Upad Blog » tenants

Ask Upad: Do I need to include kitchen utensils and the like if I let my flat as “furnished”?

Dan @ Upad — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 16:59:07 +0000

Q: I'm renting a flat for the first time and have a question. Do I need to include kitchen equipment if I advertise the property as 'furnished'? I don't know what the legal requirements are. A: Furnished and unfurnished (and even part-furnished) are rather amorphous and unhelpful terms when it comes to lettings. There isn't a legal definition to guide landlords and tenants. In practice,... Read more

Ask Upad: Help! My tenants are really picky and phone me frequently

Dan @ Upad — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 08:25:11 +0000

Q. “I’ve got new tenants and the phone hasn’t stopped ringing since they took residence three weeks ago in a one bed flat I let to them. They call about the littlest things. The bathroom tap was dripping, so they called to ask me to fix it. One of the doors on a kitchen cupboard was loose and they’ve asked for it to be repaired. One of the radiators wasn’t working properly, so I went... Read more

Ask Upad: I want to sell my flat. What do I have to tell my tenants?

Dan @ Upad — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 07:23:51 +0000

It all depends on the tenancy agreement: you can't conclude the fixed period of an AST early simply because you want to sell. If you're in a periodic tenancy, you'll need to give your tenant two months' notice (assuming the rent's paid monthly). But for most people, it won't be quite that straightforward. Obviously, you’ll want to sell the flat with vacant passion but it could take months and... Read more

Ask Upad: Who’s responsible for pest control?

Sue @ Upad — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:34:49 +0000

Q: My tenant emailed me to say she had pest controllers in to remove mice from her kitchen. This was the first I knew of a problem. She expects me to pay. Am I liable? As a general rule, if the problem was there before she moved in, then you should pay for pest control; if it was after, then it’s her responsibility. Even if it was your responsibility, she should have got your permission... Read more

Summer maintenance checklist

Dan @ Upad — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:29:44 +0000

A stitch in time saves nine. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. What other phrases did your granny use? But she was right: preventing a problem from happening is better than sorting it out. Even careful decent tenants might not be keeping a close eye on some things. Indeed, things on the outside of the property are often not their concern but your responsibility. Be proactive... Read more

Ask Upad: How friendly should I be with my tenants?

Dan @ Upad — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 07:39:10 +0000

You know what they say. Never mix business with pleasure. What’s the right balance for landlords and how friendly should you become with your tenants? When you’re a landlord, perhaps with tenants who live nearby, or who have been living in your property for some time, you’ll naturally start to get to know them. Upad CEO James Davis thinks keeping a positive relationship going with... Read more

Ask Upad : How do I know my landlord owns the property?

Sue @ Upad — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:00:46 +0000

How can I verify property ownership when renting directly from the landlord? Nice easy question for a Friday afternoon. Search the Land Registry for the owner or leaseholder of the property; a search will currently cost you £4: worth it for peace of mind, we think. photo credit: William... Read more

Are your tenants scuppering a sale?

Dan @ Upad — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:37:14 +0000

One rent void that landlords want to avoid is that between putting a property on the market and selling it. During this period, usually after some negotiation with the tenants, you can have buyers viewing your rented property. Obviously the tenants will have to move out before the sale completes, but many tenants are happy to oblige if it means putting off moving for a few more months. But are... Read more

Coalition keeps protection against eviction for tenants

Sue @ Upad — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 08:17:32 +0000

The Painsmith blog has news that the new government will be keeping protection for tenants when landlords fail to pay their mortgages. Before the Act, if the landlord had not obtained permission to let from their mortgage lender and then failed to keep up mortgage payments, the tenant had no protection from repossession: they could be thrown out of their homes with little or no notice.... Read more

References: what tenants need to know

Sue @ Upad — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:44:44 +0000

Before you move into a new property, it's almost certain that your landlord will want some form of reference to check that you're who you say you are , and that you're not going to move in and immediately stop paying rent. If you're prepared for this and have your referees primed, you'll stand a better chance of moving into your desirable property sooner rather than never. Let's take a look... Read more