LANDLORD NEWS AND ADVICE FROM UK'S LARGEST ONLINE LETTING AGENT
The latest from the world of lettings and written for landlords. Top stories, advice, commentary and analysis...
Keep the discussion lively, if you read an article and have some thoughts, please comment. We’re always looking for new landlord tips and stories so if you have something you’d like to share please let me know, simon@upad.co.uk (editor).
SUBSCRIBE TO BLOG
SEARCH BLOG
Archive for the ‘Tips for New Landlords’ Category
How to take great property photos yourself
Great property photos are essential if you want to make the most of your listing. They can increase the number of tenant enquiries you receive by up to 400%. But how do you go about taking great property photos yourself? Here's how... Preparing your property Arguably the most important part of taking photos of your property is preparation: make sure the rooms are set up in a way that makes... Read more
Case study – how to present your property: Manchester, M14
About the property… Our case study of the week is a 3-bedroom house in Fallowfield, Manchester. Fallowfield is a popular student area of the city, with plenty of pubs, shops and clubs, as well as great links to the University campus on Oxford Street. If buy-to-let investors are looking for student investments in Manchester, then they should look no further than Fallowfield. What we like... Read more
Case study – how to present your property: West Molesey, KT8
About the property… Our case study this week is a 3-bedroom house in West Molesey. This landlord is clearly after a family judging by the key features (located in quiet cul-de-sac, close to local shops and schools). Knowing what type of tenant you are marketing to helps you phrase your description and orientate your key points towards them. What we like about the listing… The description... Read more
Pros and cons of letting to tenants on housing benefit
LHA tenants get a bad press - often unfairly so. Here are the advantages, and disadvantages, to renting to this type of tenant. Key points: 1. According to research, LHA tenants stay in properties for twice as long compared with non-LHA ones. 2. You can apply to the council to get housing benefit paid directly to your account if you have a good reason (like a failed credit check). 3. It... Read more
Case Study – how to present your property: Old Street, London, N1
About the property… Our case study if the week is situated just off Old Street in Central London. Old Street has developed a reputation of being the UK's "Silicon Valley" over the last few years due to the prominence of emerging tech start-ups such as Last FM. As that reputation continues to grow, the area should be a great investment for both residential and commercial property. What we... Read more
Case study – how to present your property: Keighley, BD20
About the property… Keighley is a large town situated in the West Yorkshire country. Keighley is well connected, with easy rail access to nearby towns including Leeds & Bradford. The Airedale Centre is the main shopping facility where most of the high-street retailers are located. The transport and amenity situation makes Keighley an attractive proposition for tenants, especially seeing as... Read more
Why renting to pet owners shouldn’t be a problem
Renting to pet owners has developed a bit of a stigma. Battersea Dogs and Cats Home released a piece last year, concerned with the state of pet rentals: more and more pets were being handed over, as they were stopping their owners from renting. But pet owners can make very good tenants. Not only that, but because of the shortage of rental properties that'll allow pets, tenants with pets will... Read more
Case study – how to present your property: Longfield, DA3
About the property… This is a house-share situated in Longfield, in the Medway area of Kent. With direct commuter links by rail (42 minutes) and links via the M25 to London, Longfield is well connected and appealing to city commuters. Being a small village with good connections, Longfield provides a rest bite from busy city life and could be an attractive proposition for property... Read more
What you should know about Landlord Associations
Landlord Associations can be hugely beneficial for private landlords. The membership fees vary depending on the benefits included, but landlords typically gain access to great advice channels and discounts on landlord services. Here's a look at the National Landlords Association membership: Advice When you join the NLA, you have access to a wide-ranging set of landlord advice tools. They... Read more
What you should know about tenant referencing
Tenant referencing is a vital tool. It gives landlords piece of mind that their tenants can afford the rent and don't have a dubious rental history. Comprehensive tenant referencing should include: Credit check — looks at tenants' credit histories. Affordability check — compares tenants' salaries with the rent, and judges whether the finances stack up. Previous landlord written... Read more
Case study – how to present your property: Bradford, BD10
About the property… Our case study of the week is a three-bedroom house, situated just outside Bradford. Since suffering at the hands of the declining textiles industry, Bradford has built itself up into a cultural hive attracting new business, such as the Freeman Grattan home-shopping company head office, and a significant redevelopment of the city centre: things that should attract property... Read more
Case study – how to present your property: Thornhill, WF12
About the property… This house is situated in the village of Thornhill in West Yorkshire. Thornhill is an old English town with numerous pubs and Anglo-Saxon artefacts. With plenty of sporting facilities as well as a Post Office, florist, dental surgery and a beauty salon - it has enough to keep renters well-provided for and property inventors interested. What we like about the... Read more
How to set the correct rent
There are two important things for landlords to consider when pricing their property: maximising their yield and minimising their void period. This means choosing a rental price can be a tricky business…here are some things to help: 1. Look around you: what are similar properties going for in the area? Don’t just judge on number of bedrooms, look at the quality of the furnishings and the... Read more
Case study – how to present your property: Bourne End, SL8
About the property… This house is situated in Bourne End, Buckinghamshire – a small picturesque town within commuting distance of Reading and London. Bourne End is not a cheap location, with the average 3-bedroom house commanding £1607 a month in rent. However, the area is desirable because of the scenery and transport links – so plenty to keep buy-to-let investors interested. What... Read more
What you should know about property inventories
An inventory is a report that details the condition of the property at the start and end of a tenancy. It is signed by both the tenant(s) and the party carrying out the inventory check (usually an inventory clerk). Things included in an inventory: • exterior of the building; • furnishings (i.e. sofa, washing machine, TV); • property particulars (i.e. doors, windows, skirting... Read more
-
Register for a free Upad account
Join Upad today and enjoy our 5-Star Service, Free 68-Page Guide and £40 Off your first Upad Essential Purchase.
TOPICS
- Ask Upad
- Buy-to-let
- Commercial Property
- Energy Performance Certificates EPC
- Energy Saving
- Events
- Evicting Tenants
- Finance
- Finding a Home
- Finding Tenants
- Furnishing
- Gas Safety Certificates
- Google Maps
- Green
- HMOs
- Housing Benefit
- Inventories
- Landlord Insurance
- Landlord Legislation
- Landlord Tax
- Legal
- Listing Case Studies
- Mortgages
- National Landlords Association NLA
- Not Entirely Serious
- Property Advertising
- Property Investment
- Property Management
- Property Market
- Property of the Week
- Property Photography
- Referencing
- Rent Arrears
- Rental Advertising
- Renting a Property
- Rightmove
- Short Lets
- Should I use Upad?
- Social Housing
- Students
- Tenancy Agreements
- Tenancy Deposit Scheme
- Tenant Rights
- Tenant Scams
- Tenant Stories
- Tips for New Landlords
- Upad
- Zoopla
-
Recent Comments
- David Lawrenson: Very good piece. Other issues to consider: Occupants tend to like getting you involved in...
- liz sterland: Is it legal to stipulate tenants should maintain and repair white goods?
- Anna@letting Agents Kilburn: I work for a letting Agency in London, the amount of times iv’e viewed or showed...
- David Lawrenson: Good piece Freeholds are more valuable to buy and sell (among people who did this sort of thing) if...
- David Lawrenson: James, Good piece but why do Shelter fail to mention the rather important fact that lenders’...
