Category: landlord insurance

Landlords warned not to cut corners on fire safety

Posted on 8th October 2012

The NLA (National Landlords Association) has warned property owners operating in the private rental sector that it is vital that they adhere to fire safety regulations or risk prosecution. Following on from the Electrical Fire Safety Week, the NLA issued the reminder for not just long time landlords but also anyone considering becoming a landlord.
Professional agencies can very easily carry out a regular fire risk assessment to see if any hazards exist, and if they do, how to put them right, however, many landlords are […]

Newham landlords running out of time to become licensed

Posted on 5th October 2012

Property owners holding landlord insurance policies in the London borough of Newham have now all been informed by letter that they must license their properties before mandatory licensing begins on January 1st 2013.
Landlords can save money by applying early as Newham Council is only charging £150 for applications made before 31st December. However, afterwards the fee for the licence which lasts for five years will increase to £500. Failure to apply for a licence will be an offence and the council is warning that this […]

Rogue tenants may soon be a thing of the past

Posted on 3rd October 2012

Property owner Steve Hanbury claims a website he has created will put an end to the constant worry that all private landlords face when they hand over the keys of their properties to new tenants.
Landlords have faced this headache for generations never really knowing if the new incumbents will be trustworthy, but Steve feels by setting up the website tenantshistory.co.uk, he has found a way to create an online community that allows both landlords and letting agents to rate tenants. Steve who has six of […]

Use the experts

Posted on 2nd October 2012

Property investors who hold landlord insurance policies are being encouraged to invest a little of their profits in professional experts who can save them time and money in the long run.
The Association of Independent Inventory Clerks (AIIC) believes many landlords run shy of using their services because they are afraid of incurring a bill for something they can do themselves. However, the revelation that over half of landlords admit to having being embroiled in a dispute with a departing tenant over the return of a […]

Increase in number of tenants looking to flat share

Posted on 1st October 2012

According to research carried out by website SpareRoom, house and flat shares in properties with six or more bedrooms is the fastest growing property type on their books, as tenants look for cheaper rooms in Houses of Multiple Occupation.
Over the last twelve months, SpareRoom has seen a 60% surge in rooms available in houses with six or more bedrooms, a 54% increase in rooms in five bedroom properties and a 47% rise in rooms in four bed properties. In London the figures show a massive […]

Tooting landlords ask the council for help with fox problems

Posted on 28th September 2012

Landlords in Tooting are urging tenants to buy dustbins in a bid to discourage the increasing number of foxes now prowling around the borough. Francesca Cowin, a landlord, claims her property has been experiencing problems with the creatures outside her home for about 10 years.
The house that she protects with landlord insurance has had the same tenants for 18 months and they have complained several times about the high number of foxes in the garden. The young family have a four year old child and […]

Tracking service promises to unearth missing home owners

Posted on 27th September 2012

A new service that will interest a whole host of interested parties is about to be launched and the target of the service will be property investors with an interest in landlord insurance.
The tracking service offered by a new company called traceWise will enable customers to find the owner of a property quickly and give them contact details. The service should appeal to tenants trying to trace an absent landlord quickly, letting agents and even local authorities many of whom are now trying to trace […]

Proposed longer tenancy agreements meet with opposition from tenants

Posted on 26th September 2012

The well known housing charity Shelter has recently called for the introduction of renting contracts that go up to five years, with the aim of giving greater stability to the growing numbers of people who now rent from private landlords. However, the call for longer tenancy agreements will not go down well with the vast majority of people who share rental flats and houses.
Shelter is not alone in calling for longer tenancy agreements as affordable home campaign group, Housing Voice, also recently called for tenures […]

Student rents affected by the drop in admissions

Posted on 21st September 2012

Despite annual growth in student rents slowing after a 7% drop in university admissions and a significant increase in tuition fees, it is still cheaper to rent from a private landlord than it is for a student to stay in halls of residence.
The cost of a student flat share room has gone up 3.9% in the last twelve months, while the halls of residence have increased by 5.5% meaning a student staying in a hall of residence will now pay an average of £1,200 more […]