Library
Japanese Knotweed a Real Bind!
Once considered a Victorian ornamental plant and introduced in the 1850s from Japan; it has now become one of the most invasive plants in certain parts of the country and none more so than the South West. Grown originally for its purple asparagus like spring shoots and ornamental foliage; the plants reach heights of…
Reasons for a Deposit Dispute
In a recent survey by the TDS, the following were highlighted as being the main reasons for an end of tenancy dispute: Cleaning Damage Redecoration Rent arrears Gardening It is interesting to note that rent arrears is not in the top three! Cleaning and damage are by far the most important and with…
Inventory – No Need!
Landlords and Agents beware; in this time when taking deposits is coming under scrutiny; especially with a growing number of Deposit Insurance backed schemes available; inventories still remain one of the most important assets you have to protect your property and should not be ignored. A recent case highlighted that an absentee landlord had let a property…
What is the Inspection Regime under HHSRS?
The HHSRS only applies to residential premises in the private sector; as it does not apply to local authority stock. Any form of accommodation used for human habitation is classed as a dwelling so long as it is a building or a part of a building – so mobile homes are not liable to inspection….
Christmas Electrical Safety Advice
Some timely tips on keeping electrically safe this and future festive periods from Electrical Safety First:- Real Christmas trees can catch fire a lot quicker than fake ones, especially if dry! If you do have a real tree, make sure that you are keeping it well watered, and avoid spraying hairspray on the needles to…
Using an Agent – Check your Options!
Like most things in life, you pay for what you get! Owning and renting a property is a major expenditure and if you do not want to do it yourself, then choosing an agent can be a challenge. Going for the cheapest might seem like the simple answer because what can go wrong? The answer…
What is Excess Cold?
Out of the 29 identified risk categories under HHSRS (Housing Health Safety Rating System) this is one of the most important. A large number of properties achieve high scores in this hazard profile and it is poor heating that is believed to be a significant cause of death in the winter months. EHOs (Environmental Health…
How do you prevent water leaks?
A simple question, but the answer is not so straight forward. Make sure you know your property and the water system. Do check your main stopcock works properly and is both easily accessible and easy to find! A water leak is normally related to winter but these days with so many other water using gadgets…
Why do I Need to Keep up to Date?
Consider this: A Landlord owns an older property with a long-term tenant staying there on a periodic month to month tenancy, there is a tenancy agreement which was signed years ago. The tenancy agreement has not been updated and some of the clauses and the wording are out of date.It was signed before the deposit…
David Cox, Chief Executive, ARLA Propertymark, comments on the Secretary of State for Housing’s announcement
David Cox, Chief Executive, ARLA Propertymark, comments on the Secretary of State for Housing’s announcement on Tuesday morning that the Government has issued a Call for Evidence for a specialist Housing Court: “We welcome today’s news and are pleased the Government is finally listening to the industry. We have long urged Government to take an…
Sunny Club! – What’s it all about?
As many of you will know last week at the Renting Minefield I had a pre-launch offer to those in attendance for the new Sunny Club. Want to know more? Read on: I wanted a way to be able to offer landlords flexibility, one product does not fit every landlord, some of you are accidental…
Fixing a Broken Housing Market! Radical Report offers an Option
The Conservative Think Tank, Onward, issued its first report recently, which lobbies for a fundamentally new approach to increasing housing supply aimed at reversing fifteen years of falling home ownership and encouraging developers and councils to build the kind of homes that Britain needs. The radical report entitled, “Green, pleasant and affordable”, claims that the…