BUMBLEBEE

Dedicated to Lettings Oct 12 , 2023

If you are considering renting your property as an alternative to selling, it would be understandable if you considered using the agent who is handling your sale to find a tenant instead. However, a word of caution here on two counts. Firstly, many estate agents have recently entered the market offering lettings alongside their traditional

Rent by Road Oct 05 , 2023

Location, location, location is the somewhat overused maxim applied by many as a rule of thumb when selecting a property. However, a closer look reveals that a compromise in this principle can produce significant benefits for tenants in the Barnet area. Clearly, most tenants’ idea of a dream home is one in perfect condition, with a beautifu

First Impressions Sep 28 , 2023

You only get one chance to make a first impression! When it comes to letting your home, attention to detail could be pivotal in securing the best possible rent –quickly. Most tenants have a good idea of their preferred location, minimum accommodation needs and ideal style of property. Yet it is often presentation that makes the greatest dif

Habitable Rules For Landlords Sep 21 , 2023

Legislation exists whereby tenants can potentially sue a landlord who fails to adequately maintain their property. The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 means that tenants can take direct action over substandard property, rather than having to rely on their local authority to pursue a landlord who fails to adequately maintain it.

A Chilling Mistake Sep 14 , 2023

During these winter months, landlords can easily overlook the importance of ensuring that the temperature of your property does not fall below freezing. Your tenant might be more concerned about their own comfort than the welfare of your investment. But what happens if they decide to fly to some winter the sun for a couple of weeks? Temperatures

The Need for Speed Sep 07 , 2023

Finding a Tenant - The Need For Speed According to the Nottingham Building Society, about 21% of Buy to Let landlords do not secure a paying tenant within four months of completing their investment purchase. 53% waited for two months and the average void period was one month after completion. This should ring alarm bells for landlords. We suggest

Getting Personal Through Technology Aug 31 , 2023

The opportunities opened up by technology in the lettings field have been enormous, yet many lettings agents simply use their website as a glorified shop window. Like any agency window, the properties displayed need to be regularly updated and presented in a way that inspires tenants to take things further. But a good agency website is m

Viewing Time Aug 24 , 2023

Most landlords will recognise the tremendous importance of ensuring that as many prospective tenants as possible see their property. After all, more viewings means more tenant competition thereby maximising your chances of securing the highest rental the market will pay. However, whilst one always has to be fair, there is a lot to be said

Beware the Sub-Let Aug 17 , 2023

An unfair quirk in the law can leave landlords substantially out of pocket, as highlighted by the recent case of Cheryl Roux, the former wife of Michelin star chef Albert Roux. A bogus tenant, introduced by a fake London letting agency, rented Mrs Roux’s £5m Knightsbridge property. That tenant then advertised the property to legitim

Let's Share Aug 10 , 2023

Increasing numbers of people, and not just students and couples, are choosing to share the cost of renting, for good reason – house-sharing lowers your rent per person, increases the number of potential properties available to you, spreads running costs, and can increase security. However, it’s worth considering a few pointers before embarking upon

The First Steps In Letting Aug 03 , 2023

When letting your property, your primary objective is simple – you want to find a reliable tenant who pays the rent regularly and looks after your property as you would yourself. The reality is usually more complex than this. Letting your property comes with legal obligations and social responsibilities, many of which are unknown to anyone who

November Property Checklist Jul 27 , 2023

Household emergencies generally occur during the depths of winter, but we recommend that landlords undertake a pre-winter checklist now to prevent unforeseen property headaches in the months to come. A tenant will often be less interested in preventative measures, but will of course complain if there is a problem – often too late and costly to remedy.

Eviction Not So Easy! Jul 20 , 2023

A recent survey showed that 62 percent of Section 8 or Section 21 notices sent to tenants are incorrect, leaving their enforceability open to legal challenge. The study, by legal facilities company Landlord Action, suggests that most of the errors come from those landlords who chose to serve these notices themselves in an attempt to cut corners

Rent Arrears Jul 13 , 2023

Apart from actually finding a tenant and agreeing the rent, the one headache about which many landlords are concerned is, “will the rent be paid – on time?” Many landlords have stretched themselves in order to purchase a buy-to-let investment and even one month’s rent in arrears can put strain on the finances as mortgage payments, insurance etc

"Something in the air?" Jul 06 , 2023

Why is it that tenanted properties appear to be damper than those that are owner-occupied? Firstly, we’re talking about condensation here, not rising damp. Condensation is caused when warm air, which holds more water vapour, meets a cold surface, forming water droplets. This may attract fungal growths such as Mildew leading that “that damp smell”.

The Right to Rent Jun 29 , 2023

Immigration legislation means that all private landlords have to check that new tenants have the right to be in the UK before renting a property, although this responsibility can be given to your letting agent as part of a written agreement. The penalties for ignoring the new legislation are severe. For the first time an agent/landlord b

Keep Your Tenants Part 2 Jun 22 , 2023

In this second part of our two-part series on how to keep maximise your rental yield by ensuring that your tenants stay – thereby avoiding any possible void periods or additional expense in seeking a new tenant. One of the main reasons why people move out is because they just don’t feel they belong. So does your letting agent make your t

Keep Your Tenant Part 1 Jun 15 , 2023

A buy to let investment should ideally deliver impressive returns with minimal stress and these two objectives are most readily maximised when your property is occupied by a reliable long term tenant. Too many letting agents simply sign up the first tenant who comes along, with little consideration for the long term implications of accepting the wrong t

Courteous Tenant Jun 08 , 2023

Most people move house rarely and often have little idea of the etiquette required if the stress of moving is to be minimised. Our job as progressive letting agents is to help landlords and tenants minimise this stress by seeing the world through each other’s eyes and advising accordingly. For example, landlords, especially those who ar

Happy Landlords! Jun 01 , 2023

A recent survey of over 500 residential landlords reports that landlords are overwhelmingly satisfied with the service they receive from their letting agent and find them an invaluable resource. Some 92% of landlords reported a positive experience with their letting agent. The market for lettings is of course relatively buoyant that the mome

Changing the Locks May 25 , 2023

As a landlord, it would not be unreasonable to expect to hold a key. After all, you do own the place, so why not! However, what happens if the tenant changes the locks, and are they actually allowed to do this? Perhaps surprisingly the answer is yes, they are. It may be they lost the keys, had an attempted break-in, felt vulnerable or simply

Students May 18 , 2023

Students are an excellent prospect for landlords wishing to maximise their return on investment. They are in ample supply, meaning an almost certain let, a greater choice of tenant and fewer void periods. Reliable student loans and parental guarantees mean that students are also less likely to default than they were in the past. But there are cer

Pet Let May 11 , 2023

The Labour Party recently unveiled a draft animal welfare policy, including the legal right for tenants to keep a pet in their rented property. With over 12 million pet owners in the UK, this is possibly an opportunity that landlords should have grasped sooner, as there are several benefits to letting a property to a pet-loving tenant: 1.

End of Summer May 04 , 2023

The end of the holiday season usually prompts great activity in the rental market and landlords should not only be prepared for this, but also take advantage of it. The summer holiday not only marks the end of the school year, but also the end of a time of employment, with many people handing in their notice immediately before leaving for their

Tenant Decoration Apr 27 , 2023

Allow Tenants To Paint? Tenants often ask if their landlord will allow them to redecorate the property. On the surface, this is a reasonable question and should generally not send alarm bells ringing in the landlord’s ear. Firstly, if the tenant wishes to redecorate, this suggests that they possibly have a long-term outlook. As rental

Clean is Good Apr 20 , 2023

According to the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS), cleaning accounts for 56% of deposit disputes and there has recently been a sharp rise in the number of properties that require professional cleaning services at check-out. Pat Barber, Chair of the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks commented that "there is a general lack of respect for proper

Tenants Help Us Apr 13 , 2023

Letting agents love the challenge of helping you find your ideal home. Sometimes however, it can be more of a challenge than need be. So if you are looking to rent a property, here are a few guidelines that will really help us to help you: Turn up for viewings at the agreed time. We use our knowledge and experience to calculate how lo

Referencing Apr 05 , 2023

In an ideal world, once a tenant has been found, it would be good to think that you, as a landlord, can simply sit back and watch your investment deliver the anticipated return on investment without further involvement. Indeed, this is one of the reasons why some letting agents only offer a tenant finding service. Simple really – or is it?

Regulation Overload Mar 29 , 2023

A residential buy-to-let property investment has long been regarded as a tax efficient and lucrative method of wealth creation. Anyone who was credit-worthy and had a reasonable deposit could become a landlord. Simple. But things have changed. While property remains an excellent investment, usually yielding both respectable annual profits and capital gr

Meeting your tenant Mar 23 , 2023

Although a good letting agent will of course expect to accompany prospective tenants who want to view your investment, and are trained to maximse the opportunity, there is a lot to be said for you being there too! For example, a tenant who has met the landlord is much less likely to pay their rent late or default as there is some degree of social ac

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