Commercial Tenant and Insurance Claim?

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Our tenant had an attempted burglary and the shop door needs to be replaced but has to be made to fit as it is not a standard size. We as the owners of the property will probably have to go through the insurance to cover this.

View Full Article: Commercial Tenant and Insurance Claim?

ITV Tonight show to probe evictions by private landlords tomorrow at 8.30pm

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Leading evictions expert Paul Shamplina is to feature on tomorrow evening’s ITV Tonight programme whose reporter Daniel Hewitt has spent weeks looking into the post-pandemic rise in evictions.

Hewitt was recently lauded for his six-month investigation into terrible housing conditions within the social sector aired last September including, in particular, a now-infamous block in Croydon where tenants lived among flooded floors and mould.

Hewitt’s new programme will investigate how, with millions in the UK renting privately from a landlord but with Covid bans on evictions at an end, there are warnings that a ‘new wave of evictions could be imminent.

The programme will also look at claims made by housing campaigners that ‘thousands are living with the threat of losing their homes’.

The ITV political reporter and his film crew visited the offices of Landlord Action recently (pictured, below) to interview the company’s founder Paul Shamplina to get his views on subjects such as banning Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions.

Paul Shamplina also provides an exclusive insight into evictions and arrears by showing viewers the real-life eviction process as well as exposing the different elements that are causing the volume of possession claims to increase.

“Possession claims for 2021 stood at approximately 40,000, but with current challenges such as the rise in the cost of living, increased rents, shortage of stock and changes to the housing benefit system, I predict this figure will at least double and we will see 80,000 plus claims issued for 2022,” says Shamplina.

“Social housing providers are also starting to issues claims again after two years holding off evicting tenants, so numbers are going to be pushed right up.

“The Tonight programme really portrays the level of claims we’re seeing right now, provides the reality of how both landlords and tenants alike are struggling and looks at what the government can do to help with this tougher economy in 2022 and beyond.”

Losing Your Home – The True Cost is on at 8.30pm on ITV tomorrow, 17^th March. It can be watched on catchup afterwards.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – ITV Tonight show to probe evictions by private landlords tomorrow at 8.30pm | LandlordZONE.

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NIC class 2+4 mandatory or not – Unanswered question?

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This financial year 20/21 my wife and I retired and I have decided to do our own tax returns.

We have 2 rental properties, the last purchased 10 or so years ago.

From the gov.uk website I believe we do not constitute a business

View Full Article: NIC class 2+4 mandatory or not – Unanswered question?

Belvoir adds ‘discerningly different’ brand to franchise portfolio

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In keeping with its multi-brand acquisition growth strategy, the Belvoir Group has confirmed the acquisition of estate agency business Mr and Mrs Clarke.

Mr and Mrs Clarke, which was founded in 2015, currently operates a national network of licensed partners who work on a self-employed basis, offering a bespoke estate agency service.

With a wide national presence, key areas currently include Warwickshire and the Midlands, South Wales and North London, with business ambition to notably expand their current reach.

Speaking of Belvoir’s latest acquisition, CEO Dorian Gonsalves (pictured) said: “We are delighted to welcome the Mr and Mrs Clarke network into the Group.

“This acquisition once again demonstrates Belvoir’s commitment to delivering on its strategic objective of investing in successful businesses that align with our multi-brand franchise model and provide scope for further growth by becoming part of the Belvoir Group.

“Since founding their business in 2015, co-founders Alex and Paul Clarke have successfully created an award-winning company with a very different and exciting approach that includes outstanding attention to detail, innovative Instagram-style photography and property staging to enhance the sales process.

“Importantly, Mr and Mrs Clarke will bring a very different kind of business model to the other brands currently within the Belvoir Group.

“This is a brokerage style self-employed model that will enable Belvoir to further diversify, by providing an alternative route into estate agency for potential business owners who prefer a relatively low-cost entry into the market, with the possibility of converting their efforts into high turnover.

“I can confirm that the Mr and Mrs Clarke brand will remain intact, and there is a three-year incentivized earn out period.

“Mr and Mrs Clarke’s existing partner support team will be greatly enhanced by all the additional support on offer from Belvoir’s Central Office.

“Belvoir will also be looking at providing new opportunities to potential partners, including business loans, property lettings and financial services, which will greatly benefit existing and new partnerships.

“This is a very exciting acquisition, and we are confident that the association with Belvoir will result in massive business growth for the brand.”

Natural step

Paul Clarke, co-founder of Mr and Mrs Clarke (main picture), said: “The CEO of the Belvoir Group Dorian Gonsalves understood our vision from the word go and the acquisition was a natural step for us in the next stage of our evolution. The opportunities that this acquisition gives our partners, and the overall business direction, are extremely exciting – we’re thrilled too to be a ‘first’ for the Belvoir Group.

“The brokerage style business model is one which is making waves in the UK, especially in our new flexible working era, and we strongly feel that it will only become more popular.

“We’re very much looking forward to starting this new chapter in partnership with a Group that is so experienced in estate agency, lettings, franchising and financial services and will be grabbing the opportunity with both hands to exceed our plans for further, national business growth.”

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Belvoir adds ‘discerningly different’ brand to franchise portfolio | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: Belvoir adds ‘discerningly different’ brand to franchise portfolio

‘Rogue tenants cost me £1000s – they need to be stopped’, says landlord

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Fed-up landlord Prafula Copp wants to encourage others in the sector to join a new campaign, fighting for landlords’ rights.

After a number of bad experiences with non-paying and destructive tenants, she believes the government needs to stop penalising landlords and plans to start a petition demanding stronger rights.

“I’ve lost thousands of pounds and had some very bad experiences since starting out in 2007 with a small portfolio of properties,” she tells LandlordZONE.

“I’m currently dealing with a tenant who hasn’t paid rent for a few months and is now sending threatening letters.

“I’ve discovered that the referencing firm hasn’t done its job properly as it turns out that the business he was supposedly working for is dormant, and his supposed boss has a criminal record.

“He’s now saying that I disclosed information about him and is demanding that I pay back the rent for two months, along with his deposit, and release him from his 12-month contract. It’s making me really stressed.”

Fraudulent reference

Copp is also helping a landlord friend who is battling with his estate agent which accepted a fraudulent reference for his tenant.

Another friend is being prevented from entering their property by a tenant whose home has a cockroach infestation, even though it is affecting the maisonette below. 

She says that these problems are endemic and believes the government needs to keep records where landlords, councils and utilities suppliers can trace fraudulent tenants who have been abusing the system.

Read more: The ultimate guide to tenant referencing

Just a few years ago the London-based landlord had to completely redecorate a property after a professional tenant trashed it before he left.

“There is not enough protection for landlords,” Copp adds. “I hope other landlords can join me so we can get thousands of signatures to take to the government. We need to do more than the landlord associations are currently doing.”

Read more about fraudulent referencing attempts.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – ‘Rogue tenants cost me £1000s – they need to be stopped’, says landlord | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: ‘Rogue tenants cost me £1000s – they need to be stopped’, says landlord

“Pop-Up” HPPM property networking event at the London Hard Rock

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Join us for quality property networking at London’s Hard Rock Hotel – in support of Humanitarian aid for Ukraine Tuesday, 22 March 2022, 18:30 – 21:30 GMT: Click Here to join us

About this event

The British public helped to raise over £150 million in a single week for the Disaster Emergency Committee Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal*

View Full Article: “Pop-Up” HPPM property networking event at the London Hard Rock

Huge Liverpool licensing scheme covering 45,000 homes prepares to sign up first landlords

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Liverpool’s huge new licensing scheme, covering about 80% of privately rented properties in the city, opens for applications this week after months of battles with the government to get approval for the scheme.

The council fought hard to win government approval for the five-year scheme, which runs from 1^st April, and was forced to scale down plans made in 2019 when former Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick thwarted its attempt to renew it until 2025. It finally got the green light in December.

About 45,000 of the 55,000 properties in the original city-wide scheme – which ended in 2020 – will be covered across 16 wards: Central, Riverside, Greenbank, Kensington, Picton, Tuebrook & Stoneycroft, County, Anfield, St Michael’s, Princes Park, Kirkdale, Old Swan, Warbreck, Wavertree, Fazakerley and Everton. Liverpool has a separate HMO licensing scheme covering more than 2,600 properties.

Earlybird

Landlords signing up before the end of June get an early bird discount which takes the total cost of a licence down to £380 per property, rather than £550. Other discounts include £50 off if the property has an Energy Performance Certificate rating of C or above.

Cabinet member for strategic development and housing, councillor Sarah Doyle (pictured), says it’s a major step forward to improving neighbourhoods.

She adds: “Too many vulnerable people in our city are in poor housing conditions, paying rent to a landlord who doesn’t carry out essential maintenance to keep them warm and safe. The landlord licensing scheme gives us regulation of private rented houses, so that we can take action when concerns are raised.”

Under the previous scheme, the council issued more than 2,500 legal notices, 169 formal cautions and 197 written warnings which resulted in more than 300 successful landlord offence prosecutions and 87 civil penalties.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Huge Liverpool licensing scheme covering 45,000 homes prepares to sign up first landlords | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: Huge Liverpool licensing scheme covering 45,000 homes prepares to sign up first landlords

Barrister warns landlords over pitfalls of offering Ukrainian refugees whole properties

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Landlords have been warned about the legal pitfalls of offering a home to Ukrainians fleeing the war.

The government’s newly launched Homes for Ukraine scheme lets individuals and businesses £360 a month to provide a spare room or separate self-contained accommodation for refugees for at least half a year, with volunteers asked to record their interest on a new web page ahead of phase one of the scheme opening on Friday.

Reactions to the initiative from the public have been swift and generous, so much so that the website crashed earlier today after millions of people visited the site to register their interest in the scheme.

However, Christian Fox, a barrister at Becket Chambers who specialises in property law, says that offering anything other than a room in your own main home, such as an annex or separate property, can inadvertently create a tenancy.

He explains: “It is far better for both parties to understand the way they can extend or terminate the agreement now, rather than risking acrimony or legal action later.”

He adds: “If the owner of a second home or investment property were to allow several families to stay in a property, it may give rise to the need to register as an HMO.

Sympathetic

“While we might hope that local authorities would be sympathetic, unless the government scheme allows exemption, then at the very least licensing will need to be investigated with the local council and their views sought.”

Read more: differences between an HMO and a bedsit.

Fox says that there are also questions around responsibility for property maintenance, insurance and payment for utilities and council tax that need to be considered.

Even just offering a room on a long-term basis can affect property insurance or risk breaching mortgage or lease terms,” he says. “There are also statutory overcrowding offences under the Housing Act 1985 and it is uncertain, for now at least, if these are waived by the scheme or not.”

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Barrister warns landlords over pitfalls of offering Ukrainian refugees whole properties | LandlordZONE.

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Little more than half the savings market can beat base rate

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Base rate beating savings deals plunge to lowest level in over a decade with the Moneyfacts UK Savings Trends Treasury Report data showing little more than half of the savings market (55%) can beat base rate, despite an uplift to savings rates month-on-month.

View Full Article: Little more than half the savings market can beat base rate

Maximise rental income and capital value with a Refurbishment Buy to Let

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A Refurbishment Buy to Let product helps landlords maximise rental yield by refurbishing a property whilst it is vacant.

This product brings together the flexibility of bridging finance with an exit to a Buy to Let Mortgage.

There is only one application and the same valuer for the initial valuation and the re-inspection.

View Full Article: Maximise rental income and capital value with a Refurbishment Buy to Let