First time landlord - help!

Gorgeous_George

Regarding the quarterly inspections.

People like to quote 'the law' without actually quoting the law. There is no such law. An inspection does not hamper 'quiet enjoyment' if it is...
1. By appointment.
2. Agreed upfront in the contract.

If you do not want the inspection, do not take the rental.

I am fortunate that I have a great tenant. I wouldn't dream of inspecting her home providing the rent was being paid and there was no reason for me to suspect something is wrong. However, she asks me round and is proud to show me her home.

But, if I asked for a reasonable inspection and it was refused, my tenant would not be invited to renew. As it is, because the propery is being looked after I can offer a lower rent and I'm very flexible when it comes to repairs. Not many LLs would fit a new cooker and hob at a cost of £500 (one week before Christmas) despite having fitted a new (but cheap - £149) cooker only a few years earlier (it was cheap because I didn't like my former tenant).

You get back what you give.

GG

Jac_Raven

Thanks OOec25.

i wasn't sure if the OP was going out of the country from his post? If not, and you feel you would have the time, maybe you wouldn't need the agent to manage. It's one of those things that you can end up paying an agent 5% for next to nothing if everything is plain sailing, but it can also be a bargain if loads of issues crop up.

As far as I know most LA's don't like management, they just take it on to try and make sure they secure the rental next time which often has the higher fee (the area I am the standard is 10% + 5%).

Also is it worth trying to negotiate the fee down? at the end of the day if its a nice property most agents will probably come down a bit rather than risk it going to a competitor, its not like agents are in short supply.

edit: GG wouldn't you be obliged to put in a new cooker if you had supplied the old one which subsequently broke?

But if you just replaced it out of good faith., as you say often if you have good tenants (worth their weight in gold!) then things like this can really help keep the relationship good.

Fire_Fox

Jac_Raven wrote: »

Sebb, if your flat is in excellent condition, then assuming the agent gives reasonable notice (i'm talking more than 24hrs) then i don't see a problem. If the agent is managing the property then they will hold keys and will probably going round accompanying builders etc at times.

And the problem is a lot of tenants don't keep flats in good condition, they treat it, well like its a rental flat and not their home.

Plus without inspection how does an Agent/Landlord know if a tenant may be in breach of TA? A breach that could be in fact breaching the main lease (and 99.9% of flats will have a lease) .

whilst that may be an extreme case its always the few who ruin things for the many right.

So how often are you in the habit of visiting each property, every quarter for an inspection AND insisting on accompanying trades? Again how often would you be comfortable having your home invaded and scrutinised? Have you so little faith of your own referencing and credit checking process?

Jac_Raven wrote: »

Have I ever said about entering without tenants permission? no I haven't.

If I found a tenant to be uncooperative, and started raising the possibility of changing locks etc then I'd be looking to get them out ASAP.

So it's Hobson's choice at your agency: the tenants are asked permission to enter the property but evicted if they do not accede to your quarterly demands? I would deem enforced quarterly inspections under threat of eviction harassment.

BitterAndTwisted

Sorry to derail an interesting discussion here.

Fire Fox, could you please delete some of your private messages from your in-box? It's full and I'm trying to send you something which you may find of interest

Jac_Raven

FF what is your problem?

You are making assumptions about me and my conduct when you know nothing about me!

In the most part i have excellent relationships with both my tenants and landlords because I am a good agent. (although of course I'd be lying if i didn't say occasionally there are problems)

I'm sorry if you have had bad experiences with bad agents before, i know there are a lot of them out there (which i why i was amazed to see the OFT are still against regulating the industry) but please don't tar us all with the same brush.

ET1976

Gorgeous_George wrote: »

An inspection does not hamper 'quiet enjoyment' if it is...
1. By appointment.
2. Agreed upfront in the contract.

What would happen in this situation if the tenant refused the inspection (and/or changed the locks)?

BitterAndTwisted

Let's just say that a person's opinions could be coloured by the number of threads we have on here on a regular basis from tenants who have unfair clauses in their tenancy agreements and who find that their agents erroneously believe that they can gain access without notice or permission just because they hold a set of keys. Also that some agents have the effrontery to criticise their tenants' housekeeping standards once they've done so.

Fire_Fox

Jac_Raven wrote: »

FF what is your problem?

You are making assumptions about me and my conduct when you know nothing about me!

I posed four questions in my last post one of which was a repeat from my earlier post. Granted they could be deemed rhetorical, but your responses would no doubt be interesting.

Jac_Raven wrote: »

In the most part i have excellent relationships with both my tenants and landlords because I am a good agent. (although of course I'd be lying if i didn't say occasionally there are problems)

I'm sorry if you have had bad experiences with bad agents before, i know there are a lot of them out there (which i why i was amazed to see the OFT are still against regulating the industry) but please don't tar us all with the same brush.

Now who is making assumptions? I have been a homeowner almost continuously since I was 22 years of age and have even dabbled (amaterishly ) in landlording. Now let's shake hands and make up!

Fire_Fox

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Sorry to derail an interesting discussion here.

Fire Fox, could you please delete some of your private messages from your in-box? It's full and I'm trying to send you something which you may find of interest

Done, chuck!

clutton_2

i am a LL , and also a tenant (for the past 18 months) and only now realise how intrusive inspections really are...

i have a hideous agent who does not know the law, tells my smashing LL lies about what is in my agreement, and has been insisting on 3 monthly inspections... up to now he has been allowed into my home twice only ... but i really dont need the hassle... my LL has now agreed 6 monthly inspections - even tho my AST says nothing about inspections at all.. i am only willing to go along with this for the sake of good relationships with my LL who lives next door and who i get along with very well indeed...

i find myself feeling quite "judged" by his attitude and it is not pleasant.. it has certainly coloured my view as to how i describe such inspection visits to my tenants....... tho i do have tenants whose homes i have not been into for a couple of years as i know they are completely fine....

its a difficult line to balance on as an agent..... which i also am......

tricky - these personal negotiations.....