Welcome to Home Relief Bulletin Board!

Post No. 251

by Your Freelance e-Property Letting Agency

How to check your landlord’s/lady’s identity

This week, we are going to work with renters/tenants on identity matter so that they can know or be able to check who is their real landlord/lady or the person they are contracting with. 

Δ Renters’ and prospective tenants’ proof of identity

Often, renters and prospective tenants have to prove who they are before taking possession of a property. They need to provide some forms of identification (such as passport, biometric residence permit, etc.) to their prospective landlords/ladies or their agents. The Section 22 of the Immigration Act 2014 even gives landlords/ladies authority to check incoming tenants’ identity.

If landlords/ladies have such authority, renters/tenants are entitled to know the identity of their landlord/lady.

Δ Finding out your landlord’s/lady’s identity

Tenants have a right, by law, to know the name and address of their landlord/lady. They can find their landlord’s/lady’s contact details in the official tenancy documents such as tenancy agreement (if the tenancy agreement mentions these details), gas safety certificate, etc. They can as well search for their landlord/lady in the local council (i.e. the council tax department or private rented housing team) and land registry (where they may have to pay a small fee).

Δ The importance of identifying your landlord/lady

In order to ensure that the property is legitimately let, it is important for renters/tenants to know who is their real landlord/lady or their representative. Knowing the real identity of your landlord/lady or their representative has its basis and merit since there are many activities going on when renting a property; activities such as paying rent, asking for repairs, dealing with tradesmen, handling neighbourhood matter, etc.  

The following can perhaps summarise the importance of identifying your landlord/lady or their agents:

• In the course of a tenancy and or at the end of it, tenants can sometimes discover that they have been dealing with the wrong person or they have been paying rent to the wrong person

• When the time comes to collect the deposit, tenants should know who to ask for their deposit or which scheme holds their deposit

• Where there is a chain of landlords/ladies like in a leasehold situation, it makes sense to know who is your real landlord/lady to avoid any disputes regarding the management and maintenance of the property

• Identifying landlords/ladies will help protect renters’ interests, save their money and give them peace of mind and extra security

Etc.

The above reasons can explain why renters/tenants need to identify their landlord/lady or their representative. There could be more reasons which our work with renters/tenants will try to unveil. 

Δ Need to know more 

Need to know more about checking your landlord’s/lady’s ID, why not work with Home Relief.

Welcome to Home Relief Bulletin Board!

Post No. 250

by Your Freelance e-Property Letting Agency

 

Taking Photos, Running a Video, Recording a Short Film before Moving into a New Accommodation

This week we are working with prospective tenants and home seekers to highlight the importance of their participation in property checks and inventories.  In particular, we are focusing on building hard evidence by taking photos, running a video and recording a short film before taking occupancy of property they are renting.

~ Check-in inventory and inventory report

Before giving possession of any rental property, the landlord/lady or letting agents or even an inventory company will conduct with the incoming tenants a check-in inventory which will then be translated into an inventory report. 

This report documents the property by detailing its current state and conditions including contents, descriptions, age, conditions of fixtures, fittings and furnishing.  The document may or may not be accompanied by digital media.

Both parties (incoming tenants and landlords/ladies or their representatives) would sign this document and their third-parties would witness it.

This document, which is the third important document related to any tenancy (the other imperative documents being tenancy agreement and rent payment receipts), can  

• help the tenants to claim back their deposit

• be used as a reference for dispute over damages

• safeguard tenants’ interests against unfair deductions from rent deposit

etc.

~ Tenants’ active and full engagement to the inventories

Because of the importance of inventory and related report, the rental practice advises tenants to take active participation in the inventories (both check-in and check-out).

Today with the digital and mobile technologies, it is possible and advisable to build hard evidence by adding to the print or online inventory report images, pictures and voices, without forgetting to date and name those evidences.  

Tenants can do the same documentation by having digital check-in and check-out inventories using a mobile phone, a camera, a tablet, an iPhone, or any digital devise, etc. 

The reason for digital check-in is beyond convenience, effectiveness and efficiency.  It is to avoid the problems we mentioned above to occur such as future major disputes over the state and conditions of the property, particularly over any damages which may be already in the fittings, furnishing and fixtures, or which may occur later.

To illustrate the importance of paying attention to details and building hard evidence, we are going to share with you the following tenant’s story which we recently came across.  The story provider has chosen to stay anonymous.  Because of his/her choice, we are not going to reveal their personal details.    

~ Story title: Bathroom tiles are tenants’ responsibility, not mine

I moved into a self-contained one bedroom flat few years ago after signing a shorthold tenancy agreement for one year, contract renewable if the two parties agree to do so.  The time I moved in, I was in a hurry to move in as I was afraid to end up homeless. 

I did not realise the importance of being a bit careful about little details and imperfections in the property. In particular, I did not check the integrity of the walls and tiles in the bathroom.  When I moved in there was some few cracks on the bathroom tiles.  I did not identify the problem.

After months of using the bathroom, one of the cracks loosened.  This led to water leak in the property.  I contacted my landlord to report the leak, ask him to come over for check and consider the possibility of arranging for repair to be done. 

My landlord told me that bathroom tiles are tenants’ responsibility.  That in accordance to the terms of the contract, the responsibility of the tiles lies on me as a tenant. 

Given that the tiles were already cracked before I moved in and that crack deepened and led to water leak, I wonder if the cracked tiles are well and truly the landlord’s responsibility.

~ Home Relief’s advice for future tenancies

In the light of the above story, attention to details is not a fault but a gift.  When viewing and taking possession of any property, it is always better to check it carefully before moving in rather than relying on a snap piece of information like a quick tick-box format check-in inventory on some sheets of paper.  

As a tenant, you need to fully and actively engage in the preparation and checking of the inventory report to avoid any controversy later.  With low-cost digital technologies in today’s market, it is even cost effective to just use an average mobile phone to take pictures, run a video or record a short film.

The advantages of using a mobile phone in these circumstances are:

√ to capture any key moments of life (such as moving in a new property)

√ to mitigate potential conflicts with the landlord over any damages

√ to create the desirable impact and effect for your security, peace of mind and hassle-free tenancy. 

Don’t forget to insert a short summary or description and date your photos, videos, films and voices!    

Today, there are lots of online resources and sources of information on the matter.  You can go online find them.

~ Have some comments to make or need inventory

If anyone has some comments to make or technical support about the above story, let us know.

If anyone needs any check-in or check-out inventory or would like to involve Home Relief in checking their property to rent or rented property, contact Home Relief.

~ Looking for an affordable location and home

If you are looking for an affordable location and home, Home Relief is the people dealing with affordable homes you could consider in your property searches and enquiries.

For more information about our property service to home buyers and tenants, please go to https://homerelief.co/tenants/

For more information about our property service to home sellers and landlords/ladies, please go to https://homerelief.co/landlord

For properties to rent and let, please go to https://homerelief.co/property-search/

For weekly property news and updates, please read our weekly posts.

Thank you for reading this post.

We look forward to receiving your regular visits to Home Relief website and to doing business with you throughout the year.

Many thanks!

Home Relief – Freelance e-property people dealing with affordable homes

 

Welcome to Home Relief Bulletin Board!

Post No. 249

by Your Freelance e-Property Letting Agency

How to deal with rental arrears

There has been an increase in rental arrears or accumulated delay in rental payments as some renters are still struggling with side effects of the coronavirus and the consequences of the current cost-of-living crisis. 

Rental arrears are a painful situation for both landlords/ladies and tenants.  They are painful for landlords/ladies because tenants falling behind with their rent payments to private landlords/ladies or their letting agents can jeopardise landlords’/ladies’ plans.  They are also distressful situation for tenants as they could be taken as evidence that tenants are failing to keep their rental commitment.

~ Managing rental arrears at this time of the cost-of-living crisis

Some landlords/ladies who have experience in the private residential home rental matter know how to manage the rental arrears situation.  Likewise, some tenants are skilful enough to deal with the situation.  However, there is still a substantial bunch of landlords/ladies and tenants who may not exactly know how to handle the situation; despite the wealth of resources (both in print and online) which are available and can be freely and easily accessed.  We will be working with these unaware and undecided landlords/ladies and tenants on this matter of rental arrears.

~ What Home Relief’s work with them will be about

Together with them, we will cover various areas of rental arrears.

Our work with landlords/ladies will be on the following:

Δ General principles of good rent management

Δ Rental planning or conducting activities to deal with any rental arrears

Δ Rental control which will involve monitoring of the evolution or progress of rent payments and arrears while comparing them against standards as laid down and recommended in the property industry

Δ Rental coordination which will be about putting together all the tasks needed in order to deal with tenants’ rent arrears

Δ Rental payment motivation which will consist of engaging and encouraging tenants to effectively work with you as a landlord/lady or your managing agents to resolve the matter and pay rent

Δ Measures to help tenants with rent arrears

Δ Handling of notices about rent arrears

Δ Communication which will be intending to keep talking with the tenants and get them engaged in order to resolve the matter

Etc.

Our work with tenants will cover these areas:

Δ Checking evidence relating to rent payments (such as rent records, statements, bank statements, receipts, rent book or card, online and digital payments, etc.)

Δ  Acknowledging rental arrears 

Δ Making agreement on arrears repayments

Δ Rent budgeting tools

Δ Carrying out activities to resolve rent arrears

Δ Working with tenants to regain control of rent payments

Δ Tackling factors that cause and exacerbate rent arrears

Δ Finding out the statutory provision regarding any rental arrears in the private rental sector

Δ Motivating tenants to improve their sources of income or earning capacities

Δ Searching and finding out available services that help and deal with rental arrears or difficulties to pay rent

Δ Communicating with tenants to resolve the matter 

Etc.

From what we have planned as work with both sides of the rental agreement, communication between them will supersede any activities to manage any rental arrears.  This is because without communication, there will not be solutions to the problem of rental arrears.  

~ What is expected from this week’s work 

Without anticipating any immediate changes, one can hope that landlords/ladies will become

√ Better planners of the activities surrounding rent arrears

√ Better monitors of rent progress and performance

√ Better coordinators of various tasks determining rent payments

√ Better ‘influencers’ and motivators of their tenants in resolving rent arrears

√ Better communicators from the point of view of rental arrears 

√ Better protectors of their own investment and rental interest

Etc.

One can also expect tenants who will participate to this work will become

√ Problem-solvers rather than problem-makers of rent arrears

√ More responsible for rent payments than before

√ Respectful of the terms and conditions of their tenancy agreement

√ Committed persons who honour rent payments 

√ Self-confident in improving their earning potentials 

√ Better executors of their rental agreement

√ Better managers of rent payments

Etc.

~ Extra help and support

There will be both online and print resources to complement what will be discussed through this week’s work.  For those who want, some guidance and signposting will be given regarding professionals involving in handling rental arrears.  Landlords/ladies and tenants can present or discuss their personal cases about rent arrears.  However, this week’s work is not designed to replace legal expertise on the matter.  

~ Need to resolve rental arrears

Need to resolve rental arrears, why not work with Home Relief.

~ Looking for an affordable location and home

If you are looking for an affordable location and home, Home Relief is the people dealing with affordable homes you could consider in your property searches and enquiries.

For more information about our property service to home buyers and tenants, please go to https://homerelief.co/tenants/

For more information about our property service to home sellers and landlords/ladies, please go to https://homerelief.co/landlord

For properties to rent and let, please go to https://homerelief.co/property-search/

For weekly property news and updates, please read our weekly posts.

Thank you for reading this post.

We look forward to receiving your regular visits to Home Relief website and to doing business with you throughout the year.

Many thanks!

Home Relief – Freelance e-property people dealing with affordable homes

Welcome to Home Relief Bulletin Board!

Post No. 248

by Your Freelance e-Property Letting Agency

Can they be avoided?

This week, we will be working with both landlords/ladies and tenants on ways of avoiding disputes over rent deposit.

What we will deal with

We shall try to deal with the following two questions:

Why is the return of rent deposit by landlords/ladies to tenants still a matter of disagreement whereas there is a number of tenancy deposit protection schemes?

What can both landlords and tenants do to avoid these disputes to happen in the future?

What our work will cover

Our work with them will cover the following areas:

Δ Meaning of rent deposit and its implications

Δ Tenancy deposit protect schemes (both custodial and insurance-backed)

Δ How tenants can check the protection of their tenancy deposit

Δ Areas of disagreement over the return of deposit to tenants

Δ How to amicably resolve these disputes without resorting to a court of justice

Etc.

What one can hope through this week’s work

At the end of this week’s process, one can hope that landlords/ladies will re-evaluate the responsibility that lies on them when asking for and keeping a deposit.

One will also hope that tenants will seriously take their responsibility when they are holding possession of someone else property in exchange of rental commitment and deposit

What it is expected from this week’s work

No one will be expecting the change of landlords’ and tenants’ attitude and behaviour towards rent deposit over night. However, it is possible that after this week’s work both parties can do better in the process of scaling down their disputes over the matter.

Extra help and support

There will be both online and print resources to complement what will be discussed through this week’s work.  For those who want, some guidance and signposting will be given regarding professionals involving in handling disputes over rent deposit.  Landlords/ladies and tenants can present or discuss their personal cases about rent deposit.  However, this week’s work is not designed to replace legal expertise on the matter.  

Need avoiding disputes over rent deposit

Need to avoid unneedful disputes over rent deposit, why not work with Home Relief.

Looking for an affordable location and home

If you are looking for an affordable location and home, Home Relief is the people dealing with affordable homes you could consider in your property searches and enquiries.

For more information about our property service to home buyers and tenants, please go to https://homerelief.co/tenants/

For more information about our property service to home sellers and landlords/ladies, please go to https://homerelief.co/landlord

For properties to rent and let, please go to https://homerelief.co/property-search/

For weekly property news and updates, please read our weekly posts.

Thank you for reading this post.

We look forward to receiving your regular visits to Home Relief website and to doing business with you throughout the year.

Many thanks!

Home Relief – Freelance e-property people dealing with affordable homes