of anecdotal evidence about sharers discussing attitudes to Covid before they move in with strangers.

“This is borne out by the research, with two-thirds not wanting to live with people who have broken the rules,” says Gatzen.

“This is likely to remain a factor as we move out of lockdown and the vaccine campaign is rolled out amongst the youngest population groups in the UK.”

Read more about Covid and tenants.

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Barking tornado: Battered streets see high winds, flash floods and property damage

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A freak weather event shocked residents and left extensive damage in its wake in Barking, East London and Essex, last week. Photos and video footage from the scene showed heavy black cloud circling in the sky and swirling winds amassed over the area.

Eyewitnesses described debris, rubbish and heavy objects such as fence posts flying through the air and swirling round and round. Footage shared on social media revealed collapsed garden walls, bricks scattered across driveways and fallen tree branches strewn across flooded roads littered with partially submerged cars.

Although it was over in just a few minutes, the ‘Barking tornado’ caused severe flash flooding in nearby Havering and Dagenham, damaging homes, roads, electrical equipment and vehicles.  

Damage to property was particularly extensive, with many homes suffering damaged roofs and shattered windows.

How common are tornados in the UK?

According to the Met Office, although tornadoes in the UK are not on the large scale that you might find in the US, there are about 30 tornadoes on average recorded in the UK each year. They mostly occur during the summer and autumn. Most tornadoes, although they produce damaging winds, do not lead to widespread destruction.

Tornados originate during thunderstorms when winds rise from the surface, come together, and begin to rotate. The rapidly rotating column of air that reaches between the base of a storm cloud and the earth’s surface creates the famous circular twister image of the tornado. If the column does not reach the surface, it is classed as a funnel cloud.

The Met Office is investigating the ‘Barking tornado’ – Craig Snell, a forecaster at the Met Office, said that they couldn’t currently confirm or deny that there had been a tornado, but that “all the ingredients” for a tornado were present.

Met Office forecaster, Matthew Box, said “it is probably that a brief tornado did occur.”

Prior to this freak weather event, the nearest tornado to Barking happened in 2006 in West [IM1] London, and the year before a tornado in Birmingham caused quite a bit of damage to the local area.

Freak severe weather events are on the increase

Although tornados are rare in the UK, extreme weather events are increasing. A Met Office study has shown that an extended period of extreme winter rainfall in the UK, similar to that seen in winter 2013/14 (one of the wettest on record), is now about seven times more likely due to human-induced climate change.

Several indicators in the latest UK State of the Climate report show that the UK’s climate is becoming wetter. We all remember the month of May, which brought heavy downpours to much of the UK, with Wales seeing its wettest May since records began in 1862 and all countries of the UK experiencing rainfall well above the long-term averages for the month.

The UK Environment Agency has warned that we’re going to get more intense bouts of flooding and scientists predict that climate change is likely to lead to higher storm surges as sea levels rise. Over the past few years property owners across the UK have experienced some of the worst weather damage on record, with many suffering uninsured losses due to torrential rain, gale-force winds and flooding.

Preparation and maintenance more important than ever for landlords

A few weeks ago, LandlordZONE’s insurance partner, Hamilton Fraser Total Landlord Insurance, offered landlords advice on how to prepare for torrential downpours and strong winds in response to flood alerts and weather warnings. But this latest freak weather event highlights the need for landlords to be prepared at all times – despite major improvements in weather forecasting since the Great Storm of 1987, sometimes the forecasters are still caught out by the severity of extreme weather.

When the weather is unpredictable, as it has been over the last few weeks, a storm or severe rainfall can arrive with little warning. The best way to reduce the likelihood of damage to your property is through regular maintenance.

By routinely carrying out the steps below a couple of times a year, you will have the peace of mind that you’re doing all you can to reduce the likelihood of severe weather causing damage to your property.

Essential maintenance for landlords

1. Clear gutters and drains

Landlords are legally responsible for maintaining and repairing external structures, including drains, gutters and external pipes. So, make sure you clear gutters, downspouts and drains of debris that might cause a blockage and lead to leaks or overflow into the property.

• Inspect the roof and carry out repairs

It’s generally a good idea to inspect the roof before winter and assess it after to see whether there’s been any damage. Replace any loose, cracked or broken roof tiles or slates and don’t forget to also inspect the chimney for cracks or loose brickwork and make sure it’s fitted with a storm collar to prevent water leaking into the loft.

• Trim trees

Tree maintenance is best carried out in winter when there are no leaves and it’s easier to locate any dying or loose branches that need removing. Cut back any low-hanging branches too, particularly if they overhang areas where people walk or are close to another property.

• Secure fences

It’s particularly important to make sure fence panels are secure and free from rot, as they are usually excluded from insurance policies in the event of a storm, yet they are at risk of being lifted up by heavy winds and can cause extensive damage, for example smashing windows, due to their size and weight.

• Check windows and doors

To reduce the likelihood of water damage, check that windows and doors are watertight and secure.

You can find out more about how to protect your rental property from severe weather in Hamilton Fraser Total Landlord Insurance’s comprehensive guides, Protecting your rental property from storms and Measures that must be taken to prevent flooding in your properties.

Arrange landlord insurance

Damage cause by severe weather, be it a storm or a flood, can be very expensive to rectify. At Hamilton Fraser Total Landlord Insurance, the average claim for flash floods is £17,708, so it pays to be protected.

Steve Barnes, Associate Director at Hamilton Fraser Total Landlord Insurance, says, “With extreme weather events increasing steadily over recent years, it’s vital for landlords to not only do as much as possible to prevent flooding in the first place, but to ensure they’re properly covered too. Hamilton Fraser Total Landlord Insurance is signed up to the Flood Re scheme, which will cover buy to let properties as long as they meet the criteria outlined here. The scheme raises funds to cover flood risks in insurance policies and reimburses the insurer after a paid claim is made, helping to keep premiums down.”

Having comprehensive landlord insurance in place provides reassurance that you and your property are protected should the worst happen and you need to carry out expensive repairs. A comprehensive policy like Hamilton Fraser Total Landlord Insurance’s Premier policy will not only cover the cost of repair work, but also loss of rent or alternative accommodation.

As a valued LandlordZONE reader you’re entitled to 20% off Hamilton Fraser Total Landlord Insurance’s policies, call the team today on 0800 63 43 880 quoting code LZ2021 or get a quote online in under 4 minutes. 

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Barking tornado: Battered streets see high winds, flash floods and property damage | LandlordZONE.

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‘Pioneering’ council slaps fines on rogue landlords totalling £317,000

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Rogue landlords in Barking and Dagenham had to stump up more than £317,000 in fines last year.

The council, which was the first in the UK to mandate all its PRS properties to be licensed, issued 117 civil penalty notices totalling £271,310 and 89 enforcement notices totalling over £46,000.

It also investigated 99 cases of illegal eviction and handled 122 cases of landlord harassment in the last 12 months – a significant rise on the year before the pandemic.

In one instance, council enforcement officers received a tip off about an unlicensed overcrowded property in Mayfair Avenue, where 13 people were found living in a four-bedroom house.

Brothel

Fourteen joint operations were also carried out with the Met Police, including one where the unlicensed HMO in Reede Road was being used as a brothel. The landlord is now awaiting a court hearing.

Councillor Margaret Mullane (pictured), cabinet member for enforcement and community safety, says most landlords in the borough understand their responsibilities – both legally and morally – to their tenants.

However, she adds: “There are unfortunately some unsavoury landlords who choose to flout the rules, and that is where we will use all the legal powers available to us to take action to improve living conditions for our residents.”

Since the borough-wide scheme launched in 2019 there have been about 15,000 applications for licences, although it is thought a quarter of all housing in the borough is private rented accommodation.

Read more about selective licensing.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – ‘Pioneering’ council slaps fines on rogue landlords totalling £317,000 | LandlordZONE.

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Making the move from DIY

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A Belvoir landlord explains why the pandemic prompted him to move his properties to fully managed.

“I have five rental properties, all based in the Basingstoke area,” says Ahmed Bashir*. “I used to manage them all myself, but now they are all fully managed by Belvoir Basingstoke. I made this decision mainly because of all the regulations and documentation that landlords now have to deal with. There are so many issues, and certificates that need to be obtained, plus checks that have to be made for every tenancy, and it’s important to be really careful, as one little mistake could result in all kinds of problems.

“I have known Mike Jones, the owner of Belvoir Basingstoke for about ten years and during this time he has always been very helpful, and very straight with me, which I appreciate. I like the fact that Belvoir Basingstoke has the back-up of Belvoir’s Central Office so that Mike and his team are always aware of any changes to laws and regulation as soon as they occur and can deal with them for me. The team at Belvoir Basingstoke have been doing their job for a very long time, and I am confident that they know what they are doing. I also appreciate the fact that I can always get hold of someone to chat with if needed, and I know that they will be able to answer my questions and help me out.

“I am a member of the NRLA and I’m very aware of how thorough you have to be with everything related to property management and tenant safety. I think this was really brought home to me when the Covid-19 pandemic appeared, and the country went into lockdown. I became even more aware of how important it was to know exactly what to do to keep everyone safe. Two of my overseas tenants ended their tenancies to return home, and I decided to make those last two properties fully managed. In my opinion it was money well spent, as Mike and his team were able to conduct the necessary Covid-safe viewings, using specialist software for remote viewings and referencing etc. Gone are the days when you could advertise a property on social media and do your own inventories and referencing – now you need to get things done professionally by an agent who knows exactly what they are doing.

“Even when every care is taken, it is inevitable that there are likely to be some problems with a property at some point. People may become ill, split up with their partner, or lose their job etc. You have to recognise that these things happen and are all part of life, but it’s really helpful to know that Belvoir Basingstoke is able to liaise between me and the tenant when any problems occur. It’s reassuring to know that they are able to speak to tenants in a professional manner, and between us we are able to work out solutions, and a way forward that is best for everyone.

“Throughout any tenancy someone from Belvoir Basingstoke will visit the property every six months and then send me a full report to explain if there are issues and if any maintenance needs doing. If necessary, I can talk to the team about this and I’m always given the option to decide whether I want to make any of the repairs myself or whether I want them to get them done by a professional contractor. I’m very happy with this arrangement, knowing that I have peace of mind and my property is being well taken care of.

“Finally, I had to accept that I’m getting older! Whereas in years gone by, I might have been happy to do plumbing jobs etc, it’s now definitely more of a challenge, and it’s so much easier for me to ask Belvoir Basingstoke to get the work done for me. I have absolutely no regrets about having all of my properties fully managed – I think it’s money well spent, as Belvoir does so much work on my behalf.”

To find your local Belvoir office visit: www.belvoir.co.uk

Ahmed Bashir* – name has been changed at landlord’s request.

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June annual house price growth 13.4%

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The June Nationwide House price index is indicating year-on-year house price growth of 13.4%, the highest level of house price inflation since November 2004.

Monthly inflation is 0.7% showing a slight easing from May’s figure of 1.7% and the average price of a house in the UK now stands at £245,432.

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A Quiz For Property Traders

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This quiz will run until the end of July 2021. We will then send a bottle of champagne to the person whose comment we like the most.

So, here’s the scenario.

A property trader buys a house for £200,000 with cash only and immediately flips it achieving a sale price of £300,000.

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Ambitious landlords project trailblazes new model for social housing in PRS

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One of the largest efforts to entice private rented sector landlords into the social housing sector is taking place in Scotland, an ambitious initiative that is being watched across the UK to see if it can succeed.

Housing charity Aberdeen Cyrenians has launched letting agency Settled: Homes for All in a bid to repurpose the more than 2,000 properties in Aberdeen that have been empty for more than a year and to house more than 250 people currently in temporary accommodation.

The Crisis and Scottish government-backed initiative follows its Housing First pathfinder programme which provides ordinary, settled housing as a first response for people whose homelessness is made harder by experiences such as trauma, addiction and mental ill-health.

It acknowledges that meeting this fundamental need should come first, rather than supporting someone until they’re ‘housing-ready’. 

The latest initiative aims to give landlords proactive support to help them find suitable tenants, often for properties that have been sitting empty.

They’ll be supported to ensure housing standards are met and their tenants will receive flexible support for as long as it takes to make long-term tenancy a success. Landlords will also have the same guarantees as a regular let.

Mike Burns, CEO of Aberdeen Cyrenians (pictured), says by reducing risks for landlords, it increases available properties for tenants. He adds that the Housing First pathfinder in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire has consistently been the most successful in Scotland, with tenancy sustainment rates of 93%.

“Next month we hope to hit 100 long-term tenancies being secured. The model has shown just how important it is to put housing needs and intensive support together to provide a secure base for recovery.”

Read more about social housing in the PRS.

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