Return of rent deposits after 11 year tenancy?

admin    Uncategorized     agents

We had a tenant on an AST which was renewed every year for 11 years in total. The schedule of condition wasn’t updated each year and unfortunately we didn’t carry our regular inspections, although this isn’t stated in the lease.

The post Return of rent deposits after 11 year tenancy? appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: Return of rent deposits after 11 year tenancy?

Channel 4 investigates Cardiff property management firm over rental deposits

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Comedian Joe Lycett claims 30 student tenants had excessive deductions made from their rental deposits, but company involved denies any wrongdoing.

A property management
company and a Channel 4 TV show have crossed swords over the firm’s handling of
rental deposits belonging to dozens of students in Cardiff.

The show, Joe Lycett’s
Got Your Back, is front by comedian Joe Lycett who spent an hour shining a light on
property management firm CPS Homes.

The company was criticised by student tenants in the city for deducting hundreds of pounds from their deposits for alleged damage. It’s now facing a Trading Standards investigation.

Two Cardiff students, Lucy and Lizzy (pictured), told Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back they’d paid £2,380 in rental deposits to CPS during their second year of university, and when they moved out, they were charged for general wear and tear as well as damages they say they didn’t cause.

In total, they and their housemates were charged with 21 essential repairs adding up to £843. The students were told they would get none of their money back until they agreed to these deductions.

Stained mattresss

Lycett visited the house
to find that some essential repairs, including a stained mattress, dented door
and carpet stain had not been carried out. The programme claimed that a total
of 30 students in CPS properties had been charged for damage they said they
didn’t cause. After visiting the properties, Lycett found that most repairs
hadn’t been completed.

The episode culminated in
Lycett and the students holding a rave outside the company’s offices to educate
people on their rental rights.

In response to Lycett’s findings, CPS Homes said: “For 20
years CPS Homes has successfully managed several thousand properties, providing
quality accommodation for renters.

“We are satisfied that the four cases raised in the
programme have already been dealt with via our rigorous complaints procedure,
and through independent adjudication. We therefore feel the rave and filming
were disproportionate to the nature and small number of complaints.”

Lucy and Lizzy have now been awarded hundreds of pounds of their deposits back. After a recent audit, Cardiff Council issued CPS with an ‘action needed’ warning, and Trading Standards has promised to investigate the company.

Watch the programme in full (requires signing in).

Read a guide to rental deposits for landlords.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Channel 4 investigates Cardiff property management firm over rental deposits | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: Channel 4 investigates Cardiff property management firm over rental deposits

Today in politics: Coronavirus rent suspension call, LHA, students and homelessness

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Latest on the political reaction to widespread issues caused by coronavirus, from calls for rent breaks to support for students. Left wing thinktank calls for rent suspension The left leaning think tank, the New Economics Foundation, has published a report on protecting renters affected by coronavirus. Of note it says: Research it has undertaken shows […]

The post Today in politics: Coronavirus rent suspension call, LHA, students and homelessness appeared first on RLA Campaigns and News Centre.

View Full Article: Today in politics: Coronavirus rent suspension call, LHA, students and homelessness

New specialist taskforce to tackle rough sleeping during pandemic

admin    Uncategorized     agents

A specialist taskforce has been created to lead the next phase of the Government’s support for rough sleepers during the pandemic.

Spearheaded by Dame Louise Casey, the taskforce will work hand-in-hand with councils across the country on plans to ensure rough sleepers can move into long-term

The post New specialist taskforce to tackle rough sleeping during pandemic appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: New specialist taskforce to tackle rough sleeping during pandemic

Is this a naive question?

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Well maybe my idea is daft illegal or both, but I figured you’re the guys to ask. I’m going to cash a little pension in soon and it’s not a great amount, but maybe 30k now I own a terrace outright.

The post Is this a naive question? appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: Is this a naive question?

Tenant asked to change rent payment date?

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Quick question please: tenant has asked to change payment date from 21st to 24th to coincide with his pay day.

Checking online suggests not to put any thing in writing & don’t change contract date on AST –

The post Tenant asked to change rent payment date? appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: Tenant asked to change rent payment date?

LATEST: Renting platform launches that offers landlords ‘contact-less’ rentals during Coronavirus

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Developer of PlanetRent predicts that although there will be a significant surge in rental demand after the lockdown eases, tenants and landlords will continue to observe social distancing.

An online service has launched that promises to help landlords rent and manage properties without the need for face-to-face contact with tenants during the Coronavirus crisis.

Called PlanetRent, its development has been fast-tracked by its backer, property management giant The Ringley Group, which has spent £2 million and four years getting the service ready.

The company claims the automated and cloud-based service will save landlords and agents time, money and hassle. It also enables tenants to be offered tenants rent reductions automatically through substitute contracts or rent addendums.

PlanetRent connects agents, landlords, tenants, contractors, accountants and any site staff through their own separate portals to access the information they need, enabling them to transact from the comfort and safety of their home.

For tenants, this includes a How to Rent booklet, deposit protection scheme details, as well as EPC and gas safety certificates. Contract renewals are finalised with three clicks, and the system prompts tenants to see if they want to renew, and automatically markets properties and triggers move-out checks if they choose to vacate.

Also, PlanetRent gives self-managing landlords direct access to Rightmove and Zoopla as well as the ability to easily create their own website to showcase their properties.

“Our platform also enables landlords to comply with the current government guidance on Right to Rent, as tenants upload their identity documents to our portal which landlords can then check online, rather than eye balling them in person,” Mary-Anne Bowring (pictured), MD of The Ringley Group tells LandlordZONE.

PlanetRent is available on a pay-as-you go basis rather than a subscription and landlords with larger portfolios pay £10 per tenancy contract while those with smaller ones pay £20.

Read more stories about The Ringley Group.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – LATEST: Renting platform launches that offers landlords ‘contact-less’ rentals during Coronavirus | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: LATEST: Renting platform launches that offers landlords ‘contact-less’ rentals during Coronavirus

MPs ask landlords: What do you think of Corovinus housing show so far? Here’s one answer

admin    Uncategorized     agents

The parliamentary housing select committee has decided to find out what YOU think of the government’s handling of the Coronavirus crisis from a housing perspective. Here one expert gives his view.

MPs have asked landlords,
tenants and suppliers to the private rental market to tell them how well the
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has handled the
Coronavirus crisis.

Tim Frome, Legal Director of Landlord Action, has submitted his views to the consultation under way. He largely praises the MHCLG’s handling of the crisis and the speed of its response to the day-to-day challenges thrown up by COVID-19.

But he also tells MPs that there are several areas where minister should have, and will need to, have sorted problems out.

This
includes both now and in the future as the pandemic plays out within the
private rented market.

He
says:

• Make it clear to tenants that the ‘mortgage holiday’ offered to some landlords does not mean tenants are automatically due a corresponding ‘rent holiday’.
• Ensure tenants understand the recent changes to evictions and other measures have not cancelled tenancies; many, including thousands of student renters, have assumed it is acceptable to walk away from rental contracts without consequence.

“We are aware that some of the commercial student accommodation providers have gone above and beyond in assisting tenants by confirming they would end the tenancies early if the tenants so requested,” Frome points out.

• Deposits are likely to become a problem as tenants default on rent, but landlords use this money to help make up the shortfall. This means there will little money left to dilapidations and the end of tenancy.
• If the tenants have not been paying the rent it is unlikely they have been paying for other services such as council tax and utilities so there will be a knock-on effect to keeping these tenants in the properties.
• Lastly, Frome says the government needs to take action to help manage the huge backlog in eviction hearings in the courts that will have built up during the crisis. The best way to do this would be to freeze or ‘stay’ proceedings until the backlog is cleared, he urges.

Visit the committee’s parliamentary page to have YOUR say.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – MPs ask landlords: What do you think of Corovinus housing show so far? Here’s one answer | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: MPs ask landlords: What do you think of Corovinus housing show so far? Here’s one answer

UK Landlords – Want to Retire Abroad?

admin    Uncategorized     agents

– Why Would A Property Investor Leave The UK?

– How Can Moving Abroad Help Someone Withdraw Money From their portfolio?

– What Are The Rules For Someone Who Still Has Ties to the UK?

–

The post UK Landlords – Want to Retire Abroad? appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: UK Landlords – Want to Retire Abroad?

Fancy that! Landlady inserts £10 NHS nurse rental offer into HMO planning application

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Planners in Winchester have received the unusual submission from a portfolio landlord, but it’s not clear if the offer of very low rent will continue after the crisis.

An Eastleigh landlord hopes to have her HMO planning application fast-tracked so she can house key workers during the crisis at a knock-down rent.

Jasvinder Sohal has applied to Winchester Council for change of use to the house in Fox Lane in the city (pictured) and hopes it can process her application more quickly.

She’s already paid for extensive renovations
and expects it to be ready in early May.

Sohal, whose family operates a substantial property portfolio in the area, says: “I bought 68 Fox Lane when it was uninhabitable with a view to renovate and let it out to a family. Due to the proximity of the property to Winchester hospital, I would now like to help NHS key workers to find a place to live while they deal with the current pandemic we are facing, for a nominal rent of only £10 a week for the next six months.” 

The landlady says she has already been contacted by a nurse asking for help with finding somewhere to live near a hospital. 

She says although
a council official has told her that going through the process of applying for
change of use from C3 to C4 usually takes eight weeks, she hopes her
application can be prioritised so it can be dealt with more quickly.

Adds Sohal: “The maximum number of tenants the property could house is four altogether. By helping four NHS key workers to find somewhere to stay over these crucial weeks and months, I hope I will be doing my bit to help.”

Planners and councillors are still processing the application.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Fancy that! Landlady inserts £10 NHS nurse rental offer into HMO planning application | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: Fancy that! Landlady inserts £10 NHS nurse rental offer into HMO planning application