Bed Bugs – a growing problem for landlords

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Bed Bugs:

Bed bugs are a growing concern for landlords across the country. An increase in infestations means that more people are affected by this, and they are not easy to eradicate once an infestation takes a hold.

Bedbugs will lurk in cracks and crevices and they’ve been living on human blood for centuries. Though they aren’t known to transmit disease or pose any serious medical risk, the stubborn parasites usually leave itchy and unsightly bites.

Though bed bugs are not drawn to filth, as many people think, they are able to thrive more in an environment that is cluttered, or where clothing is left on the floor. School children are more likely to have clutter and leave clothing on the floor, and they can carry and pass on these bugs when they go to school.

In fact, if exposed to them, anyone can bring them home and quickly have a problem, as they breed at a phenomenal rate. It is thought that one of the reasons for the increased incidence is travelling and hotel stays. Corridors of infestations radiating out from airports, such as Heathrow and Gatwick, lend support to the theory that bed bugs have been brought back to this country from countries where they have never been eradicated.

The government recognise bed bugs as a serious and increasing problem and is launching a bed bug project to receive funding, among 53 other business ideas.

A new device could revolutionise how bed bugs are tackled, which is one of many new business ideas being supported by Innovate UK’s latest open funding competition.

The Bed Bug Project

The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) has identified a new bed bug aggregation chemical substance known as a “pheromone�, which acts as a powerful lure to the bugs.

One company connected to Vecotech Ltd, has received a grant of £220,034 to help with the commercialisation of a product to detect infestations at an early stage, which would lead to more effective control.

Professor James Logan, of Vecotech and Head of Department of Disease Control at LSHTM, has said:

“Bed bug control remains one of the most lucrative and growing markets in the pest management industry globally and insect numbers are also reported to be increasing rapidly.

“The common bed bug bite can cause reactions ranging from minor irritation to severe allergic hypersensitivity. They are a pest of significant public health importance and a major global economic problem, widely infesting homes, hospitals and dormitories and damaging the hospitality industry through infestation of hotels, cinemas and transport.

“There are a few bed bug detection methods and monitoring devices available, but there are no established products with proven reliability and efficacy for detecting low level infestations quickly.

“The objective of this project is to develop an effective test prototype of this powerful lure, to be used in a bed bug-specific trap, capable of detecting early stage infestations, that is effective, sensitive, long lasting, safe, affordable and discrete.�

Tackling Bed Bug Infestations – Control and Identification

If your tenants find a bug in the property, it is vital to capture it and put it in a plastic bag for identification. Proper identification is key to eradication. If the bug is a bed bug, here are a few things can be done protect your tenants while you await identification.

Advice your tenants to:

• Wash and dry all clothing and bedding on the hottest temperature.
• Thoroughly vacuum crevices, cracks, and stitching on mattresses, box spring, and upholstered furniture.
• Remove as much clutter as possible from the property. Bed bugs will hide in clutter. They are particularly fond of clutter underneath beds.
• Consider investing in mattress and box spring encasements.
• Put bed bug traps under the legs of beds to see if any bed bugs appear.
• While you and your kids sleep, you are the perfect bait to lure bed bugs out of their hiding. While the traps don’t stop an infestation, they will help you determine the magnitude of the problem.
• If you have a full infestation on your hands you need to bring in a pest control professional.
• See: https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/suppliers-directory/pest-control

A variety of low-odour sprays, dusts, and aerosol insecticides are available to control bedbugs. These should be applied to all areas where the bugs are observed as well as hiding places or spaces where they may crawl.

A pest control expert may recommend certain forms of deep-cleaning such as scrubbing infested surfaces with a stiff brush to remove eggs, dismantling bed frames and furniture, filling cracks in floors, walls, and mouldings, and encasing mattresses within special bags.

It is likely that you will hear more and more about bed bugs in the coming years. These pests are on the increase. Fortunately, they are a pest problem that has a solution providing you can educate your tenants to deal with it correctly. Don’t panic, just implement a sensible programme to deal with the problem as quickly as possible.

Bed bugs project among 53 business ideas to receive funding – see here

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Bed Bugs – a growing problem for landlords | LandlordZONE.

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Blog: Electrical safety in your rental home

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Ian Halton of the National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers (NAPIT) shares details of the work the trade body has been doing to help landlords keep their homes safe.   The issue of electrical safety is high up on the Government agenda currently, with consultations in both England and Wales looking into tightening the […]

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Freehold co. blocking sale after service charge debacle and CCJ?

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I purchase a leasehold flat in late 2005, during the several years I lived there and for the following 5 years it was let, never at any time did I received correspondence from either the Freehold Co. or their Management Company.

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Motion to end s21 by London Assembly

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Section 21:

London Assembly Members yesterday voted almost unanimously to petition the Mayor of London to back a campaign, instigated by campaigning group “Generation Rent�, to abolish the thirty year-old no-fault Section 21 (Housing Act 1988) residential tenant eviction process.

A mainstay of the Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST), the section 21 no-fault eviction process has arguably been responsible for the rapid growth of the buy-to-let sector over the last 20 years. Giving landlords the certainly and security of getting their properties back in the event of rent arrears – by far the main reason for this type of eviction – section 21 is highly valued by most residential landlords.

However, despite arguments in the committee to the contrary, a majority of assembly members want to see the abolishing of Section 21.

Assembly member Sian Berry, who proposed the motion, said:

“The Assembly has firmly put its weight behind Generation Rent’s campaign to end section 21.

“London renters need to feel secure in their homes and know they can’t be thrown out on the streets for no reason. I’ve known far too many friends and colleagues forced to move out of their homes at really short notice at times when they would least choose to move.

“Having to move at short notice is one of the worst parts of being a private renter and ending section 21 would make a dramatic difference and solve this problem – it would also align our policies with other countries.�

Seconder of the motion Tom Copley, said:

“Our tenancy laws were introduced 30 years ago when only 1 in 10 Londoners rented from a private landlord. Now more than a quarter of us do, including increasing numbers of families with children.

“It is unacceptable that landlords can use section 21 to evict tenants for no reason. Private tenants deserve security to protect them from arbitrary or revenge eviction, the fear of which makes tenants reluctant to come forward to complain about substandard housing.

“The Government has just announced a consultation on three year private tenancies, but this will be meaningless unless no fault eviction is abolished. I hope the Mayor will use this consultation to urge the government to abolish section 21 eviction.�

The full text of the motion states:

“This Assembly welcomes the campaign to end section 21 – the clause of the Housing Act 1988 that allows private landlords to evict tenants without reason.

“We acknowledge that the threat of a no-fault eviction causes insecurity and stress for Londoners who rent privately and can discourage tenants from complaining about substandard housing.

“We welcome the action taken by the Scottish government to restrict no-fault evictions.

“We urge the Mayor to state his backing for the campaign to abolish section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 and to lobby government for this change in the law.”

London Assemby Website: “Stop landlords evicting tenants without reason� – see here

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Motion to end s21 by London Assembly | LandlordZONE.

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DWP Universal Credit newsletter for landlords

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The Department of Work and Pensions has published the first quarterly newsletter on Universal Credit. By the end of 2018 all Job Centres across the UK will have rolled out with Universal Credit ‘Full Service’, and the newsletter, which you can access here provides information to both private and social landlords. As part of the […]

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So-called ‘Conservatives’

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Dr Rosalind Beck has had an article published today on conservativehome which we are pleased to see sets the record straight on some of the recent proposals for the PRS emanating from so-called ‘Conservatives.’

Please Click Here to read the full article.

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Government plans for compulsory 3-year tenancies

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3-year tenancies:

The Government is launching a consultation on its controversial proposal to make residential tenancies in England subject to a three-year minimum term, with a six-month break clause.

Launched earlier this week, the consultation will seek “…views on longer minimum tenancies, which are used in other countries, as well as ideas on how to implement the model agreement.�

The Government’s free model tenancy agreement introduced in 2014 and updated February 2016 is designed for landlords and tenants entering into an assured shorthold tenancy (AST) of short, or voluntarily of extended lengths, and contains guidance on its use and clauses.

The Government says the model agreement is “…particularly relevant for use when the parties are entering into a longer term tenancy of 2 or more years. It, therefore, contains provisions relating to rent reviews and those which enable the landlord or the tenant to end the tenancy during the fixed term if their circumstances change.�

Progressive change or election reality?

The new Housing Secretary James Brokenshire has said:

“It is deeply unfair when renters are forced to uproot their lives or find new schools for their children at short notice due to the terms of their rental contract.

“Being able to call your rental property your home is vital to putting down roots and building stronger communities.�

Shadow housing secretary John Healey has said:

“This latest promise is meaningless if landlords can still force tenants out by hiking up the rent.�

He said Labour plans included controls on rents, an end to so-called no-fault evictions and protection against sub-standard properties.

The wording within the consultation document proposes that tenants will have to be offered a minimum three-year tenancy agreement, but tenants would be able to leave before the 3-year term is up. In other words landlords would be locked-in, but tenant would not be.

The consultation will look into the practical workings of such a change and what exemptions may be necessary to make it work best, for example, those tenants that are happy with a short, say six or 12 month let, students being a prime example.

Landlords against the move

However, the consultation on mandatory three-year tenancies has come up against objections from several quarters in the industry, with the National Landlords Association (NLA), representing thousands of its private landlord members, questioning its validity.

There is also a big question mark over mortgage lenders rules which usually specify short-term tenancies of 6 or 12 months only. It could entail many lenders having to change their rules.

Richard Lambert CEO of the National Landlords Association has said that it introduces a shift in the Government’s stance on this issue, from one of volunteering to offer longer tenancies, to a compulsory regime:

“In his speech to the Conservative Party conference last October, Sajid Javid [then minister responsible for housing] announced plans for a consultation on how to encourage longer tenancies. That’s been the tone of the discussion ever since – consultation and encouragement.

“Frankly, right now, I feel we’ve been misled, says Mr Lambert.

“This is supposed to be about meeting the needs of the consumer. NLA research with tenants finds consistently that around 40% of tenants want longer tenancies, but 40% do not. More than 50% consistently say that they are happy with the tenancy length they were offered, and 20% tell us that when they asked for a longer tenancy, they got it.

“We would accept that the flexibility of the current Assured Shorthold Tenancy isn’t used as effectively as it could be, and that we should be looking to find ways to ensure that tenants are offered the kind of tenancies they need at the time they need them.

“That means thinking about how to modernise a model devised 30 years ago, to take account of the changes in the people who are renting and the way they live their lives. How will that be achieved by moving to a more rigid system, more reminiscent of the regulated model the current system replaced?

“It’s like urging someone to update their 1980s brick-style mobile phone, but instead of giving them a smartphone, offering them a Bakelite dial phone plugged into the wall.

“This is a policy which the Conservatives derided when it was put forward by their opponents in the past two General Election campaigns.

“It’s hard not to see this as more of a political move aimed at the renter vote than a genuine effort to improve how the rented market works for all those involved,� Mr Lambert concluded.

Short Duration Consultation

As part of the consultation, which runs until 26 August 2018, ministers are seeking views from landlords, tenants and related organisations about the most effective ways to tackle obstacles to introducing longer tenancies.

If government proceeds with mandatory longer tenancies, primary legislation will follow. Following the results of the consultation, the government says it will consider next steps with legal professionals.

The title of this very short duration consultation, “Overcoming the barriers to longer tenancies in the private rented sector�, perhaps gives a clue to the fact that this could be something of a fait accompli exercise?

Landlords should make sure their views are heard in this important development.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Government plans for compulsory 3-year tenancies | LandlordZONE.

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BLOG: Universal Credit: Complaints – and sticking to your guns

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RLA trainer and Universal Credit expert Bill Irvine shares one of his latest cases – which saw a Universal Credit payment made to a claimant’s friend by mistake. He talks about the issues in getting the complaint taken seriously – and the ultimately successful outcome. In a few of my earlier bulletins, I refer to […]

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Wales fee ban will lead to increased costs

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Banning fees in Wales will drive up costs and change the way landlords interact with letting agents, RLA Director for Wales Douglas Haig told the Senedd today. Giving evidence on the on the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Bill to the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee in Cardiff, Mr Haig said that the proposed changes will […]

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The GoCompare website to finds best areas for buy to let

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Buy-to-Let locator:

Manchester ranks the highest city in the new GoCompare comparison tool’s city ranking hierarchy, with the city coming out as the best place to rent out a house. The tool gives an average rental yield of 5.55%.

The finding come from an interactive tool launched by GoCompare, that allows users to compare two different cities showing the best option for buy-to-let.

The tool compares cities across data points, including average property price and rental yields, population under 35, number of properties available, number of letting or maintenance agencies, number of new housing developments, properties currently available for rent and rental price growth.

Analysis by towns, the tool makes Stoke-on-Trent the least expensive area to buy property with an average property price of £106,000.

At the other end of the scale, Oxford comes out one of the most expensive cities to buy a rental property with an average price of £411,000.

But at the top of the scale, as expected, London has highest prices, averaging £484,000, therefore giving the lowest yield of all the cities.

In terms of rental price growth, Manchester again takes the first position, with growth of 5.76%, Leicester in second place at 5.30%, and Cardiff in the third position with an average growth of 5%.

The GoCompare tool puts Manchester in top position for rental yield at 5.55%, Sunderland in second place at 5.37%, and Liverpool in third place with an average yield of 5.05%.

However, investors should be wary of statistics such as these as prospects in cities can change quite rapidly. For example, a brief visit to a city like Manchester would reveal the sheer amount of new development that is going on. Once hundreds of new apartments come onto the market the rental market balance could change considerably.

As always, any new investment should be preceded by thorough research.

Source: GoCompare / Mortgage Solutions

Image – Hilton, Manchester

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