SHOCK: Homeowners and landlords replacing heat pumps with boilers – claim

admin    Uncategorized     agents

According to many companies, heat pumps are our salvation. To homeowners and landlords, they are expensive to buy. That’s okay, right?

Not quite. Home boiler installation experts at Boiler Central have recently seen homeowners return to their natural gas boilers due to heat pumps just not cutting it.

The fact that landlords and homeowners are willing to pay more to remove a heat pump and go back to something they initially thought was ‘too costly’ speaks volumes.

What are homeowners and landlords choosing to heat homes?

Evidently, rising gas prices don’t stop people from changing their gas boilers.

The UK is experiencing rising gas prices and many people are looking for alternatives to the traditional natural gas boiler to heat homes and properties.

People are being offered a mixture of thousands of pounds for switching to an air source heat pump, and standard headlines proclaiming that these are the future. The question is now: Are proprietors making costly and big mistakes?

Are cold tenants going to demand landlords invest back into boilers?

Nationwide boiler installation experts at Boiler Central are experiencing an increase in boiler-to-heat pump conversion requests. 

The latest example is from a cold homeowner in Scotland. A resident wanted his Daikin heat pump removed and replaced by a hydrogen mix-ready gas boiler. 

It was difficult because of the high cost involved but it was necessary as sufficient heat was not produced by the air source heat pumps that were required to successfully heat the property effectively. 

If you are a landlord who has tenants who are a young family or elderly it may be something to consider. 

As a landlord do you choose a heat pump or boiler?

A boiler and heat pump are the equivalents of hot or lukewarm, but as a landlord costs will make likely make the choice for you. 

Experts at Boiler Central recommend that you consider the pros and cons of heat pumps if you aren’t sure whether you want a boiler or heat pump. This is because it can end up costing twice as much, and you end up buying a new boiler replacement.

There are downsides to heat pumps

Heat pumps are the most efficient heating option. Heat pumps can be expensive at first. These are the disadvantages of heat pumps.

High upfront costs to homeowners and landlords

Heat pumps can be expensive upfront, but they offer long-term energy savings. This can reduce carbon emissions. Because of the research required to determine the heat movement, local geology, and heating and cooling requirements for your home, it is difficult to install heat pumps.

Questionable sustainability for homeowners & tenants

Some fluids used in heat transfer may not be sustainable, which could raise environmental concerns. Use biodegradable fluids instead. It is difficult to make heat pumps carbon neutral because they are powered by electricity. 

Problems with Cold Weather

In cold weather, heat pumps are unable to work at their full potential. This problem can be solved by upgrading your heat pump system. The Seasonal Product Factor (SPF) of your heat pump is important.

Future boilers & heat pumps

As you can see, heat pumps are not capable of heating water as well as boilers. If the Government decides to add 20% hydrogen to the gas supply, which is highly likely, it will dramatically reduce carbon emissions. Hydrogen is still very expensive to produce so don’t expect prices to drop.

If you are a landlord looking for a boiler replacement or conversion then don’t hesitate to contact the experts at Boiler Central.

View Full Article: SHOCK: Homeowners and landlords replacing heat pumps with boilers – claim

The Unintended Consequences Of Incorporation

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When Property Investors incorporate their Buy To Let Property Portfolio, there can be unintended consequences if not done correctly.

To avoid these consequences, stay tuned to this final part of our incorporation mini-series with Alex Norian, the property tax specialist

View Full Article: The Unintended Consequences Of Incorporation

Is this legal? Bank wants to amend tenancies

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Hi, We are in the process of remortgaging a block of 9 flats and have had a mortgage offer.

But prior to completion, the bank are insisting that we write an amendment to the existing tenants that if I don’t pay the mortgage they will vacate the flat if instructed by the bank.

View Full Article: Is this legal? Bank wants to amend tenancies

SAFETY CHECKS: 46% of landlords report problems gaining access to properties

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Nearly half of landlords have experienced problems gaining access to their properties to complete mandatory checks including gas safety, it has been revealed.

Leading evictions specialist Landlord Action polled some 1,200 landlords and found that 46% had access problems when carrying out routine checks or gas safety inspections, making compliance extremely difficult.

The research, which was carried out last month, has been released to coincide with the start of Gas Safety Week today.

All landlords renting properties with gas appliances have a legal duty to have a gas safety inspection carried out each year by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

A copy of the gas safety certificate must then be issued to the tenants and, if it is not, evictions can be very difficult to enact.

Paul Shamplina, founder of Landlord Action, says: “Gas safety checks are not only a landlord’s legal obligation, but they are also imperative to ensuring the safety of the property and the tenants living there.

“Of course, sometimes it comes down to when is convenient, but when tenants continually deny access, it becomes a real problem.”

Ground for repossession

Shamplina’s firm is currently putting together a proposal to Ministers that would make a tenant refusing access to a property a discretionary ground for repossession.

“As the market evolves and the balance of power shifts towards the tenant, landlords are contacting us with increasingly complex legal challenges, which are likely to broaden in the future as the sector reforms.

“We already offer access injunctions to complete gas safety checks and are currently looking at what other support landlords may need” adds Paul.

Read a complete guide to gas safety and landlord gas safety certificates.

View Full Article: SAFETY CHECKS: 46% of landlords report problems gaining access to properties

Scottish rent freeze is ‘unravelling’

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The rent freeze that was announced last week for private landlords in Scotland has been criticised by one leading letting agent who says that the plan is already ‘unravelling’.

The agent made his call after Patrick Harvie, a Green minister

View Full Article: Scottish rent freeze is ‘unravelling’

New housing minister to be lobbied by ‘pet with lets’ campaigners

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Campaigners have vowed to take their ongoing battle for pet rental reform to the new housing minister.

AdvoCATS founder Jen Berezai (pictured) is writing to Simon Clarke (main pic), to ensure he’s aware of its Heads for Tails campaign – calling for an amended Tenant Fees Act 2019 to allow for landlords to require pet insurance and/or by adding a pet deposit to permitted payments – and ongoing efforts to make proposed reforms work in practice.

As part of the Fairer Renting White Paper, landlords will need a good reason to refuse permission for a tenant to have an animal in their home and if they do say no, tenants will get the power to challenge their decision.

Landlords will also be able to request that tenants’ pets are fully insured – meaning that damage to property is likely to be covered by the pet’s insurance policy.

However, Berezai tells LandlordZONE: “We’re concerned that the new minister won’t have the same priorities and he certainly isn’t up-to-speed with our report and why pet reform is important. We need to keep the issue on the agenda.”

She also plans to write to outgoing housing minister Eddie Hughes, thanking him for his support and asking him if he’ll add his name to Advocat’s list of supporting MPs and peers, which now numbers 41.

Advocats is part of a working group including The Lettings Hub and the NRLA which meets regularly to discuss the issue. It is also promoting a Society for Companion Animal Studies online conference on 18^th September, Pet Friendly Housing – How can we keep people and pets together?, which landlords can join. The group has previously reported how the ban on keeping animals is the second biggest reason for tenants relinquishing pets to rescue centres.

You can register here Register here for the conference.

View Full Article: New housing minister to be lobbied by ‘pet with lets’ campaigners

Money matters: with costs skyrocketing, the experts at Belvoir offer some great money saving tips for landlords…

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At a time when costs seem to be constantly rising and the financial forecasts seem to be all doom and gloom, now is an ideal time for DIY landlords to review their portfolios and, where appropriate, adjust outgoings. This month Belvoir advises on some key areas to consider.

Mortgage review

If you have a BTL mortgage, make sure you talk to an independent financial advisor to check that you are on the best available deal. A reputable whole of market broker company will be able to shop around on your behalf and source the best deal to suit your circumstances. Whilst many landlords will undoubtedly be feeling the pinch as interest rates rise, mortgages remain a very affordable way to borrow money, and there is still a huge shortage of rental properties, so BTL remains a good investment.

Don’t forget that landlords are responsible for assessing their own tax, and as the rules often change, it is advisable to take independent financial tax advice to help navigate what can be quite a complex task.

Property maintenance

One area that landlords should not try and cut costs on is the maintenance of their properties. Landlords have a duty of care to ensure the safety of their tenants and all rental accommodation should be maintained to a high standard to ensure they are safe and legally compliant. Importantly, regular maintenance will help to retain the value of the property as an investment. A good agent will advise on what areas of property maintenance are the responsibility of the landlord, and which ones the tenant is responsible for. In addition, a comprehensive inventory at the start and end of a tenancy will help to avoid costly disputes when the tenancy agreement comes to an end.

Unless you are a DIY landlord with excellent property maintenance skills, and you can be available quickly to deal with any emergency issues that may arise, it is better to outsource to a reputable tradesman. Belvoir offices have lists of trusted tradesmen that can be relied on to deal with any issues promptly and efficiently, in a cost-effective manner.

Legal compliance

There are literally hundreds of regulations governing Buy to Let. Failure to comply with these regulations, which change regularly, can result in hefty fines. Don’t risk losing money or in the most severe cases of neglect, a prison sentence. If you are a DIY landlord it can be very difficult to keep up with fast-changing laws and regulations, and this is where a good agent can help to save you money and shoulder the burden. If you are uncertain of any areas of legal compliance regarding your rental property, telephone or call into the office of a professional letting agent and ask for some advice.

Rental reviews

Rents vary across the country, with some areas commanding high rents and other regions remaining much lower. Importantly, tenants are only able to pay what they can afford, and this is where an agent can really help to prove their worth, as they will know exactly what rents can be achieved in their area for particular types of property. In addition, comprehensive tenant referencing prior to a tenancy being agreed is an important way to ensure that tenants will be able to pay rents, and to help avoid costly legal disputes should circumstances change. A good agent will be able to advise on insurance packages to help avoid expensive legal costs or loss of rent should the worst happen and a tenant stops paying rent for some reason.

Time management

When calculating your outgoings as a landlord, don’t forget to factor in the cost of your time. How much time are you spending on sourcing tenants, carrying out inventories, dealing with maintenance issues, checking rental payments and all the other tasks that come with being a landlord? Do you realistically have enough time to do these jobs properly? This challenge becomes even more difficult for landlords who own several investment properties. It is true that time is money, and this being the case, it can be a real money saver to outsource some or all of these vital tasks. If you are a DIY landlord who has previously dismissed the thought of engaging an agent because you automatically thought that the costs outweighed any benefits, it may be time to reconsider. Agent fees are tax-deductible, and the time and money saved can make a real difference to the profitability of your business.

View Full Article: Money matters: with costs skyrocketing, the experts at Belvoir offer some great money saving tips for landlords…

Gas Safe warns landlords over number of dangerous appliances in homes

admin    Uncategorized     agents

One in five homes inspected nationally had a dangerous gas appliance which needed to be switched off immediately, while three in five were in an unsafe condition, according to the Gas Safe Register. 

Landlords are being encouraged to make sure their properties aren’t part of the problem by following the advice promoted during Gas Safety Week, which starts today.

The campaign hopes to raise awareness of the importance of taking care of gas appliances that are unlikely to perform optimally if poorly installed or incorrectly maintained. Problems can even lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, gas leaks and fires.

Landlords should make sure that gas pipework, appliances and flues in their properties are safely maintained and that all gas appliances and flues provided for tenants’ use have an annual safety check.

A Gas Safety Record must be provided to the tenant within 28 days of completing the check or to any new tenant before they move in, and a copy kept until two further checks have taken place. Landlords should also ensure that maintenance and annual safety checks are carried out by a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer.

Illnesses

Awareness campaigns have already contributed to reducing the number of illnesses caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, according to Propertymark, but it says there is still plenty more work to be done.

CEO Nathan Emerson (pictured) adds: “We’re proud to support the Gas Safe Register in its campaign again this year.

“We understand the importance of education when it comes to gas safety and by spreading this vital information especially to agents and landlords, we can limit the devastating impact that unsafe appliances can have.”

Visit the Gas Safe Register at www.gassaferegister.co.uk/help-and-advice

Read more: How to gain access to a rented property for gas checks.

View Full Article: Gas Safe warns landlords over number of dangerous appliances in homes

Nearly half of landlords denied access for gas safety checks

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Landlord Action is issuing a reminder to landlords on the importance of carrying out annual gas safety checks – and a request to tenants to ensure they grant the necessary access to landlords to facilitate this. 

They point to a recent survey that reveals nearly half of landlords have

View Full Article: Nearly half of landlords denied access for gas safety checks

Renting 4-5 rooms on AirBnB – which use permission class?

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Hi, I’d like to move house but retain my existing property, rented to multiple single occupants using AirBnB for periods of minimum 5 days to maximum 3 months.

The majority of visitors will be international visitors for Mon PhDs (I know this as I have been using the rent a room scheme for two years and 90% of visits are postgrad students on short courses at nearby university).

View Full Article: Renting 4-5 rooms on AirBnB – which use permission class?