1. Prepare an information pack for new tenants to reduce maintenance cost - To avoid repair costs, landlords could create handy information packs for new tenants that provide essential information on keeping the property well-maintained. For instance, how to use appliances and heating, prevent moulds and pests, make sure ventilation is properly functioning, as well as encouraging tenants to report faults and other maintenance issues in a timely manner - issues neglected for a long period of time will only cost more.
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2. Be open and communicate regularly with your tenants - Rushed decisions will not benefit anyone as we all feel the cost of living pinch. Have regular dialogues with your tenants to learn about their financial status and the issues they are facing. Raising rental fees without reasonable notice or proper communication will strain the relationship if they cannot afford the sudden rise and in turn, get into arrears as they fall behind on payments. As well as being open to hearing their thoughts, share your financial burdens so they’re equally aware of the rising landlord costs you’re shouldering to find a solution that’s viable for both sides.
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3. Invest in improving your property’s energy efficiency - Around a quarter of landlords have already made energy efficiency upgrades to help reduce bills - landlords should continue with these efforts, starting with smaller eco-home improvements (e.g. installing insulations, draught-proofing, LED lighting) and building up. It may seem like a daunting cost to bear, but these will be inevitable as the government plans to raise the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating to a C or above for all newly rented properties from 2025. With 52 per cent of tenants reportedly happy to pay more for a greener house, these will be worth the investment in the long run.
4. Shop around for the best value energy and utilities - Whether your property is all-bills-inclusive or your tenants cover their own bills, compare your energy and utility costs with friends and online to ensure that you’re getting yourself the best deal. By helping to relieve the pressure of rising bills, your tenants will be happier and ultimately reduces vacancies and boosts tenant retention.
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5. Check your tax band and eligibility for council tax discounts - Around 46 per cent of tax challenges made last year succeeded in reducing their band, and the UK’s outdated council tax system means it’s imperative to check with your neighbours or run a 1991 valuation check to ensure you are not overpaying. From single-person discounts to empty properties, you and your tenants could also be eligible for reductions of between 25 and 100 per cent so always check!
The current market is definitely making it more prudent for landlords to take out a legal expenses and rent guarantee policy. Although we can’t stress enough the importance of referencing tenants correctly and completing all legal paperwork before they move in, we’d also suggest that landlords look for a policy that covers at least 18 months of rent.
Nonetheless, it’s important to approach your tenants with empathy during crucial times like this as the rising costs of living become a daily reality for all. It’s encouraging to see an impressive 75 per cent of landlords have offered help to their tenants amid the financial crisis - efforts which will help to maintain productive, long-term relationships.”
* Heath Alexander Bew is director of landlords at Alan Boswell Rent Guarantee Insurance *
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In anticipation of the PRS proposals going through, and being harder to evict in the absense of Section 21, I've just massively 'beefed up' my tenancy agreement for a new tenant.
I've included some of the things this article sets out in its section 1 - as detailed requirements of the tenancy, e.g. what they should and must not do to avoid damp and mould; requirements to ventilate adequately; and reporting any issues promptly -before they get worse and more expensive to fix (no matter who has to pay for fixing).
Not sure most will read or remember these clauses of their contract they sign with me.
But if we are to get tenants who will have a right to stay as many years as they like, I want my contract with them to be as 'watertight' as I can make it.
Such is the demand for rentals, I doubt anyone will question it (though my letting agents did). If they do then they are probably not the careful tenant I want.
If tenant turns out to be a complete pain and I have to try to evict, then there will probably be more tenancy clauses they've broken; hopefully adding weight to my case.
Time will tell if this approach works: just hope I don't have to find out.
BTW, last tenants caused much more damage in 1 1/2 years than previous one did in 12 years (they lost all of their deposit and it cost me more than that to remedy).
You sound as though you are making very good additions to your tenancy agreement, but personally I would not let my property to anyone on an indefinite basis. That is completely out of the question as far as I am concerned.
I have just one question for
2’500’000 landlords, how many of you were landlords before Section 21 very few or none.
Ask me the same question and I’ll put you right because I was there and suffered terrible time and again, I lived it and if you let some one into your property they immediately became a sitting Tenant and the value of your property fell lit a stone, so no one fool enough for that system and the market stagnated and the Change have to be made, do you really want to go back there again because this is exactly what THE WHITE PAPER means.
I’ll give you an instance I had a Diplomatic Family from Libya which was a kind of safeguard I thought. The money was paid by transfer to Bank until relations went sour between Libya & UK when Yvonne Fletcher got killed in 1984 RIP, then the Rent stopped and he told he wouldn’t pay wouldn’t leave and told me nothing I could do about it, which was very true, without Section 21.
NO MORE QUESTION.
You have given a very good example, Michael, of what happens when Landlords lose too many rights to their properties.
This Article, cost of living crisis how to help your Tenants are they having a laugh no one has helped them more than landlords and all through the pandemic by accepting a reduction in rent, in my case it didn’t go back up yet either even though it was already low rent.
The stupid Article also says what else we should be doing to help Tenants just read it, I have to presume that adult Tenants are already reared, we are landlords not Mam & Dad.
We should be all treated equally and fairly under the law, so on this basis Mr Michael Gove should resign immediately or be sacked, by his own admission he is taking sides not a proper way for the Housing Secretary to conduct this Office.
On the today Programme Housing Secretary Michael Gove said it wanted to make sure that Renters in the PRS were confident local Government was on their side and standing up for them.
So there you have it from his own mouth he is on the Tenants sided, but we should be all treated fairly and equally before the law, so he is not a fit and proper person for the job after admitting he is biased to landlords. THE WHITE PAPER which is his doing and includes Removal of Section 21, it is not safe fair or equal and should be scrapped immediately before further damage is done.
Thousands of landlords forced out already creating more homelessness by his unjustified actions.
No point even trying to help people that won't help themselves, might just as well bang your head against a brick wall
Furthermore Michael, like yourself I had protected tenant back in 1986. She passed away in 1991. Then her daughter inherited the tenancy until 2014. The rent was £40.oo a week, for a three-bed semi and she was behind round about £2000.00. In 2014 she passed away and the tenancy was passed to the grand daughter (she was 32 years of age by then). Then the tenancy was no longer protected and became Assured Tenancy. For those who do not know the difference between Assured Shorthold and Assured, on Assured tenancy you cannot issue Section 21 but you can issue Section 8 for rent arrears. Also, the market rent applies. Housing benefit was paying the £433.33 and the tenant never passed the rent to me. Cut the long story short. I issued Section 8 Notice and before that I asked her if there was anything wrong with the property? She said everything is fine. Guess what happened on the Hearing Day, you guessed right, claim for disrepair. Completely false. The duty solicitor in the court taught her that. Then the solicitors instructed a chartered surveyor to survey the property. Hardly and disrepair he found except a couple of minor things. I was also pushed to withdraw my claim for rent arrears, and she would withdraw her disrepair claim. Then I had to instruct my own chartered surveyor that cost £700.00 plus VAT. At that stage the Housing Benefit was paid into my account. Market rent £750.00 Council paid £433.33. A sum of £266.66 shortfall every month. At that rate took 7 months for her to be behind by 2 months as required under Section 8. The day before the Hearing, the council deposited my account by £2133.36 as a one-off Emergency Payment. We had to wait another 7 months again. But this time she was offered a flat and I got my property back. Never never never again. I have sold one last week and Have served Section 21 on every other tenant. If this white paper becomes legislation, then RIP PRS.
After you've read the tenant a bed time story don't forget to tuck them in!
Why it's good to have open dialogue with a tenant you are not their keeper . Perhaps offer a welcome pack with free leaflets in. But then you don't want to be their mother!
Fery, you summed it up how it is and was but the media keep banging away blindfolded without understanding any of this. We know it because we lived it and no here say.
The Libyan Diplomat family that I had bought 2 brand new cars stored in my double garage for to bring to Libya at a massive savings tax exempt because of their status. The Libyan Government was paying their
rent, when the money stopped coming I didn’t get paid, so the family live in my house free and brought their granny to live there as well. The house that I built with my own hands and had 2 new cars in my garage, now Mr Gove & Co are going back there again with the removal of Section 21, made no mistake they are clueless about the reality of this Business.
Very well said! You are absolutely right, Michael, that if you have experience of what happened before Section 21, then you are not going to let once it has been abolished.
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