Private Rental Elements in the Era of Exiting Economy
The 2020 rental context is part of the process of the UK exiting the EU. This exiting process is made of with various types of changes and new challenges that renters need to consider before renting a property.
This changing rental environment of the 2020 includes the following:
• The general rental framework relating to the exiting process
• Probable changes in rental legal elements
• Reactions of landlords/ladies with regard to the 2020 rental context
• Ways in which different private landlords/ladies interpret and apply the laws
• Part of immigration matter that affects renters if renters are immigrants or if landlords/ladies are taking immigrants
• The general reaction of the rental market in terms of rent elements
• Ways in which competing renters are reacting between them in this new environment
In brief, there is a combination of factors that will come into play in the private rental market.
Some of these factors already exited in the 2010s. However, with the new dimension of exiting economy, they can be favourable or unfavourable to some renters.
This week, we will be working with renters in understanding these factors and finding their way in securing the accommodation in those new rental terms and conditions in 2020.
For those renters who think that they need help to rent in the changing and exiting environment of the 2020s, they can feel free to contact Home Relief.
By working with Home Relief, we can together discuss and explore ways in which this environment may affect them. They can as well make the rental preparation (or strategy) they need to put in place so that the 2020 rental elements can work for them.
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.
Our work with renters about ways of improving the power they need for a trouble-free tenancy continues this week.
This week, the 2020 Private Tenant Empowerment campaign will be about the tools renters need in succeeding in securing the accommodation they want and in staying for the duration of their tenancy as planned.
One of the tools they need is a communication one. It is pointless to remind ourselves that the way in which renters communicate with the would-be their landlords/ladies or letting/managing agents can matter a lot.
To be a bit practical, we came across renters whose rental applications were rejected on the basis of either they could not properly communicate or they were rude or simply they were some kinds of lacking social intelligence skills in their approach to finding and keeping their rented accommodation.
One example we would like to highlight is the case of a landlady who rejected a tenant’s application not on the basis of reference, but on the basis of language or communication barrier. This is what happened.
Need of empowerment: case of tenant’s application rejection because of language barrier
We had a landlady who instructed and agreed with us Finding Tenant Only Letting Terms; meaning that we would find the tenant, do all the checks, collect all the references and deposit (including the first month’s rent in advance), do all the paperwork and hand over the tenant to the landlady. She would then manage the property by herself after the exchange or completion of contracts and handing over the keys.
Unfortunately, when the landlady came to the office to meet the prospective tenant, the latter could not properly communicate in English. There was a break down in the conversation. The landlady told us she would not consider taking the tenant since she would always need somebody in the middle to speak to the tenant; that there would be a high probability of misunderstanding regarding issues related to the management of her property (issues such as bin collection days, meter readings, rent book or record checks and other maintenance issues). Sadly, the prospective tenant’s application was rejected on the basis of English language barrier.
From a rental perspective, this example shows how relevant or important for a tenant to properly communicate in order to gain access to a property and keep it regardless of the financial guarantee they may provide.
From a legal point of view, whether or not this case raises the issue of discrimination on the basis of inability to speak a language, it is a matter of discussion. However, without being judgemental, this case reveals the importance of communication tool in the process of searching and gaining access to accommodation as a renter.
So, this week we are working on the empowerment tools for renters. Language is just one of them. There are many other tools that renters need to have to secure accommodation. To find out more, please work with Home Relief.
If you are a renter and do not know what kind of tools you require or require to improve the tools you already have to give you the power and confidence you need to successfully rent, you can work with Home Relief this week on this matter.
For those renters who have any issue about power relationships with their landlord/lady in their rented property, they are also free to contact Home Relief to discuss this matter.
For those landlords/ladies who are concerned about the balance of power between them and their tenants, particularly those who are complaining about the power their tenants got or tenants lack some social intelligence skills to communicate with them, they can also work with Home Relief if they think these issues are problematic to a hassle-free tenancy.
For those who want just to go in depth about private tenant empowerment tools, they are as well welcome to work with Home Relief should they wish to do so.
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.
Welcome back to all our property supporters, blog readers and web visitors. We hope that you had a good festive break and wish you Happy New Year again!
After careful consideration of the issues that renters faced in 2019 and of those highlighted in our 2019 Review, we would like to start 2020 with one recurring issue, with what can be done to empower private renters in this New Year.
Empowering Private Renters in 2020
Being on low income bracket could mean many things. It could mean that one has less or weak power on income wise or has a considerable budget constraint in terms of choice of the accommodation to make.
2020 could or should be a year to continue to empower low or ordinary income earners so that they can choose where they want to live, and for those who have small children they can decide where they want to raise them.
In the private rental sector, it is sometimes difficult to significantly empower renters as this could upset some home owners and landlords/ladies and reduce the supply of homes to rent. It should not be the case or seen in this way if private tenant empowerment is trying to address the imbalance of powers between two contractual property parties (landlord/lady and tenant).
At the statutory level, they were and have been some good initiatives in terms of supporting tenants in 2019. They include both direct and indirect support.
Examples of direct support include the ban of no fault evictions (through the Section 21), the removal of tenant fees, the reduction of the costs of deposit, etc. The indirect backing consists of any measure or area of law that protects tenants such as licence to rent that landlords/ladies need to have, Help to Buy schemes to support ordinary people to become home owners, etc.
Besides that what else can be done to empower tenants or renters in the New Year. They are few things that can be done or improved so that 2020 could be the year of no one left behind whether they are private or social renters in the rental ladder and market.
These few things could include the improvement of the existing facilities or platforms such as
√ Involvement of private tenants in conversion on property management
√ Private tenant advisory panels
√ Private tenant empowerment programme, etc.
These initiatives could as well be about
√ Giving new powers through boosting tenants’ understanding of tenancy rules by providing easily available and accessible information about tenants’ rights and obligations
√ Improving tenants’ knowledge and skills in the area of property rental
√ Supporting their social mobility so that they can change their status from low to medium and high income earners
√ Leads on funding information covering items such as deposit schemes, rent shortfall, insurance cover for low income tenants
√ Improvement in the way tenants understand legal terms and jargon
√ Better information for family tenants with children, etc.
All the above support could be designed to empower low income renters. One could make assumption that the more they are empowered, the more they become self-confident and can meet their rental requirements.
So, the private tenant empowerment is what we have on the menu for this week to start off 2020 rental campaign.
For those renters who have any issue about power relationships with their landlord/lady in their rented property, they are free to contact Home Relief to discuss this matter.
For those landlords/ladies who are concerned about the balance of power between them and their tenants, particularly those who are complaining about the power their tenants got, they can also work with Home Relief if they think their tenants’ power is problematic to a hassle-free tenancy.
For those who want just to go in depth about private tenant empowerment, they are as well welcome to work with Home Relief should they wish to do so.
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.
The following 22 property themes and campaigns, which shaped Home Relief’s work with clients and supporters during the year 2019, are the ones we have selected and listed in no particular order for 2019 year-in-review recap.
1) Online Direct Rent Payments
2) Home Finding & Keeping
3) A Post-tenant Fees World
4) Homes, Families & Schools
5) Families, Homes & Health
6) Homes, Families & Locals
7) Homes, Families & Occupation
8) Learn how to pass referencing criteria
9) Rental Times
10) Section 21 Notice
11) Decent Rents
12) Appended Terms
13) Rental Enquiries
14) Mis-renting
15) Rental Data
16) Rental Accounts Closure
17) Longer Term Tenancy Periods
18) Family-friendly Lettings
19) Change of Tenant’s Circumstances
20) Rent Increase: What to do?
21) White Goods and Fittings
22) Rental Backup
If you are a Home Relief’s blog reader, you will remember these themes or campaigns. Otherwise, you can still contact Home Relief for any details regarding them and/or the full story of the year 2019.
With all the best wishes of happy ending year 2019 and of promising year 2020!
We thank you for your clientele over 2019 and hope we will renew your loyalty and support in the New Year and the New Decade.
Happy New Year 2020!
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.
We have the following messages for the festive period.
Queries and Enquiries
During the Festive holidays, we will only handle online queries and enquiries.
Most of our property services are scaled down around this period until the New Year. People should expect delay from us in returning their calls/e-mails.
Home seeking applications
For those looking for homes to rent, please do not hesitate to text or email Home Relief your home seeking applications. We are aware that not everybody has got a home to live this festive time and at the beginning of the New Year. If you are one of them and looking for accommodation, do not hesitate to contact Home Relief.
Letting instructions
Landlords/ladies and home owners who would like to instruct us over this festive time, please do not hesitate to text or email Home Relief your intentions to instruct.
Likewise, landlords/ladies and home owners who would like to recommend Home Relief to their friends and families for letting instructions this festive time, Home Relief would be pleased to take their instructions or intructions further.
Home-buying advice
As mentioned above, our advice service to home buyers is as well scaled down this time of the year. Those who are looking to buy a home in the New Year, they can still text/email the areas of home buying process they would like to seek advice. Depending on the matter and individual case, we shall get back to them as soon as we can.
Maintenance over the festive break
If you have any maintenance problems, please do not hesitate to contact us. However, we would like to let you know that most of our maintenance service providers are already on holidays. Only a few of them will be available.
In case of emergency or exceptional circumstances, please do not hesitate to text/phone us; we will respond to your text/phone as soon as we can.
We would like to apologize for any inconvenience or upset this may cause.
We thank you for your clientele over 2019 and wish you a Very Happy Festive season!
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.
If you haven’t still found a tenant up to now and or before heading away for your festive break up or holidays, you don’t need to rush or worry. Home Relief can take care of your property to ensure you get the right letting deal by the end of this year.
We can undertake a number of steps to let your property before the festive celebrations or provide you with an undertaking so that your vacant property is filled with suitable tenants when you return after the festive break.
The steps we can take include the following:
√ Inspect your property and do some suggestions, if required, regarding its overall rentability and marketability
√ Provide you a current and realistic rent valuation of your property if you can’t do it by yourself
√ Agree with you whether you want to let now or to wait at the start of the New Year
√ Re-profile the types of prospective tenants you are looking for
√ Reassess all the marketing channels and steps you have so far taken to try to let your property
√ Re-market your property through revised marketing channels (both print and online)
√ Organise festive accompanied viewing appointments on your behalf
√ Provide you a brief at the end of this process and let you to decide.
The above are generic steps which we can customise depending on your situation and the conditions of your property.
Alternatively, if you decide to postpone the need of having tenants by the end of 2019 and want somebody else to take care of your property until you are ready for letting it in the New Year, Home Relief can still look after it. We can take care of a property that is tenanted or vacant or even under refurbishment.
If interested in Home Relief taking care of your property over this festive season, please contact us!
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.
We see many home seekers viewing properties and showing interest or making an offer on a property. For some of them, their offers end up accepted. For others, their offers fail short to go through or simply do not reach the completion stage.
It is known that any rental offer on a property would compete with other existing and potential offers in any ends (high, medium and low) of the market. Therefore, renters need to try to back up their offer with something tangible (like additional security) so that they can maximise their chance or succeed in their bit to rent their ideal property.
In particular time like of festive season, this back up is even crucial in a property market where every home seeker, let alone those with ordinary or modest incomes, is hunting for the best possible festive deal to make their housing ends and needs meet before the end of the year if they are planning to move by this time.
This week, we are looking at with renters how to back up their offer and get it accepted by the end of home seeking process. It is not enough to make an offer, although the practice is that once an offer is made on a property this property is labelled as under offer and eventually withdrawn from the market until final completion.
Home seekers need to back up their offer to increase the chance for their rental applications to reach the final stage. They need additional security for their rental offer to be converted into a buy. They need to closely monitor their offer made and follow its progress and development.
For some landlords/ladies, once an offer is made, the property is put under offer (or on hold) and they are not open to listen to other offers. For other landlords/ladies, it is not the case. They can still open their minds to other offers until they get the best possible one. They may as well think that renters can still change their minds.
This week, renters can learn or relearn the way of backing up their rental offer so that their offer reaches the conversion stage. They will also have the opportunity to understand the rental selection process and criteria in order for their rental applications to be considered instead of that of their competitors.
If you are planning to make a festive rental offer or has already made it and need to back it, this week’s session is the right one for you through Home Relief.
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.
If you are planning to pass your New Year’s Eve and New Year in a new home, Home Relief can help you to achieve your festive dream.
We could help you save money and put everything together in place in advance.
Putting everything together in place in advance for Renting-before-the-New-Year offer includes:
√ Discuss and conduct your home needs assessment
√ Work a plan and timetable with you
√ Research a property that suits your need and budget
√ Arrange viewing appointments at mutually convenient times and days
√ Negotiate letting and renting terms with you
√ Sort out deposit and rent in advance
√ Organize references on time
√ Progress report from all parties involved
√ Once your offer has been accepted, finalize the letting agreement
Saving money on your festive rental
Saving money means that the early home seekers contact us this month for rent, the better rental deal in terms both home quality and discount they can get. Especially at this last month of the year, prices tend to go up everywhere without exception of the properties to let.
For those with ordinary incomes and means of living, it is advisable to get in touch soon to find out affordable accommodation before the end of year.
Getting the best festive deal also means we are offering fantastic savings for up to 20% off the market price on our letting and management services.
Festive Savings are on …
√ Rent for properties of any sizes (ranging from single rooms to full houses)
√ Charges for any main services offered (such as lettings, financial or full management and maintenance)
√ Tenancy agreement, tenant administration, guarantor, check out at the end of the tenancy, tenancy agreement renewal, change of occupation, etc.
We can work with you to find your new home this Festive Season and help you start 2020 in relief and joy.
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.
How to let your property, get it fully managed, financially managed, maintained and monitored before the end of 2019
Festive Time Starts with Home Relief!
Home Relief’s Festive Letting campaign kicks off today, with Happy Festive Season. We have special Festive Period offers which start from today the 25th of November 2019.
A Happy Festive Season starts with a home that relieves you; your own home where you live as a landlord/lady, the ones your tenants live in and the other ones you want to let.
Before thinking of any other presents or gifts, it is a good idea to give yourself a Festive Gift by letting your property if you are planning to let it. Home Relief is ready to take your letting instructions and make your letting as the Season’s Gift.
Home Relief can help you to achieve your festive property letting and management plans and goals, and start the New Year on a positive note regarding the return on your property investment.
LET IT before the end of 2019
If you are a landlord/lady and having problems or just don’t have time to let your property during the festive period, Home Relief can help. You can appoint or instruct us to do it on your behalf.
GET IT FULLY MANAGED before the end of 2019
If you think that you have other better things to do or priorities during the festive time and or in the near future than self-managing your property, don’t worry! Home Relief can fully manage it for you.
GET IT MAINTAINED before the end of 2019
The last thing any landlord/lady would like to hear is while they are having their festive holidays with friends and relatives (having their preferred drink, meal and chat), tenants try to contact them (via phone or email or even text messages) to deal with some property maintenance issues.
If for any reason you can’t maintain it by yourself, Home Relief can take care of your property while you are having your festive break.
GET IT FINANCIALLY MANAGED before the end of 2019
If you are busier than chasing your tenants for rent or making some payments linked to your property account over the festive time, then Home Relief can collect your rent and administered it for you and other financial matters linked to your property investment. Home Relief can as well organise any online payments or receipts on your behalf.
GET IT MONITORED before the end of 2019
If you are undertaking some building work to your property and want this to continue over the festive time while you will be away over this period, you can instruct Home Relief to supervise your building work until completion or you return. Home Relief can monitor your building work on your behalf and report back to you as the work progresses until full completion.
APPOINT HOME RELIEF TO ACT AS YOUR FESTIVE CONTACT before the end of 2019
If you are contemplating to be abroad or away for a little while during the festive time and you don’t want to leave your tenants without any third party contact or with uninterested or even unqualified party, why not instruct Home Relief to act as your festive contact should there be any problem or an emergency. Home Relief can act on your behalf while you are away.
Whether it is about Lettings Only, Financial or Full Management and Maintenance or Monitoring or just a Property Contact/Liaison, you can instruct Home Relief to act on your behalf. If you require a quotation or estimate, please do not hesitate to contact Home Relief.
By taking the decision to appoint Home Relief in this way, this will enable you to have a relaxing, hassle-free, peaceful and less costly festive season with your property rental business and with your love ones.
JUST INSTRUCT US NOW FOR A FESTIVE PEACE OF MIND AND SECURITY OF YOUR INVESTMENT! WE ARE READY TO TAKE YOUR FESTIVE INSTRUCTIONS.
Just Work with Home Relief’s Festive Lettings & Gifts Negotiator.
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.
The importance of explaining to tenants the functioning of appliances and fittings in a rented property
This week, we are working with landlords/ladies on the importance of explaining the incoming or already living-in tenants the functioning of white goods and fittings in a rented property, especially when these types of items required specific instructions to follow to handle them.
The law states that landlords/ladies are responsible for the state of any machines and white goods they provide in the rental property. White goods are appliances such as washing machines, fridge-freezers, tumble dryers and dishwashers. Fittings and fixings include boilers, showers etc.
For example, the landlords/ladies are responsible for servicing the boiler. The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1985 requires that landlords/ladies keep in good repair and working order installations that supply water, gas and electricity as well as sanitation systems.
Maintenance case
This week’s topic gives us the opportunity to remember a case we came across. It was a case related to a landlord who installed a new boiler in his rented property through the work of a boiler engineer. The engineer who installed the boiler explained that before turning on the heat key, the boiler must be first fed with water. The landlord forgot to pass this information to the tenants. One evening, the tenants ran the boiler without activating the water feeding system. As a result, the boiler broke down.
What this week’s process will include
This week, we are going to look at the following elements:
√ The transfer of information about white goods and fittings from landlords/ladies to tenants (how to conduct this transfer, what information to pass on and what not pass on)
√ Working manuals (including digital operating instructions and online videos) of white goods and fittings in a rented accommodation
√ Instruction books (including online videos) related to peripherals such as thermostats, remote controls for homes with digital or e-technologies
√ Areas of insurance policies and cover plans about these items where there is a need to pass some information to the tenants for mutual benefit (to avoid risk of missing the deadline for renewal of cover plans although service providers always send a reminder)
√ Stickers or labels (including important contact numbers, makes, serial numbers, etc.) on these machines (where to find them) where tenants can find relevant information if there is a need to do so
Etc.
Nowdays, almost every body has a smart phone or just a mobile phone. If your tenants have a smart phone, it is even easy to pass this information to them. You can even pass to them (via mobilephone or e-mail) a link to watch the videos about these white goods and fittings for the purpose of better informed maintenance.
Where landlords/ladies involve a managing agent, this area of property maintenance responsibility becomes obvious and falls within the hands of this agent, unless landlords/ladies decide to fully or partly take this responsibility.
This area of property maintenance is as well important to avoid conflicting tenancies. It is vital to avoid the breakdown of very expensive items (such as boiler) in privately rented property. They can break if landlords/ladies do not correctly pass the information to handle them or if tenants are careless.
However, as landlords/ladies you should always make sure you correctly pass the information on these items to your tenants and make sure the tenants use them correctly as well.
Want to learn or find out more about the process of correctly pass maintenance information to the tenants, please work with Home Relief.
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.
