Advice Needed re Landlord

[MarillionFan]

Ignore AtW.

I reckon you should buy a BTL at every location you go to like I used to and live in that. Then over a number of years you have a great portfolio.

Remember BTL works on rent, not your income, so as long as you have 15% (credit card if you dont) you can buy.

Easy.

[bogeyman]

.....waiting for the market to collapse also

Well, have a nice wait guys!

BTW Hank,

I've been a (good and responsible) landlord for 15 years and what this guy is doing is totally illegal. If he has no Gas Safety certs he could actually go to pokey.

At the very least, get some legal advice on suing the bastard in a civil action for endangering your life.

Do you rent from him directly or through a rentals agency?

If the latter, they are in the tulip as well!

TOP TIP, RENTERS: -

Only rent throught reputable agencies and don't deal with Landlords directly.
Most reputable Landlords wouldn't want to deal directly with their tennants, and most decent tennents would prefer a professional intermediary to make sure their tennancy went smoothly.

[Lockhouse]

TOP TIP, RENTERS: -
Only rent throught reputable agencies and don't deal with Landlords directly.
Most reputable Landlords wouldn't want to deal directly with their tennants, and most decent tennents would prefer a professional intermediary to make sure their tennancy went smoothly.

Absolute rubbish. I've been a landlord for 10 years and wouldn't trust an agent an inch. They cost tenants a fortune and rip off landlords for costs as well. Yes there are bad landlords, but there are good ones as well. Always ask if your landlord belongs to any professional associations such as the RLA - that's always a good pointer to the standards of care you can expect.

[Lockhouse]

Well, have a nice wait guys!

BTW Hank,

I've been a (good and responsible) landlord for 15 years and what this guy is doing is totally illegal. If he has no Gas Safety certs he could actually go to pokey.

At the very least, get some legal advice on suing the bastard in a civil action for endangering your life.

Do you rent from him directly or through a rentals agency?

If the latter, they are in the tulip as well!

TOP TIP, RENTERS: -

Only rent throught reputable agencies and don't deal with Landlords directly.
Most reputable Landlords wouldn't want to deal directly with their tennants, and most decent tennents would prefer a professional intermediary to make sure their tennancy went smoothly.

PS I think the fact you cant even spell "tenants" says it all.

[Lucifer Box]

PS I think the fact you cant even spell "tenants" says it all.

can't

[bogeyman]

Absolute rubbish. I've been a landlord for 10 years and wouldn't trust an agent an inch. They cost tenants a fortune and rip off landlords for costs as well. Yes there are bad landlords, but there are good ones as well. Always ask if your landlord belongs to any professional associations such as the RLA - that's always a good pointer to the standards of care you can expect.

Well I've never had any problems. I use two different agencies and they are highly professional. Keep me informed of any problems, pass on copies of all invoices for maintenance work etc. Always ask for approval and provide quotes before engaging contractors to perform work etc. etc.

They have kept my properties almost without voids for years on end and always seem to engage decent tenants.

I just don't have the time to advertise, vet tenants, collect rent or deal with maintenance issues, so agency fees are money well spent IMHO.

Yes, sorry if I can't spell tenants but it just one of those things I always do when typing - muscle-memory or something - But that doesn't make my point any less valid.

[Lockhouse]

Well I've never had any problems. I use two different agencies and they are highly professional. Keep me informed of any problems, pass on copies of all invoices for maintenance work etc. Always ask for approval and provide quotes before engaging contractors to perform work etc. etc.

They have kept my properties almost without voids for years on end and always seem to engage decent tenants.

I just don't have the time to advertise, vet tenants, collect rent or deal with maintenance issues, so agency fees are money well spent IMHO.

Yes, sorry if I can't spell tenants but it just one of those things I always do when typing - muscle-memory or something - But that doesn't make my point any less valid.

Horses for courses I guess. I took umbrage because I work hard at managing my tenancies and keeping my tenants happy. I should have counted to 10 before posting. No offence intended.

[bogeyman]

Horses for courses I guess. I took umbrage because I work hard at managing my tenancies and keeping my tenants happy. I should have counted to 10 before posting. No offence intended.

None taken old chap.

And good for you, with your personal, hands-on approach.

How do you manage to do all that and still be a computer contractor (well, assume you are as posting here)?

I think Landlords get a very bad rap, even though most of the ones I know, just want to provide a good service to their tenants for a fair rent, and go about it in a professional way.

Sadly, there is an engrained culture in the UK that says that all landlords are evil, money-grabbing 'Rachmans' and that all tenants are somehow second-class citizens because they don't have a mortgage.

I have seen it from both ends - a tenant for many years, and now a landlord.

There is nothing bad about being a tenant or a landlord. It's just another customer/supplier relationship. But somehow it is looked down on in the UK with great disdain.

I do admire other European cultures for accepting a letting/rental culture as the norm. Let them enjoy their hard-earned cash and rent decent appartments for years-on-end, rather than breaking their backs to the bank over some mortgage they won't pay off until they're 60.

Property ownership is a truly British obsession. You can only 'own' it until you die (or until the leasehold runs out) anyway.

The whole thing needs a rethink.

[wonderwaif]

[QUOTE=bogeyman]
Property ownership is a truly British obsession. You can only 'own' it until you die (or until the leasehold runs out) anyway.
QUOTE]

I would never buy a leasehold property. My current house is freehold so it stays in my family until Gordo or some other thieving socialist barsteward finds some way to steal it off me.

[Ardesco]

I have a leashold flat, still has 978 years left on the lease so i'm not too worried, and i'm sure I can pass it down a couple of generations if needed.

Also bear in mind that once you have held the lease for 2 years you have a legal right to purchase the freehold (as long as the lease had at least 21 years left when you bought the property) and the freehold owner can't stop you.