Periodic contracts – financial nightmare for landlords?

I am not sure where this idea of removing an initial commitment period has come from. A potential tenant can view a property with the same level of information as a prospective buyer but will be allowed to back out within two months. We all know how financially devastating this could be with agency fees and potential void periods. Why does General Rant and the government even think this is necessary?
I have always run onto a periodic tenancy following a six month term but a periodic only seems extremely unfair when it is 12 months from our end initially.

Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 18/01/2025 - 16:15
I do both whole property lets and small HMOs, all with 1 month notice from the day they move in. I'm sure some people have factored in the flexibility when deciding whether or not to go ahead.

I guess I'm at an advantage as I do all my own contracts, vetting etc, so it doesn't actually cost me any extra money to take on a new tenant, just a bit of time to do the paperwork. One good reason for self-managing.

Reply to the comment left by Peter Merrick at 18/01/2025 - 09:12
"after getting the vacuum cleaner out"
You say that between tenancies you only need to get the vacuum cleaner out and you don't see 2 months notice and the abolition of fixed terms a problem. I find the hoover comment damaging for landlords and undermines the amount of work needed to clean a property. Even the simple act of changing the utilities and council tax to my name and out again takes such a huge amount of time. Usually 30 minutes per phone call. Clearly, "between tenancy cleans" are not the same for you as for the rest of us landlords and you don't find the possibility of 5 changeovers (worse case scenario) in a year a problem. However cleaning between tenancies is a big deal and takes time and a lot of effort. I find it maintains the standard of the property for a lot longer, and at the end of the day we are providing a service so the accommodation should be clean. It's not just "hoovering the carpets," your comment does not reflect landlords who do a deep clean on a property between tenancies.
It takes me more than a day to clean a flat e.g. I have a flat vacant now. 6 windows need to be cleaned inside and out each window is over 3 metres tall. This involves tall stepladders inside and professional long cleaning equipment outside. The oven may take several applications of oven cleaner spanning a couple of days. Oven door is removed and door glass removed to aid immaculate finish. Hob stands and rings etc need oven cleaner. Racks inside oven need oven cleaner. All kitchen units washed inside and out including the doors. Step ladders needed to clean on top of wall units. Splash back degreased etc floor washed until the cloth comes away clean!. Bathroom cleaned so no timescale or water marks amazing how many people can not clean a toilet seat and it's hinges properly. All the furniture needs to be washed with a wet disinfectant cleaner. All the doors, architraves and skirtings and picture rails (up and down step ladders) washed with wet cleaner. All plug sockets and lights ditto. All marks on walls and paintwork removed with invisible eraser. All carpets treated with stain remover where necessary. Loose sofa covers removed and washed if necessary. All 9 light fittings dusted and washed. (Up and down stepladders) I could go on...takes over a day. It's not just the time and effort and cost or cleaning materials it's the cost of advertising potentially 4 extra times in a year. Advertising costs jump from about 70-80 to possibly £320. Extra costs with reference fees, paying the bills between tenancies, intensive time taken to vet prospective tenants, cost of fuel re car journeys for showing the flat, then trying to find the "right" person and achieve the smallest void!!. How is that even going to work when everyone one has to give 2 months notice. You could end up signing someone up 2 months before they are due to move in. Anything could happen in that time. I foresee many problems that people haven't even mentioned yet

Reply to the comment left by Slooky at 19/01/2025 - 09:05You forgot about taking down all the curtains, washing, ironing and rehanging them; cleaning or replacing any blinds. Then there may be days of work on a garden and frequently repeated trips to the local waste and recycling centre.

I have always managed my own properties, Never had a tenant for less than 2 years and still have one for 20+ years. At the end of each tenancy I completely repainted the property, doesn't cost a lot (£800) but makes sure you get a good price at the start of the new tenancy.

I was never really bothered about the rents as long as they were paid and I covered my costs and made a decent profit - the properties were my pension (as it turns out I don't actually need them for my pension) - so now my 6 remaining properties I don't really want but will keep them till the tenants leave.

I keep on passing Greypaul in Nottingham and eyeing up the Ferrari

Reply to the comment left by Slooky at 19/01/2025 - 09:05
Spooky is living in the real world unlike the out of touch Politicians & Lawyers who draft anti business & landlord laws

Reply to the comment left by Old Mrs Landlord at 19/01/2025 - 09:18
Yes. I did forget the curtains. I was aware I was getting a bit boring😁.

I see someone mentioned they redecorated for £800 every 2 years. We could not afford to redecorate that often. Our rooms are over 4 metres high and the amount of paint needed is astronomical. No point getting someone else in to redecorate as it would more likely be £800 a room! The amount of woodwork in the flats is crazy. Instead we use trade diamond paint which is very washable but still has a Matt finish. But is about £80 for 5 litres. We decorated a lounge last year and it took 10L. So £160 for paint just for the walls in one room. Then add on paint for the ceiling, coving and paint for the doors and woodwork. Looking at £250 just for paint just for one room. The upside is it really doesn't need decorating for many years as long as I spend the time to remove marks in between tenancies.

Reply to the comment left by Slooky at 19/01/2025 - 09:05Oh dear, I seem to have caused some offence with my slightly flippant, off the cuff remark. Fortunately I doubt if the politicians or other anti-landlord crew will be reading this anyway.
First of all, of the two houses I have ever rented before buying (which came about due to the second landlord selling), both were left exactly as found and I had a full refund of the deposit. In the second case, the agent who inspected it actually asked if we had redecorated it, which we hadn't, we just kept it properly and made good any scratches and marks at the end.
If your tenants are leaving the house unkempt, then you are entitled to charge them the amount required to reinstate it to the condition in which it was found, save for fair wear and tear. So repainting a few areas and employing a professional carpet cleaner as I do if the carpets have been used for a while, plus a general clean up should be all that is necessary in most cases. I would definitely take issue with the cooker. Certainly a tenant who stays for only a couple of months should be fully shouldering any costs of reinstating the property.
I think in reality it would be extremely rare for somebody to take on the considerable cost of moving all their stuff into and then out of a property (as opposed to just a room) unless they intended to stay for a while. It would be much cheaper and more sensible to rent a furnished place which is short-term by design. Tenants are normally much more concerned about how long they can keep the house, so I'll admit that I find this obsession with fully periodic tenancies to be rather bizarre and perverse. Probably it is just a case of brinkmanship, a way of telling landlords that the tenant is the boss in every way.
Generally when tenants move on I also like to take the opportunity to do essential and/or useful upgrades whilst the place is empty. I'm currently doing that on one property where the tenant left after just 6 months due to an unexpected family event (the prior tenants had been there a number of years but got a little bungalow with the local HA). I did the same about 4 years ago when another property was vacated, putting in extra sockets, changing the worn out kitchen fluorescent tube to modern spotlights, fixing unreported boiler issues, putting in security lights, repairing any other defects.
I also consider carefully what I can do with rooms have been vacated, sometimes more or less gutting them if this makes sense, as I plan to do in the future with several rooms. The main issue is having the time, money and reliable manpower to do all the improvements I would like to do.

Reply to the comment left by Slooky at 19/01/2025 - 11:18
Yes £800 every time someone moves out - white paint and either magnolia or a grey walls depending in what's left OR go down the local recycling centre and see what's in the paint store (either free or a nominal charge).

Reply to the comment left by Peter Merrick at 19/01/2025 - 12:08
No offence taken as such😁.
I do make deductions from deposits when the property is not as clean as they found it however that in itself takes a long time to get the before and after photos together, write the summary report and reach an agreement. I just find that people can not clean. I would rather find my property clean than have to clean it myself.
In 25 years with this property I have only had 2 tenancys where they have left the property as they found it (regarding cleaning) and both of them came from families where their parents were landlords!!! Says a lot doesn't it?
Regarding stereotyping furnished property as short term let's, that is a bit unfair. I regard my property's as starter property's for younger people between the age of 20-30. Tenancies usually last between 1.5-3 years but this generation are mobile and move with their jobs and I have found they do not want the hassle of moving furniture with them or the expense of buying furniture which may not fit the next place they go to. Indeed my off-spring and friends who have all started to rent after university actively look for furnished accomodation for that very reason. They really do not want to spend their money on furnishing a rental property. I think times are changing! I have also rented 2 houses with my family and had the same experience as you. I have had to comment on the incoming inventory and cleaned when we got in. On exit have been complimented about the cleanliness. Why are standards so low?