When letting a property a landlord has two really big decisions to make.
Both these key choices can have huge implications on their health, wealth and quality of life.
It’s really no exaggeration to say that if a landlord chooses the wrong letting agent and compounds that error by going with a tenant who has not been properly vetted, one thing is usually guaranteed – trouble. And often a lot of it.
Poorly vetted tenants cause the most problems and letting agencies that don’t have stringent checks in place leave their landlords vulnerable.
At Bricknells Rentals, we’ve always believed that one of the most important parts of our role as Lettings Agents is to ensure the right tenants are placed in the right properties.
So how do we ensure we get good tenants for our landlords? Well, during our many years in the property lettings business we’ve learned (sometimes the hard way) what to look out for.
The first stage of the vetting process is the initial enquiry. Be it a phone call, email or someone popping into our office we’re looking for signs to show us whether they will be a good or bad tenant.
Experience pays dividends here.
So what makes a good tenant?
Simply someone who pays their rent on time, respects the property, is reasonable to deal with and gets on with the neighbours.
These are all factors which can contribute to a successful long term let (unless the landlord is looking for a short term tenancy).
The next part of the process is one where less well equipped or experienced agencies often fail.
A good quality referencing agent is vital for ascertaining credit history as well as ensuring the tenant has the means to pay the rent.
Referencing covers employment, credit and previous rental history and while it is very important it’s not a 100 per cent guarantee that the tenant will be a good one.
But when done properly and used with the first stage of the process it is usually a very good indication of the calibre of the person applying to rent your property.
Once a tenant has been selected it’s important for the property to be professionally and ethically managed. Keeping a tenant waiting for an unreasonable amount of time for a washing machine / boiler repair could lead to problems in the future.
We also apply a vetting process to my landlords. Someone not willing to repair or maintain their property properly will usually cut corners elsewhere and be a problem to deal with.
If a lettings agent over prices a property’s rental value it could lead to extended void periods. These costly episodes put pressure on the landlord and the letting agent to fill the void as quickly as possible and this can mean the vetting process is not rigidly carried out.
Which as we said at the start of this article can lead to a lot of trouble.
Thanks for reading and if you have any other property related questions please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us – we’d love to help you.
PS: If you want to let your property quickly, professionally and cost effectively call Bricknells Rentals and our team on 01709 365584 or email: enquiries@bricknells-rental.co.uk for honest, expert and friendly advice.

Section 1
The last weeks have unquestionably been one of the most life-changing times we have seen since WW2, not only the direct life threatening consequences of Covid 19 but the lockdown has changed our methods of working and the concept of social distancing has impacted how we operate and interface with others.
We have been asked how lockdown has affected our operations. Needless to say in the beginning it was challenging but as time progressed we have adapted well to working from home.
Building on our ‘cloud’ based CRM system we have learnt how to carry out Zoom calls and have documents signed remotely.
Inspections however have stopped and only essential maintenance is being carried out, all observing social distancing rules.
We are currently embracing technology to be able to carry out 3D viewings of properties, so all in all we can say that the lockdown has challenged us to embrace technology to enable us to provide a better service to our clients in the future.
It is difficult to see what the future holds but we do believe that a combination of home and office working will become the norm.

Investing in Rotherham buy to Let property in recent years has become somewhat different than in the past.

In the good old days of the five years after the turn of the millennium, we had double digit house growth, mortgage companies (Northern Rock, HBOS and the others) were so desperate to get on the BTL bandwagon that they were offering unsustainably low interest rates and a cursory nod to any regulatory intervention – in those days anyone could make money investing in property.
Then we had the crash, and then the unexpected upturn in the property market with the post credit crunch jump in 2010.
Yet over the past 5 years there have been new challenges and the screws have slowly turned on Rotherham BTL investors.
With the change in taxation rules on mortgage relief starting to bite, plus a swathe of new rules and regulations for landlords and mortgage companies its not surprising that many landlords are exiting the market and others pausing on their portfolio expansion.

However nowadays Rotherham landlords can no longer presume to buy a property, sit on it and automatically make a profit.
Before landlords sell off their properties they should remember that properties produce income in the form of rent and yield. The focus on Rotherham BTL property in these times should focus on maximising rents and not be preoccupied with just house price growth.

Rents in Rotherham PRS have increased by 2.02% in the past 12 months but since 2008 have not kept pace with inflation. Meaning it is cheaper today in REAL TERMS than it was 12 years ago and some landlords are realising this with our help.
Looking at the last few years in the graph below it can be seen that there is still a modest margin to increase rents to maximise your investment yet still protect your tenants by keeping the rents below those ‘real spending power terms’ of the 2008 levels.

BTL must be seen as a medium and long-term investment…….

Rents in Rotherham are 6.66% higher than they were in January 2016 and property values are 15.22% higher.

…. And for the long term, even with the barriers and challenges that the Government is putting your way – the future couldn’t be brighter if you know what you are doing.

Investment is the key word here … in the Old days anything with a front door and roof made money – yet now it doesn’t. Tenants will pay for the right property in the right condition.
Do you know where the hot spots are in Rotherham, whether demand is greater for 2 bed or 3 beds. Whether town centre terraces offer more ROI than suburban semis.
With all the regulations Rotherham landlords are looking for advice and guidance not only in managing their properties, taking on the worries of property maintenance, the care of the property and their tenants behaviour but also the future of their portfolio.
We can give in house specialist advice or from professionals we can trust on the future of your portfolio to meet your investment needs (by judging your circumstances and the need between capital growth and yield), specialist finance and even putting your property empire into a limited company.

So if you do need help and guidance don’t hesitate to give us a call 01709 365584.

When I meet landlords the common theme is why is the government picking on landlords in the Private Rental Sector.
In the main we all recognise that regulation of the letting industry is in itself a good thing and possibly long overdue. However, one cannot help think that some of the initiatives have been of neither benefit to either Landlords or Tenants.

One has to recognise that being a landlord is a commercial operation; it is a business and needs to be operated as a business. It has to comply with the regulations in providing good and safe rental accommodation and it needs to make money for it to survive.

The 3% stamp duty on second homes, the section 24 tax changes all have restricted landlords ability to receive a return on their rental asset.
One cannot view the industry through the London bubble as landlords in the North and Midlands operate in a different universe.
In Rotherham average property prices are £125,386 and with average rents at £500 per month this results in average yields of 4.8% – I am sure you would agree not exorbitant returns?
To keep burdening the sector with regulations that inflict punitive charges will and does drive landlords from the sector.

In the last 10 years we have had 10 housing ministers and only 2 of those have remained in post for more than 2 years. During Theresa May’s 3 year tenure we had 4 housing ministers. Hardly giving a perception that the Government takes housing seriously and that there exists a master plan to tackle the housing crisis.

The vast majority of landlords and agents welcome well thought out regulations that support rather than contradict government objectives.
But the ad hoc vote catching initiatives are making it difficult for good landlords and agents to keep up with the changes and make a return that encourages them to remain in the sector.

The RLA & NLA issued a joint statement calling for an immediate action to reverse the decline in supply as present more landlords are selling than buying and others for tax reasons are switching to short term or holiday lets.
Confusion about the discussion around section 21’s and level of compliance with the incoming electrical checks unnerve landlords and do nothing to retain confidence in the sector.

With the Spring budget almost upon us I doubt that the new chancellor and new housing minister have been able to thrash out any policies to make this budget but all eyes should be on the next to see whether there is revision of existing and introduction of new policies that show that the Government is serious to mend a broken housing sector.
Enforcement of housing policy is fundamental to drive out bad landlords and agents The tax policy within the sector needs to be reviewed, scrapping the 3% stamp duty will stimulate supply and there needs to be some understanding how landlords can comply with CGT changes.

Good landlords through the National Associations and Agents through their Association ARLA have a part to play in contributing to a balanced introduction of policies and regulations that the aim to provide safe and affordable housing whilst retaining landlords within the sector through a return on their investment.

Lets hope that the housing minister impacts positively over the coming years and that the Government recognises that a flourishing private rental sector is vote winner and is able to invest time and effort to improve the situation for both Landlords and Tenants alike.

At Bricknells ‘Strive to be better’ is one of our core values, and we are constantly thinking how we can provide a better service for our landlords.

Mostly tenancies progress without a hitch, but sometimes problems can occur – the tenant falls behind on payments for whatever reason or a section 21 is served and the tenant doesn’t vacate.

The only recourse for the landlord is to seek possession through the courts all of which involves time, loss of rent and costs.

Did you know that the average time from issue of claim to eviction is 322 days and court costs have increased 225% since 2013.

If you are a landlord seeking possession through the courts it can be a costly and frustrating experience.

So with that in mind we have re-organised our service packages, Gold and Silver are our fully managed offerings and Bronze is a ‘Tenant Find’ service suitable for the experienced landlords who prefer to self manage.

The key features of the Silver service is that it has legal expense cover up to £50,000 in case of eviction due to non-payment of rent or lapsed section 21.

The Gold includes the £50,000 legal cover but also includes a Rent Guarantee whereby you will receive your rent every month whilst the property is occupied. This is a real benefit for landlords who require the rent to meet their mortgage payments.

For us at Bricknells we believe that these packages provide a better service to our landlords giving security and peace of mind in the renting process.

If you need to know more don’t hesitate to call 01709 365584 and we can see how we can tailor our packages to suit your needs.

The Government plans to introduce mandatory electrical inspections in premises let to one or more people who are occupying the premises as their main residence and paying rent.

These regulations will apply to new tenancies from 1st July 2020 and will be rolled out to all existing tenancies from 1st April 2021.

Under the regulations private landlords will be required to carry out checks to ensure that their electrical installations comply with requisite electrical safety standards. These are set out in the 2018 edition of the IET wiring regulations. The electrical installations must be tested and reported on by a qualified person. The first test must be carried out before a new tenancy starts or by the 1st April 2021 where a tenancy is already in place. Further testing must be done every 5 years.
Landlords must give a copy of the report to the tenant within 28 days. New tenants must receive a copy before they occupy the property. Should the local authority request a copy this must be given within 7 days.

If the report highlights remedial works the landlord must carry out the works within 28 days of the inspection. Confirming to the tenant(s) and local authority when the works have been completed.

If you require further information, please contact Bricknells Rentals 01709 365584.

1. Extension of the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act

From March 2020 the above act which forces landlords and agents to carry out essential repairs / improvements to a property or risk being sued is being extended to include existing statutory periodic tenancies.
Currently it only applies to tenancies that signed contracts on or after 20th March 2019.
This legislation applies in England only – with responsibility for these standards falling within the scope of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act

2. Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards

From April 1, all existing tenancies will need to comply with the law introduced in 2018 whereby a property cannot be let to new tenants unless it has an EPC rating of E or better.
Contact Bricknells to discuss options or applying for an exemption.

More to follow…

This is the Housing Health and Safety Rating System which is a system that identifies hazards that may be present in a property and then assesses the risk posed by the presence of that hazard.
So if the Environmental Health Department or the Council do an inspection of your property they will identify any present hazards (against 29 defined hazards listed in the HHSRS) and carry out a risk assessment based on the likelihood of an incident occurring.

Think about the hazard excess cold – It is mid winter the boiler goes down, the tenant is an 80 year old individual.
The hazard is identified and the risk of injury to the individual is high.

So if you are a landlord we suggest you ‘Google’ HHSRS and acquaint yourself 29 hazards that may be present in the Home.
It is important to make sure your property is safe especially now that the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation Bill) 2018 has been introduced.

Any help don’t hesitate to call Bricknells Rentals.