“I should have done this two years ago” – what one landlord said after selling a problem property

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Property118

“I should have done this two years ago” – what one landlord said after selling a problem property

Not long ago, a landlord said something that will resonate with more Property118 readers than many might admit.

After completing the sale of one troublesome rental property, he paused and said: “I should have done this two years ago.”

He was not talking about a bad investment. The property had risen in value over time, rent had been collected, and on paper, it had seemed to him like a perfectly reasonable decision to keep it, but the real problem was different, that property had become draining.

The property that quietly consumed too much energy

Many landlords know the type, nothing catastrophic, just constant friction. A repair here, a tenant issue there, a delay with contractors, unexpected expense, another interruption while away for the weekend, and then another.

One property can sometimes create more mental load than several straightforward ones combined, and it was that which was the real issue.

Why he kept delaying the decision

Like many owners, he had good reasons for waiting. He thought values might rise further, he did not want the hassle of selling, he assumed the next year would be easier, and he constantly told himself it was “not that bad”. Those thoughts are common, and understandable, yet while he delayed, the property continued taking time, attention and enthusiasm.

What changed after the sale

Once sold, several things happened quickly. There was less distraction, more liquidity, more clarity about the rest of the portfolio, and perhaps most importantly, renewed enthusiasm for the properties he chose to keep. That last point is often overlooked. Selling a tiring asset can improve how the stronger remainder feels to own.

Why some landlords are making similar decisions now

Across many conversations, we hear from landlords who are not looking to sell everything. They are simply questioning whether every property still deserves its place.

Some choose to dispose of assets that are management-heavy, lower-yielding relative to equity tied up, geographically awkward, likely to need significant works and/or are no longer suited to current life priorities.

David Coughlin, director of Landlord Sales Agency, said: “As both a landlord and an agent, I’ve learned that 20% of properties often create 80% of the stress. The challenge is that they’re not always easy to part with, there may be long-standing tenants, mortgage penalties, refurbishment plans or simply the hope that things will improve.

“Many landlords aren’t looking to sell everything; they’re looking to remove the one or two properties that consume disproportionate amounts of time, money and mental energy.”

Waiting can carry its own cost

Many owners focus only on whether prices might rise, and that’s fair enough, but there are other costs to delay. For example; another repair cycle, another difficult tenancy, another year of avoidable hassle or another postponed wider plan. Those costs are real too.

The right sale can strengthen the rest

This is where many decisions become more intelligent, because sometimes one well-chosen disposal can reduce stress, release capital, improve focus, strengthen remaining holdings, and restore enjoyment of ownership. That can be far more valuable than simply holding everything indefinitely.

A conversation worth having?

If one property in your portfolio instantly comes to mind while reading this, there may be a reason.

These conversations are often most useful for established landlords who want calmer ownership, stronger control and decisions made proactively rather than reluctantly.

FREE 30-MINUTE CHAT VIA ZOOM

(function(){
var uid = “crm-form-1cc57644″;
var form = document.getElementById(uid + ‘-form’);
var wrap = document.getElementById(uid);
var msg = wrap.querySelector(‘.crm-message’);
var totalPages = 1;
var curPage = 0;

// ── Conditional logic ────────────────────────────────────────────────
var condMap = {};

function getFieldValue(fieldId) {
var els = form.querySelectorAll(‘[name=”‘ + fieldId + ‘”], [name=”‘ + fieldId + ‘[]”]’);
if (!els.length) return ”;
var first = els[0];
if (first.type === ‘checkbox’ || first.type === ‘radio’) {
var checked = [];
els.forEach(function(el){ if (el.checked) checked.push(el.value); });
return checked.join(‘,’);
}
return first.value;
}

function evalRule(rule) {
var val = getFieldValue(rule.fieldId);
var cmp = rule.value;
switch (rule.operator) {
case ‘is': return val === cmp;
case ‘isnot': return val !== cmp;
case ‘greaterthan': return parseFloat(val) > parseFloat(cmp);
case ‘lessthan': return parseFloat(val) < parseFloat(cmp);
case 'contains': return val.indexOf(cmp) !== -1;
case 'startswith': return val.indexOf(cmp) === 0;
case 'endswith': return val.slice(-cmp.length) === cmp;
default: return false; // fail closed — mirror the CRM shared matcher
}
}

function applyConditionals() {
Object.keys(condMap).forEach(function(fieldId) {
var cond = condMap[fieldId];
var rules = cond.rules || [];
var match = cond.logicType === 'any'
? rules.some(evalRule)
: rules.every(evalRule);
var show = cond.actionType === 'show' ? match : !match;
var wrapper = form.querySelector('[data-field-id="' + fieldId + '"]');
if (!wrapper) {
var el = form.querySelector('[name="' + fieldId + '"], [name="' + fieldId + '[]"]');
if (el) wrapper = el.closest('.crm-field, .crm-half');
}
if (wrapper) wrapper.style.display = show ? '' : 'none';
});
}

form.addEventListener('change', applyConditionals);
form.addEventListener('input', applyConditionals);
applyConditionals();

// ── Multi-page navigation ────────────────────────────────────────────

// ── Submit ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
var submitBtn = form.querySelector('button[type=submit]');
var btnText = submitBtn ? submitBtn.textContent : 'Submit';

var crmApiUrl = "https://p118-crm-api.accent.sh";

function collectFormData() {
var data = {};
for (var j = 0; j < form.elements.length; j++) {
var el = form.elements[j];
if (!el.name) continue;
if (el.type === 'file') continue; // handled by uploadFiles()
if (el.type === 'radio' && !el.checked) continue;
if (el.type === 'checkbox') {
if (!el.checked) continue;
var k = el.name.replace('[]','');
data[k] = data[k] ? data[k].concat([el.value]) : [el.value];
} else {
data[el.name] = el.value;
}
}
// GF auto-substituted {user_agent} / {referer} on hidden fields
// at render time. We do the equivalent right before submit so
// fields whose default value carries these placeholders
// resolve to the browser's actual values rather than being
// stored as literal "{user_agent}" / "{referer}" strings.
// The last ARTICLE the visitor read (set client-side on post views by
// P118_Article_Views). Used to attribute the enquiry to the article
// even after navigating away or with a stripped/absent referer.
var lastPost = '';
try {
var lpm = document.cookie.match(/(?:^|;s*)p118_last_post=([^;]+)/);
if (lpm) lastPost = decodeURIComponent(lpm[1]);
} catch (e) {}
var subs = {
'{user_agent}': navigator.userAgent || '',
// Prefer the last article read; fall back to the (lossy) HTTP referer.
'{referer}': lastPost || document.referrer || '',
'{last_post}': lastPost || '',
'{embed_url}': window.location.href || '',
};
for (var name in data) {
if (!data.hasOwnProperty(name)) continue;
var v = data[name];
if (typeof v !== 'string') continue;
for (var tag in subs) {
if (v.indexOf(tag) !== -1) v = v.split(tag).join(subs[tag]);
}
data[name] = v;
}
return data;
}

function uploadFiles(data) {
var fileInputs = form.querySelectorAll('input[type=file][data-crm-file-field]');
var uploads = [];
fileInputs.forEach(function(el) {
if (!el.files || !el.files[0]) return;
var fd = new FormData();
fd.append('file', el.files[0]);
var fieldName = el.name;
uploads.push(
fetch(crmApiUrl + '/public/forms/' + "68305b18-98a0-498c-9a35-a4ae6e169bdd" + '/upload', { method: 'POST', body: fd })
.then(function(r) {
if (!r.ok) throw new Error('File upload failed (' + r.status + ')');
return r.json();
})
.then(function(res) {
if (res.path) data[fieldName] = res.path;
else throw new Error(res.error || 'File upload failed');
})
);
});
return Promise.all(uploads).then(function() { return data; });
}

function submitFormData(data) {
var body = new FormData();
body.append('action', 'p118_crm_submit');
body.append('form_id', "68305b18-98a0-498c-9a35-a4ae6e169bdd");
body.append('data', JSON.stringify(data));
// Embed-page context for GF-style merge tags ({embed_url},
// {embed_post:post_title}, {embed_post:ID}). Captured PHP-side
// at render time, then echoed to JS so the submit fetch can
// forward to V2 as request headers.
body.append('embed_url', "");
body.append('embed_post_id', "0");
body.append('embed_post_title', "");

return fetch("https://www.property118.com/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php", { method: 'POST', body: body, credentials: 'same-origin' })
.then(function(r){ return r.json(); })
.then(function(res){
var p = res.data || res;
if (p && p.success) {
if (p.confirmationType === 'redirect' && p.confirmationRedirectUrl) {
window.location.href = p.confirmationRedirectUrl;
} else {
form.style.display = 'none';
msg.className = 'crm-message success';
msg.innerHTML = p.confirmationMessage || 'Thank you for your submission.';
msg.style.display = 'block';
}
} else {
throw new Error((p && p.error) || 'Submission failed.');
}
});
}

form.addEventListener('submit', function(e){
e.preventDefault();
var data = collectFormData();
if (submitBtn) { submitBtn.disabled = true; submitBtn.textContent = 'Processing…'; }
msg.style.display = 'none';

// Standard form (no payment)
uploadFiles(data)
.then(function(d) { return submitFormData(d); })
.catch(function(err){
if (submitBtn) { submitBtn.disabled = false; submitBtn.textContent = btnText; }
msg.className = 'crm-message error';
msg.textContent = err.message;
msg.style.display = 'block';
});
});
})();

The post “I should have done this two years ago” – what one landlord said after selling a problem property appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: “I should have done this two years ago” – what one landlord said after selling a problem property

Surge in demand for guarantors under Renters’ Rights Act

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Property118

Surge in demand for guarantors under Renters’ Rights Act

More than half of tenants could need a guarantor following the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act, a deposit scheme claims.

Research by Zero Deposit suggests the proportion of local authority areas where tenants are likely to fail affordability checks could rise from one in five to almost one in two.

Under the act, landlords and agents can no longer accept large amounts of rent in advance.

Expect guarantors to become an increasingly common requirement

According to the data, average rents currently standing at £1,438 per month, equivalent to £17,256 per year, tenants would typically need to earn at least £43,140 annually in order to pass affordability checks.

However, average earnings across England currently sit at £41,859, leaving the average renter £1,281 below the required threshold.

Across England’s 288 local authority districts, tenants are likely to require a guarantor in 19.8% of locations due to average earnings failing to meet affordability requirements.

Sam Reynolds, CEO of Zero Deposit, said under the Renters’ Rights Act, landlords will seek greater financial protection, meaning more tenants will need a guarantor.

He said: “While the Renters’ Rights Act is designed to improve security for tenants, it also significantly changes the way landlords manage financial risk within the private rental sector. With restrictions on upfront rent payments and fewer traditional safeguards available, landlords and agents naturally place greater emphasis on affordability checks and income protection when assessing prospective tenants.

“As a result, we expect guarantors to become an increasingly common requirement for renters who fall outside standard affordability criteria, particularly younger tenants, overseas applicants, self-employed workers, and those moving to high-cost rental areas.”

Tenants may not have access to a suitable guarantor

Across England’s 288 local authority districts, tenants are likely to require a guarantor in 19.8% of locations due to average earnings failing to meet affordability requirements.

London is home to 22 local authority districts where average incomes fall below the affordability threshold, while the South East contains a further 21 such areas.

However, Zero Deposit warns many tenants may not have access to a suitable guarantor.

Mr Reynolds adds: “The challenge is that the traditional guarantor model is no longer practical for many renters. Not every tenant has access to a suitable guarantor, and even when one is available, the referencing and verification process can introduce delays at a point where rental properties move extremely quickly.”

According to the English Housing Survey, 21.5% of private renters pay more than one month’s rent in advance.

Zero Deposit claims that, with this option no longer available to landlords, many are expected to seek alternative forms of financial protection.

The deposit company suggests landlords could respond by increasing the affordability threshold from 2.5 times income to three times income.

If this becomes the new industry standard, Zero Deposit calculates that the proportion of local authority districts in which the average tenant fails affordability checks would rise from 19.8% to 47.6%, as average earnings in 137 local areas would fall below the required level.

The post Surge in demand for guarantors under Renters’ Rights Act appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: Surge in demand for guarantors under Renters’ Rights Act

Awaab’s law risks pushing landlords out of the PRS in Scotland

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Property118

Awaab’s law risks pushing landlords out of the PRS in Scotland

An advisory board to the Scottish government has warned Awaab’s Law will deter investment and cause landlords to leave the market.

In a letter to the government, the Regulatory Review Group (RRG) raised concerns about the implementation of Awaab’s Law in Scotland.

The law received Parliamentary approval in March and is due to come into effect in October 2026, requiring social and private landlords to address damp and mould within strict timeframes.

Landlords to leave the market

RRG, which advises the Scottish government on investment and the economy, wrote a letter to the then-housing secretary Màiri McAllan.

Chair of the group, Professor Russel Griggs, warned Ms McAllan a combination of legislation, including Awaab’s law, will increase the regulatory burden on landlords.

He said: “The cumulative impact of regulations on businesses will be significant and could deter many from joining the sector, and indeed cause landlords to leave the market.

“Further thought will need to be given to the sequencing of these regulations with regard to other upcoming policies with an impact on housing in the social rented sector, private rented sector or both.”

Mr Griggs added small landlords will be particularly affected by Awaab’s Law and accused the Scottish government of not listening to small landlords in the consultation process.

He added: “Microbusinesses form up to 85% of private landlords, and it is concerning that this group may not have been adequately represented in engagement with the Scottish government on proposed regulations at this stage.

“Whilst acknowledging, from the Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA), the levels of engagement which have been carried out to date, more needs to be done to engage with the significant cohort of microbusiness owning landlords, to investigate the impact of the regulations on them and their ability to remain in the sector as a result.”

The cause of the mould is tenant behaviour

The group have also called on the Scottish government to provide clearer guidance to landlords and tenants on situations where damp and mould cannot be fully resolved in a property.

Mr Griggs said: “Tenants are often unaware of their existing rights, and many landlords will have no engagement with the representative bodies / letting agents which have engaged with officials, and will be unaware that a change to the legal framework is in development.

“Clarifying who is responsible for informing tenants and landlords about their rights and responsibilities will be a key area for officials to make progress on. It is also important that tenants are encouraged and supported to report damp and mould issues early, and that they know how to escalate issues that remain unaddressed within the prescribed timelines.

“Clear guidance will be required for scenarios in which mould and damp cannot feasibly be remediated within a property due to structural issues, as well as in instances where the cause of the mould is tenant behaviour. Officials agreed that addressing human behaviours would often need to be part of the remedy, and that landlords and tenants will often need to work together to tackle mould and damp.”

Help for small landlords

In response, then Housing Secretary Màiri McAllan wrote to the RRG in May, saying the Scottish government will work with small landlords.

She said: “I absolutely agree that guidance on Awaab’s Law will be critical to ensuring that tenants and landlords understand their responsibilities and support their understanding and assessment of damp and mould.

“My officials have already begun engagement with stakeholders representing tenants, social landlords, private landlords, local authorities and more to seek their input into the guidance. This includes where we can build upon the good practice already in the sector, and I foresee the inclusion of case studies in the guidance to further illustrate key points.

“My officials will give further consideration as to how small landlords, who make up the majority of Scotland’s private rented sector, can be engaged in this process.”

Needs to strike the right balance

Scottish Association of Landlords chief executive, John Blackwood, told Property118 that the Scottish government needs to strike the right balance.

He said: “Awaab Ishak’s case was terrible and tragic, we must all ensure that it similar cases are prevented from happening in the future.

“SAL members treat the safety of our properties with the utmost seriousness and hold ourselves, and each other, to the highest possible standards.

“We are also mindful of the importance of balancing protecting tenants with not stifling growth in our sector, particularly at this time of housing emergency, and will continue to work with the Scottish government toward this.”

The post Awaab’s law risks pushing landlords out of the PRS in Scotland appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: Awaab’s law risks pushing landlords out of the PRS in Scotland