Brought to you by chelmsfords' property experts
As a landlord, it would not be unreasonable to expect to hold a key. After all, you do own the place, so why not! However, what happens if the tenant changes the locks, and are they actually allowed to do this? Perhaps surprisingly the answer is yes, they are. It may be they lost…
Being a landlord can be challenging, complicated and confusing. But it doesn’t have to be that way. By following these quick tips below, you’ll make your life easier and your properties more profitable. 1) Get Three (Free) Valuations. So, you have a property to rent? We suggest calling in three different letting agencies to compare…
It takes flexibility, compassion, and stamina to navigate the eviction process at the best of times. But, due to Covid-19, it takes more careful and considered steps than ever to repossess a property. Last week, Housing Minister Christopher Pincher gave more detail about how the process will work once the current ban on evictions, introduced…
A disabled mum-of-two emerged victorious from York County Court earlier this month after winning a case that sent ripples through the lettings industry. The woman, who was on housing benefit, had been blocked from renting a property by a blanket “no DSS” lettings policy. The court heard the woman, who had a part-time job, good…
According to the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS), cleaning accounts for 56% of deposit disputes and there has recently been a sharp rise in the number of properties that require professional cleaning services at check-out. Pat Barber, Chair of the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks commented that “there is a general lack of respect for property…
When you buy a property that needs work, you usually hope to be able to recoup the cost of renovation by adding significantly to the future selling price. That’s the theory anyway! But getting the builders in can be stressful, and we have all heard stories of extortionate costs, unforeseen extras, no-shows, and poor, even…
At the beginning of the pandemic, many predicted Covid-19 would have a disastrous impact on the private rental sector. But new figures show that 90% of tenants have paid their rent in full during the pandemic—a better result than many had anticipated. Unfortunately, we’re not out of the woods yet. Covid-19 will have a significant…
Some people say being a landlord is easy. These people are wrong. Glance through the list of the 175 plus laws that apply to landlords in the UK and you quickly realise there is a lot more to the lettings game than most people think. They cover everything from tenancies and evictions, to energy ratings,…
If you had to sum up 2020 in one word (without using “unprecedented” because it has been overused) what would it be? Weird? Abnormal? Or what about unheard-of? Okay, maybe that is two words, but you catch our drift. Whatever adjective you choose, it is a safe bet that you will not forget the first…
The Labour Party recently unveiled a draft animal welfare policy, including the legal right for tenants to keep a pet in their rented property. With over 12 million pet owners in the UK, this is possibly an opportunity that landlords should have grasped sooner, as there are several benefits to letting a property to a…
Whether you’re a veteran landlord with years of experience, or a rookie still finding their feet, now is not the time to be going it alone. After all, Starsky had Hutch, Cagney had Lacey and Mulder had Scully (yep, we’ve watched lots of old crime shows during lockdown). Chelmsford landlords currently find themselves in a…
As if landlords don’t have enough to contend with, new rules on Electrical Inspection Condition Reports (EICR) kick in next month. Final guidance from the government on this legislation is expected any day now, but here’s an overview. Every fixed electrical installation in a private rental property must be inspected and comply with the 18th Edition…