Land Lords and Maintenance

Graham_Devon

michaels wrote: »

Or could it be like any other business they look at return on investment and in some cases it doesn't make sense. If every rented property was top notch it would reduce the choice for those looking for cheap and cheerful adn would also potentially drive down the price premium for being A1.

It shouldn't really do any of that, IMHO.

Cheap and cheerful can still be maintained to a basic standard.

ILW

There are whole street near me which have gone BTL (small 2 - 3 bed terraces) . The whole roads tend to look rather tatty. Pity as would be nice if looked after. And this is within the M25.

grizzly1911

chewmylegoff wrote: »

.
Others will just be stupid/incompetent.

Many people buy cars get in, turn the key and drive off. They haven't got a scooby what makes it actually do that , what needs checking and maintaining and what to watch out for and when.

No different to BTLs.

There will also be those who deliberately run them down or can't afford to do anything to them as they are over committed.

chewmylegoff wrote: »

.

I expect some LLs are unaware because their tenants haven't reported problems and/or their agents are incompetent.

This is definitely an issue. IME remote agents take some checking on to make sure they are doing what they should. More so when it comes to "cosmetic" or non essential maintenance.

TheFactory wrote: »

The problem is a landlord can only correct what he knows to be wrong...

If my tenants don't report a problem, I can't fix it. I only inspect once a year and if I don't hear anything inbetween I expect its all good.

This is my experience too. Some tenants will not raise cosmetic, minor damage issues for fear of a black mark.

Others will do your head, crying wolf and you "switch off" to some extent on the minor stuff.

It can also be a vicious circle where an untidy lackadaisical tenant doesn't actually inspire you to upgrade, whilst they are in situ. You may decide to put the spend in next time it is vacant.

I have a mate who has just purchased an off the shelf BTL 120 miles away. A flat in a renovated ex council low rise. He hasn't seen it, little intention of doing so, expects it to service the mortgage end of.

antrobus

thescouselander wrote: »

I'd like to ask the many landlords who frequent this forum a question - why is it so many of you neglect to maintain your properties......

Today's savings on maintenance is bankable money; tomorrow's higher expected sale price is not. And/or they are gambling that they can sell up before things get too bad.

Reminds me of what I was reading about Cuba recently. They have plenty of housing stock on which not one single peso has spent on maintenance since the 59 revolution. As a result there are regular reports of building collapses. People even die as a result.