What Rules and Regulations Are Ayrshire Landlords Falling Foul of the Most?

Being a landlord is a tricky business. There are nearly 200 different pieces of legislation covering the how, why, and when of managing a rental property. Here are just four that landlords are often not getting quite right.

Deposit protection

In England, Scotland, and Wales, the deposit must be registered with a deposit protection scheme. The 2021 UK Landlord Survey found that 81% of landlords find registering their deposit difficult.

The deposit must be registered within 30 days of receiving cleared funds. The schemes are government-approved and the tenant must be informed where the money is deposited.

Energy performance certificates

Every rental property in the UK has to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). They are stored on an electronic register that is publicly available. However, they also have to be included in any advertising you do for your property.

Electrical safety regulations

In December 2015, strict rules about electrical testing for new tenancies in rental properties came into force. Inspections must be carried out by a qualified person on all fixed electrical installations.

Gas safety check regulations

If you have gas going in to your rental property, all appliances, pipework, and flues must be checked annually.

As for the electrical safety tests, ensure that you use a qualified engineer and don’t plump for the cheapest. The report must be given to the tenant within 28 days as well.

TOP TIP: As with any time you need to visit, or arrange a visit to the property, make sure you give the tenant at least 24 hours’ notice. Keep a record of having given notice. If the tenant refuses access, you’ve then got the evidence that you tried.

If you’re a landlord in Ayrshire and are not 100% sure on all the rules and regulations you need to abide by, get in touch with us at Parkview Property. A free, no-obligation chat will show you what you might need to tweak or if you’re on the right track.

by Andy

The Euros Are Here!

A two-minute read looking at the price of property across our continent.

The month-long football festival AKA the Euros 2021 kicks off today

And the home nations of Scotland, England and Wales are all competing to win the crown of the best national side in Europe.

A win for Scotland would be priceless, and we thought it might be a bit of fun to look at how property prices compare across the continent.

So, we jumped on Google to see what the average prices for a place to call home are in the following eight countries taking part in the 24-nation tournament.

England – £268,000

Wales – £178,907

Scotland – £164,099

France – £200,241

Across other parts of Europe, the focus is on the average price based on a square metre of the property.

Germany – £2,922 – per square metre (psm)

Portugal – £964 – psm

Spain – £2,071 – psm (based on new build properties)

Switzerland – £5,078 – psm

To give you a comparison, the average price psm across England and Wales was £2,954 (Jan 2021) and in Scotland £1,579 (2018).

And just like star footballers, the average values depend on how in-demand the areas are.

The cost of properties in many of the above countries is much higher in cities and areas where people buy holiday / second homes.

At Parkview Property, we can’t predict with any guarantee who will win the Euros when it concludes at Wembley Stadium on 11 July, but we can guarantee you a champion level of service if you choose us to help with Selling or Letting your property.

Thanks for reading and C’mon Scotland! 

by Andy

Landlords and Data Protection

For more information to protect both yourself and your tenants, watch the video or read more details below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wfjsi8L77U

The ICO is the Information Commissioner’s Office and covers the whole of the UK. The ICO website explains that they are ‘The UK’s independent authority set up to uphold information rights in the public interest, promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals.’

It doesn’t matter how many properties you have, how many tenants, nor how many people you work with or have working for you. It is the whole business that must be registered. As a landlord, you are considered to be a business, even if you’re a sole trader.

Some landlords think that their letting agent has to be registered and therefore, they themselves are exempt. This is not the case. Anyone who handles personal data and stores it electronically must register. This could be as little as a name or phone number for the tenant that was texted or emailed to you.

The ICO fee will be between £40 and £2,900 per annum. The fee is paid annually. It is worked out depending on the size of the business and turnover. There is a self-assessment you can carry out on the website. Have a look at it, ico.org.uk  This will show you what amount you will have to pay.

Tenants could raise complaints about you to the ICO if they believe you’re misusing their data. The ICO might then investigate. If you had a complaint about the tenant, like unpaid rent, the tenants could use your non-registration against you. If you don’t register with the ICO and get caught, the fines can range from £400 to £4,350.

It’s a simple 15-minute process to get registered. It’s not something an agent can do on your behalf.

Here’s what you’ll need to get started;

  • The name and address of the business that needs to be registered
  • Turnover and staff numbers
  • Business details
  • Credit/debit card details

The fee will be due again in 12 months’ time. It could be easier to give the ICO direct debit details. If you are a landlord and would like further advice about this or any other lettings issue, please don’t hesitate to get in touch for a free, no-obligation chat on 01292 442888

by Andy

WARNING - The Property Survey That Every Ayrshire Landlord Should Read

In this three-minute read, we look at a study that found some landlords were putting themselves and their investment at risk by cutting corners on checks and maintenance.

Landlords are leaving themselves exposed to the risk of criminal and civil prosecution by failing to conduct critical safety checks and taking a back seat on maintenance, a survey of renters has revealed.

The study by property management platform Plentific found that a surprisingly high proportion of landlords aren’t meeting their legal responsibilities regarding gas safety and that in some cases, tenants are handling maintenance and repairs.

The survey of 1,000 tenants found that:

  • 46% of private tenants don’t believe their gas appliances have been checked in the last year.
  • 52% of private tenants don’t have a gas safety certificate.
  • 56% of private tenants don’t have a carbon monoxide alarm.

What the law says

Annual gas safety checks must be carried out at all rental properties by a qualified engineer and all tenants should receive a copy of the subsequent safety report.

Landlords who fail to meet these obligations could face prosecution – and be fined or imprisoned. 

Furthermore, landlords could wind up embroiled in a civil suit if a tenant is injured or killed in a fire, explosion or carbon monoxide poisoning at the property.

Other maintenance issues

The survey also looked at how landlords respond to maintenance concerns raised by tenants. 

About 40% of private renters said requested works were completed within three days, although overall, the average was ten days.

Issues raised included damage to the garden (26%), property damage (24%), ­maintenance (21%), and electrical problems (20%).

Worryingly, 37% of renters said they had organised repair works themselves (20% with permission from the landlord, and 16% without).

We would advise landlords in Ayrshire to oversee maintenance and repairs (or to entrust a property expert like a letting agent to handle it) to ensure that work is done to a safe standard for a fair price.

Faulty work could result in further problems down the line or damage to your property that proves costly to rectify.

Managing your responsibilities

Being a landlord comes with a host of legal responsibilities. If staying on top of all the paperwork and red tape feels overwhelming, then you could benefit from working with a reputable letting agent like us. We can shoulder the burden for you and will advise you expertly and honestly.

Let us take the stress out of managing the property and use our experience to make your life a whole lot easier.

Please get in touch with us here at Parkview Property Ltd if you have any questions about property management.

COPYRIGHT Parkview Property Ltd 2021

by Andy

How to Keep Your Tenants Happy and Staying with You for Longer

In this two-minute read, we look at how landlords can foster a good rapport with tenants.

Every successful landlord needs a rock-solid tenant retention plan or what we like to call “a happy tenant strategy”.

This is because happy tenants are loyal tenants. And loyal tenants are more likely to stay in your property for longer, helping you to avoid the ultimate landlord bugbear – high tenant turnover.

Whenever a tenant moves out, the landlord gets hit with extra costs such as end-of-tenancy cleaning and repairs and marketing and reference checks to cover the new tenancy.

Then there is the issue of lost rent when a property sits empty in between tenancies.

So, it makes good business sense to minimise turnover by going the extra mile to keep hold of good tenants.

Here are six tips for Ayrshire landlords for avoiding tenant turnover.

  1. Choose the right tenant

By following a detailed selection process and carrying out thorough credit and reference checks, you’re more likely to land a “keeper” in the first place.

  • Good communication

Ensure your tenants can quickly get in touch with you (or your representative) when they need to. If they raise an issue, listen to their concerns, and try to be accommodating. While you want the relationship to be business-like, it also needs to be personable.

  • Keep on top of maintenance and repairs

Ensure the property is kept in good condition and respond promptly when there is an issue. If you ignore a tenant’s complaints, they’ll wonder if the grass is greener elsewhere.

  • Be honest 

Don’t overpromise or be economical with the truth. Trust is important in the tenant/landlord relationship.

  • Don’t set the rent too high

Setting the rent too high can be a false economy. If a tenant feels that they’re getting ripped off, they’ll quickly move on – leaving you to fork out to find a new tenant.

  • Be flexible

Give requests about decorating or having pets due consideration (even if you’re initial instinct is to say no). If a tenant feels that they can create a home environment in your property, they’re more likely to stay for a long time. If a tenant is working out well, consider offering them a longer lease.

Get in touch with us here at Parkview Property to find out how we can help you find and retain good quality tenants.

COPYRIGHT Parkview Property 2021

by Andy