Around one in eight tenants in private rented accommodation have experienced problems with their landlord, ranging from buy-to-let investors entering homes without permission and deposits not being properly protected to renters being abused, threatened or harassed by landlords.
Housing and homelessness charity Shelter estimates more than 1 million tenants living in private rented accommodation in England have suffered at the hands of landlords over the last year.
The charity’s claims follow the publication of a separate report investigating the impact of accidental landlords on the private rented sector.
Funded by the TDS Charitable Foundation and written by property expert Kate Faulkner, it says accidental landlords could unknowingly be contributing to some of the serious issues in the private rented sector. These include property disrepair and unfair evictions.
It follows a previous investigation by the TDS Charitable Foundation and Kate Faulkner that that reveals…
- Most landlords are over 55 years old;
- The older the landlord, the more reliant they are on rental income;
- Many started renting out the home they originally lived in;
- The majority of landlords either run a business or have another job;
- Landlords invest for a variety of reasons and not all being financial gain. Some, for example, enter the buy-to-let market to help house family and friends;
- There is confusion among landlords over the law and regulations in lettings.
The latest report into the impact of accidental landlords on the private rented sector highlights the risks property owners with little knowledge of the real costs of managing and maintaining a rented property face.
“The problem with accidental landlords is that as they don’t do this as a business they may well not have any way of keeping up to date with changes in rules and regulations,” says the report’s author. “As a result, continuing to simply introduce new legislation to solve the issues around disrepair or tenant security of tenure may have little impact on this sector of the market. A concentrated effort to tackle better education and briefing of accidental landlords may actually be one of the key ways to improving standards in the private rental sector.”
Denhan Guaranteed Rent is well aware of the problems faced by accidental landlords, those new to the buy-to-let market and experienced property investors.
Denhan Guaranteed Rent has a tailor-made solution for landlords with property within the M25. We will not only provide you with a guaranteed monthly rent for up to five years – even if the property is empty, Denhan’s property specialists will handle every aspect of your rental home’s management.
Before we find and vet tenants for your rental property, we advise property owners that it must comply with every piece of legislation affecting the private rental sector. This includes…
General condition of the property
Electrical, gas, plumbing, waste, central heating and hot water systems in all the properties we manage must be safe, sound and in good working order. Interior decoration should also be in good condition and preferably plain, light and neutral.
Safety of gas and electrical appliances
Landlords are required by the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 to ensure that all gas appliances are maintained and in good order, an annual safety check must be carried out by a Gas Safe-registered fitter. You must keep a record of the safety checks and it must be issued to the tenant within 28 days of each annual check.
As a landlord, you must also ensure that the property’s electrical system (sockets and light fittings) is safe and all appliances tenants supply (eg cookers and kettles) are safe.
Repairs and maintenance
Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, landlords are responsible for repairs to the structure and exterior of the property – baths, sinks, basins and other sanitary installations, heating and hot water installations.
The service Denhan Guaranteed Rent offers landlords can address all these issues. Not only do we guarantee a fixed monthly payment for up to five years, many of the problems experienced by tenants can be resolved by our in-house maintenance team.
If they are able to resolve an issue, there will be no charge to you. However, if we have to instruct a tradesman, we will gain your permission in advance.
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