Archives: Landlord Bible

What is a landlord responsible in the maintenance of their property? In very simple terms a landlords property maintenance obligations in brief are as follows: The electrical wiring in the property and therefore the electrical safety in the rental property. All gas appliances in the rental property including the pipes, flues, ovens.  Part of this […]

How long should landlords grant an assured shorthold tenancy for? It’s possible for landlords to grant a Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement for a fixed period, typically 6 months.  These tenancies are referred to as Fixed Term Tenancies.  At the end of the term, if the tenancy agreement is not renewed by the landlord, it then […]

Do you need a written tenancy agreement form? Landlords may be surprised to discover that they can grant a tenancy verbally; providing the tenancy meets the following conditions: •    it takes effect on the day it is granted •    it is for a term not exceeding 3 years, and •    it is at the best […]

What a landlord needs to consider in repaying their tenants rental deposit Landlords who have take a tenancy deposit on or after 6th April will have to place the deposit with one of the governments approved tenancy deposit schemes.  The starting point for the deposit repayment process is always at the property ‘check out’.  At […]

Right to rent refers to the mandatory checks that the Government introduced as from the 1st of February 2016 relating to the nationality of a tenant to ensure that they are not an illegal immigrant.  These controls were brought in by government and now use landlords as the first line of defence in the battle […]

Exchanging forms and the tenancy agreement ‘Handover’ is the penultimate stage of the  letting process for landlords and comes after successfully finding a good tenant.  It is when a tenancy is created and the landlord finally has to handover their rental property to their  tenants. Landlords need to make sure that they have two copies […]

Should I become a student landlord? To be a good student landlord you should like dealing with young people.  This isn’t always easy.  Students aren’t always the most organized of tenants. Letting to students can take considerably more management time then letting to say a professional couple.  Landlords should factor in additional management time when […]

What are Housing benefit,  Local Housing Allowance ( LHA ), and Universal Credit? Yes. Housing Benefit and Local Housing Allowance (LHA) are pretty much the same, the only difference is, those tenants claiming housing benefit from a private landlord since 7th April 2008 will be doing so under the Local Housing Allowance. The benefit system […]

How to find the ideal tenant? A landlord’s ideal tenant should be: well presented, non smoking, professional, courteous, accommodating, reliable;  pay the rent on time, never bother the landlord, never complain;  never have noisy parties, never sublet, never bother the neighbour and are generally no trouble whatsoever to the landlord and above all, a tenant […]

Selecting a letting agent The best way for a landlord to identify a good local letting agent is by word of mouth – a personal recommendation from a fellow landlord, or friends who might have received good service as tenants. Ask around and read feedback and comments online.  Compile a list of at least three […]