Alan Loughlin

Hear talk about longer contracts, but many lease agreements prohibit this.... Read More

Don't see much about redress for landlords from bad tenants. There are far more bad tenants than bad landlords. How about a level playing field.... Read More

Had 9 properties 4 years ago, now 3, will be 2 this week. Get my drift?
Of the now 2 remaining put up rent last month on one from 925 to 975 pcm ang the other is due next month. It will be raised for sure.... Read More

Dump the agents and do it yourself. I do.... Read More

Just refuse all HB tenants.simple.... Read More

does anyone know if the fee ban on agents also apply to a landlord who does not use an agent?... Read More

There is mentiom here of the model agreement being for lengths of 2 or 3 years.
Many leases preclude this, on this development the only agreements permitted are for 6 or 12 months. What happens here?... Read More

is having an oven, hob, fridge, washer etc counted as furnished?... Read More

interesting. in our case the oven and hob are integrated into the kitchen so we have to supply these. and we always have laminated floors, we put these in when the apartments were new in 2008 and these are still in and still ok, so saving a lot of hassle with changing carpets. Much more hygienic as well and if anything spills it is simply wiped up.... Read More

up till now we have let them partly furnished and claimed the 10%. never have we spent even half of this so see this removal as a blow, but maybe it was too good to be true. will adapt and do the same as you now. Do you put washer and fridge in?... Read More

the changes to the 10% allowance simplified system start in 2016 but I believe this is optional now, but most would not spend 10% so this is not a good thing.... Read More

bet he will not be able to smoke there. what a disgusting habit it is, I was speaking to a friend in the car business and he said they reduce a part ex by thousands if if was owned by a smoker as the car becomes almost unsaleable, and the smell can never be got rid of.... Read More

elderly or not he will have to pay for the consequences... Read More

I can smell a smoker from 5 mts away, and always say no. we also discreetly look in their car. any signs and it is a definite no no... Read More

my experience is that any property which smells of smoke is simple unlettable.... Read More

it is easy to see whether a person is a smoker, they cannot hide it, if they are just say no, put it in the ad, and in the contract, it is impossible to rid a house of the smell entirely.... Read More

not sure it can be, best advice is ensure no smoking tenants get a key, I write this in the contract.... Read More

I have 3 golden rules.

no cheques
no HB assisted tenants
no deposits

that way I have avoided almost all the problems I see aired on this wonderful forum.... Read More

we have ours jointly owned and so share tax allowances so will be below, I believe it will make no difference to us. The removal of the 10% renewals will though, we do not spend 10% of gross rents on renewals so this has been generous, strangely our accountand many years ago said it was over generous and would one day be removed, to be fair this is only supposed to be for fully furnished accomodation, but maybe is claimed when not, but it does make for easy accounting.... Read More

is this assuming everyone is not a basic rate taxpayer?
my understanding is basic rate taxpayers will not be affected, and if partly so, ie rental income pushes the person into higher bracket, then the propertion under the level is allowable.... Read More