Vacant Apartments ???????????

jstvj

Alybea wrote: »

Are they furnished? would you let them unfurninshed? If i was going to move I'd only look at unfurnished as i have a house of my own furniture? Are you advertising in the windows of 'nice' shops? Do you have a sign on the wall of the building?

Yes, they are furnished and we have no space to store any excess furniture. Frankly I would be reluctant to get rid of the furniture. We do have a sign outside and the shops are local Post Offices, Supermarkets etc

jstvj

socrates wrote: »

The LA have a duty to keep info about tenants confidential BUT they have to answer this question:

"Is there any reason why this tenant cannot have LHA paid to them directly"

If they answer "yes" then you know they are the wrong tenant.

Here is another tip - you can actually advertise that your property is £15 a week below LHA - this means the tenant is entitled to keep the £15 and it will not affect their benefits.

Not all the people on their lists have "issues" - some are people who have fallen on hard times.

Thank you very much for the constructive advice. I certainly did not know that claimants could keep the difference between the rent and the housing benefits they are paid.

I fully accept that not all benefit claimants have "issues" and have always tried to help when possible. I take people as I find them and have even let without taking a deposit. Unfortunately, a great percentage have let me down in the past and consquently you do get somewhat cynical.

theartfullodger

jstvj: What do your existing & ex-tenants/letting agents think of you -
- as a human being &
- as a Landlord

I'm not suggesting there's anything unpleasant about you, or that what the tenants & ex-tenants think is even correct. Just that until you know what these people think of you then you are unlikely to get an answer to the question " We accept DSS but no takers, why ?????????? "

And no, I don't think I could answer the question either for my tenants/ex-tenants. They might tell me one thing but might think another (and therefore what they are telling many of the likely new tenants).



Cheers & Good luck!

Lodger

jstvj

theartfullodger wrote: »

jstvj: What do your existing & ex-tenants/letting agents think of you -
- as a human being &
- as a Landlord

I'm not suggesting there's anything unpleasant about you, or that what the tenants & ex-tenants think is even correct. Just that until you know what these people think of you then you are unlikely to get an answer to the question " We accept DSS but no takers, why ?????????? "

And no, I don't think I could answer the question either for my tenants/ex-tenants. They might tell me one thing but might think another (and therefore what they are telling many of the likely new tenants).

Ah ! Now you may have hit the nail on the head. If I am honest, for want of a better description I am quite a strict Landlord. This is welcomed by my current and many of my previous Tenants (the good ones at least), because they benefited from the security, safety and quiteness, i.e quite enjoyment. As I have already intermated, many Tenants turn out to be the wrong type (or I was the wrong Landlord for them) and as they are the majority I probably get more thumbs down, than up. If nothing else, I am honest. However, as I have already said I have never had problems in letting before, so cannot understand why during the recession letting has become difficult, when you (or I, at least) would think there would be many prospective Tenants around.

chickmug

hi jstvj

Do you want to tell us where the apartments are?
I know the geography quite well around much of Cornwall.
20 miles from a city must be Truro but 'as the crow flies' or not.

jstvj

Yes, East Looe

chickmug

jstvj wrote: »

Yes, East Looe

In which case I am really surprised as it is one of three Cornwall locations I really like. Looe, St Ives and Padstow. And beautiful rolling acountryside all around yet not far to the A38 and fast trip up country. So I am surprised. If you had said Redruth, Cambourne type of places I would understand.

I can only scratch my head and feel it must be down to advertising. What have you tried?

jstvj

chickmug wrote: »

In which case I am really surprised as it is one of three Cornwall locations I really like. Looe, St Ives and Padstow. And beautiful rolling acountryside all around yet not far to the A38 and fast trip up country. So I am surprised. If you had said Redruth, Cambourne type of places I would understand.

I can only scratch my head and feel it must be down to advertising. What have you tried?

You are correct it is a lovely location and holidaymaker pay £100's to stay down here. Apart from the shop windows in local towns, I have adverts on about six free letting sites on the Web.

chickmug

Have they been holiday flats or would they make better holiday flats? Holiday let in the season and 6 months AST out of season?

lynzpower

jstvj wrote: »

Thank you very much for the constructive advice. I certainly did not know that claimants could keep the difference between the rent and the housing benefits they are paid.

I fully accept that not all benefit claimants have "issues" and have always tried to help when possible. I take people as I find them and have even let without taking a deposit. Unfortunately, a great percentage have let me down in the past and consquently you do get somewhat cynical.

Woud you be interested in claimants if they were older people? ( ie over 65?)