Covid-19 will crash my student BTL business?

Covid-19 will crash my student BTL business?

10:07 AM, 17th March 2020, About 5 years ago 15

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The majority of my BTL portfolio is offered to students. Following the recent switch to online teaching and exams by some universities, I assume that most will soon be instructed to close until after the virus peak, estimated at three to four months.

I would be hopeful that things will be back to normal close to the beginning of the next academic year, starting in September/October.

Here in Scotland students may provide 30 days notice to end their tenancies. Therefore, if the country goes into lockdown similarly with Italy or Spain, I’m assuming the majority of students will hand in notice and move home.

What I’m wondering is where does this leave me with respect to various governmental measures that have been called for e.g. rental holidays or, particularly as in Italy, suspension of mortgage payments.

Does anyone know if the Italian situation includes a suspension of mortgage payments for BTL landlords?

Can anyone speculate as to the impact on landlords of rental suspensions i.e. will we be able to defer mortgage payments on the same terms?

And specifically to the student market situation, if all my student tenants vacate for up to six months while we ride this out, what do you think I, as their now empty handed ex-landlord, can expect in way of government help? I have all properties in my own name so not a business (please keep on topic).

My only thoughts are: war chest to ride out the storm and applying to each lender for a mortgage holiday as official help seems remote.

Appreciate this will also apply to many more BLT markets such as holiday lets; any helpful thoughts very welcome.

Student Landlord


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Jon Williams

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10:15 AM, 28th March 2020, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Grumpy Doug at 27/03/2020 - 12:50
Thanks Doug. Ultimately I am going to have to consider recourse to the Guarantors. Cheers for the links. I don't think the Gov't is going to help us and it's my understanding that income from property & Land doesn't qualify as self-employed (according to my Accountant). If you're lucky enough to have a Ltd Co and take a regular salary from the Lt Co then you may be OK. Keep the useful information coming. 🙂

Whiteskifreak Surrey

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9:01 AM, 20th May 2020, About 5 years ago

Good morning, Has anyone seen that article? https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8337845/Cambridge-university-world-axe-face-face-lectures-autumn-2021.html?
It is a question of time - all universities are going to do the same.
We are student landlord and I know that there is plenty of others. What are you planning to do?

Kathy Evans

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11:35 AM, 20th May 2020, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Whiteskifreak Surrey at 20/05/2020 - 09:01
On the other hand, although not Cambridge, when I was at Oxford lectures were basically optional, since teaching is via the tutorial system (one to one) and different colleges are doing different subjects at any one time so a lecture might or might not be relevant to what you are currently studying. I went to more on subjects I wasn't studying than those I was (and the one I went to on my course basically had the same content as my Dad's notes from his war degree days, so ...). It might not be the big deal that it sounds. Stopping medical and science lab practicals would be bad - lectures, honestly I wouldn't have noticed

Whiteskifreak Surrey

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11:53 AM, 20th May 2020, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Kathy Evans at 20/05/2020 - 11:35
I do not think this is the case at the University of Surrey. All students now studying at home, and we do have science students too.
Oxford and Cambridge are not quite representative in comparison to the majority of Universities in the UK, I think.
But I hope you are correct Kathy.
However not to be able to rent for the next academic year, with S24 in full swing plus paying council tax is a financial ruin.

Jon Williams

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