Is this acceptable, tenants left flat

dimbo61

The joys of being a landlord !!!!

coolcats

I've just got keys for a new rental, through an agent, even meet previous tennants. Not left as bad as that, but I still have a few years worth of dust and dirt everywhere. Have got the agent to send cleaners in and hoping it will be cleaned a lot better before I move in properly, which I've had to put back a bit. 2 rooms won't get cleaned as I've had to put secondhand (new to us) furniture in, the shop wouldn't hold it any longer. The one is ok, the other will still need a good clean. I'm no cleaner, but I've always left places "clean"

want2bmortgage3

I have decided I wont use council tenants if I do decide to keep the place and rent it out again. It was in a very good, clean condition when they arrived.

I was named as landlord and one of the two tenants (a couple) were on the agreement. Council just supplied me the tenants and paid the rent to me. I did no checking on them.

It wasn't just the above photos, they had also painted walls strong colours, and done a really bad job. Splattered all the sockets, switches and skirting. Ran loads of cables along the walls, loads of holes.

Carpets are filthy, as was pretty much every surface. Mould in the washing machine. Grass left about 3 feet high! It's basically given me 2 weeks work to do, and it's jobs I've done before and am pretty damn bored of doing for a second time!

I now need to decide if I ever want to be a landlord again, and if I do I think I need to look at it as a financial investment and not get involved with tenants/maintenance at all. Pay the agents to do this for me!

anselld

want2bmortgage3 wrote: »

I now need to decide if I ever want to be a landlord again, and if I do I think I need to look at it as a financial investment and not get involved with tenants/maintenance at all. Pay the agents to do this for me!

In that case you have answered your own question ... you don't want to be a landlord.

BitterAndTwisted

The Council supplied you with the tenants and you did no checks and didn't even take a deposit from them?

I don't suppose you did a check-inventory with photos either.

So, you tell us what their incentive was to keep the property in decent order and return it to you in a decent state?

Eff me! They saw you coming from a mile off

dodger1

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

The Council supplied you with the tenants and you did no checks and didn't even take a deposit from them?

I don't suppose you did a check-inventory with photos either.

So, you tell us what their incentive was to keep the property in decent order and return it to you in a decent state?

Eff me! They saw you coming from a mile off

Surely there shouldn't have to be an incentive for that, it's just common cleanliness and decency. I leave a place as I find it (or better), no incentive necessary.

want2bmortgage3

I agree, I don't think there should be a financial incentive to keep things clean! It's just your own personal standards of hygeine and self-respect!

I don't want to be a landlord in terms of dealing with tenants or maintaining a property, but I do want some sort of investment which will pay me back later on. This could still be property, just let an agent do the work I don't want to and take their cut?

dimbo61

Sorry but agents have overheads ( staff, office costs, ETC) and a fully managed arrangement can cost 10/15% of your rent each month.
You are still responsible at the end of the day.
Full credit, references, guarantor, deposits, and regular checks.
Full check-in inventory with photos or video and paper copy signed before tenants move in
Join a Landlord association such as RLA or NLA
You can make more money than you will get in a savings account BUT it takes hard work

Lizling

dodger1 wrote: »

Surely there shouldn't have to be an incentive for that, it's just common cleanliness and decency. I leave a place as I find it (or better), no incentive necessary.

Equally we shouldn't have to lock the front door when we go out, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea not to.

sgun

Playing a bit devils advocate here but my BF has rented three flats in the last 10 years and every time he has left I have cleaned them to a sparkling level in the hope of avoiding agency "add ons". I have left them better than when he moved in. Photo evidence too, I rent out a flat so I am vey aware of the standards.

Every time he has been charged for "professional cleaning fees" which is weird as my cleaning appears to be better than the "professionals". I can totally see why people don't clean at all before leaving, why bother when you will still have to pay?

Want2B, as the OP I would say you shouldn't go into BTL as it is a business and I think you want to be more "hands off" with investments. Try a 20 year bond.