Archives May 2021

Some people are just a little noisier than others. They may have a louder voice, they may walk more heavily, they may forget their kitchen cupboard doors aren’t soft closing and slam them once in a while, but generally, these people are not too much of a problem. They might cause some annoyance or irritation every now and then, but it’s nothing anyone’s really going to complain about. After all, these things happen.

But some people are noisy in a different way. The ones who get into screaming matches with their partner or children regularly, the ones who have loud parties every weekend, the ones who can’t seem to enjoy their music without the volume being so high everyone in the street can sing along. These are the problem noisy tenants because they are interfering with their neighbours’ quality of life. This is a serious issue, but is it the landlord’s responsibility? 

What Is A Loud Noise? 

In general terms, a noise is considered loud when it disrupts the general lives of those around. The noise itself can be anything from dogs barking to motorbikes revving to heavy footsteps to piano practice. If it’s too loud and it means that neighbours can’t enjoy their own homes, it’s a nuisance issue. 

What The Law Says

When it comes to excessive noise, the good news is that the law is on the side of the person who has to suffer from it, not on the side of noisy tenants. Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, it states that noise can be considered a statutory nuisance if it “unreasonably and substantially interfere with the use or enjoyment of a home or other premises”. Of course, this can be somewhat subjective, but it’s a start; there is assistance out there. 

What About Landlords? 

So we know what loud noise means in terms of the law, and we know that there are avenues to go down when you’re on the receiving end of things, but what about landlords? Is the noise down to them to sort out? In short, the answer is no. Unless the landlord is a direct contributor to the noise, it’s not their fault, and they are not responsible – after all, you can’t control your tenants’ lives (and nor should you try), so what they do to make noise isn’t your problem. 

Except… although it might not technically be your responsibility, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to do something about it. After all, people are upset, and if noisy tenants mean they all start to move away, your property suddenly becomes much more undesirable. Prices can drop, and that includes how much you can charge for rent. It’s in your best interests to get the issue sorted ASAP. 

What Can A Landlord Do About Noisy Tenants? 

If you are made aware that you have noisy tenants, there are various things you can do. The first, and easiest, is to ask the neighbours to sort it out amongst themselves because, technically, it’s not your responsibility. Of course, as easy as this is to say, it’s not always going to be easy to do, and the truth is that the neighbour has probably already tried this before taking their complaint to the landlord. Or they might feel intimidated and don’t want to do this, hence they have come to you. 

The next step is to speak to your noisy tenants directly. The tenant might not have any idea that their neighbours have a problem with them, especially given that very often, no one will want to say anything to their face. If the talk goes well, hopefully the tenant will pay closer attention to the noise they’re making, and that will be that. If they are less helpful, it’s good to check the tenancy for a noise clause (there will usually be one). Let them know it’s in there and that they signed agreeing to abide by the rules, and if they can’t be quiet, they may have to go. Ask the neighbours to gather evidence in the form of recordings and notes just in case you need them later on. 

If no one is getting anywhere, then a complaint to the local environmental health department may have to be made, either by your or the neighbours, about the noisy tenants. These complaints will be kept confidential too, so you can take this step without any worries. 

If you need to evict your noisy tenants, you can start this process even while the noise complaint investigation by the local authority is taking place. After the eviction, you’ll need a full inventory, so contact Looksy Inventories to find out more.

You’ve made the choice and decided that being a landlord is the right step for you to take, and why not? When done right, it can be a lucrative career move, and whether you do it part-time with just one property or you make it your full-time job with a whole portfolio, the general premise is the same. And the one thing that all landlords need is good tenants. If you have those, you can make money; if not, you’ll lose it. So it’s crucial that you do as much as you can to find good tenants and, once they’ve moved in, to keep them for as long as possible. Read on to find out more.

 

Make Sure The Property Is Clean 

It might seem like this is a given when you’re looking for good tenants, but it’s actually something that can be forgotten or entirely neglected, and so it’s worth having a reminder. You can’t just assume that the last tenant left things looking good, and that’s why having a check-out and then a full inventory is crucial. The former means that you can compare the property to how it was when you rented it out, and the latter means you’ve got the place in a good state for the next tenants. 

With all that being said, making sure that the property is clean and bright will make a big difference not just to how quickly you find tenants, but how well they will treat the property while they’re there. When you find good tenants, they will be the ones who treat the place carefully, and the cleaner it is at the start, the cleaner it will be at the end, saving you time, money, and effort. Plus, if someone likes the property because it’s nice and clean, they give you a good idea of their attitude to keeping house. 

Give The House Good Kerb Appeal

When you want to find good tenants and you’ve spent plenty of time getting the inside clean and tidy, don’t forget the outside too. Although not more important than the interior in the grand scheme of things, it will make a difference in that all-important first impression. If you can convince prospective tenants to come and take a look at all that goodness inside, you’re halfway there. 

The kerb appeal of a property – how it looks from the outside when you pull up to it or when you see it on a property portal – is vital in this regard. If the photos of the house don’t look good or there is a big mess in the front garden, flaking paint on the property, or any other issues, when someone comes to view, they’re not going to like it. Especially when there is plenty of choice out there, and they could go for something much nicer looking. 

Do All The Checks 

A tenant might come across as very professional, polite, friendly, and so on. But that doesn’t mean they’re the best people for your property. It’s easy to be swayed by a good reason for needing a property or why they had to leave the last one or anything else, but no matter if true or not, these stories shouldn’t make a difference to whether you let your home to them or not. 

When you want to find good tenants, the credit score and the bank account are what will do the talking. Now, of course, you can be flexible when it comes to the credit score, and sometimes it’s wise to be – mistakes happen, and those scores go down much easier than they come up. However, the bank account does not lie, and neither do the payslips. You need to ensure that whoever you install in your property is going to pay. After all, as much as you might like the idea of helping people, this is a business, after all. 

The question of how landlords can reduce costs when renting out a property is one that many will be asking. Whether you’re a first-time landlord, an accidental landlord, or a landlord who has been renting out properties for decades, trying to find ways to save money without compromising on the quality of the accommodation you have on offer can be a delicate balance to find. Yet it is possible. Read on to see just a few of the ways it can be done so that your property, the tenants in it, and your profits are all as good as you want them to be. 

Research The Right Rent 

Marketing your rental property at the right rent is crucial when it comes to knowing how landlords can reduce costs. Speak to an excellent local agent who understands the area and has experience in renting out similar properties to yours, and take a look online at the property portals to see what kinds of levels the rents are at in your location. By doing that, you can see where you should be marketing your property too. 

When you opt for the right rent, you’ll find a tenant much sooner, which will help all landlords reduce costs because an empty property is expensive. The quicker you have a paying tenant, the less money you’ll lose, and your outgoings will reduce. 

Find Reliable Tenants 

Another helpful insight into how landlords can reduce costs when renting out a property is to find reliable tenants. As we’ve said, setting the right price is a good start, but you should also ensure you look at references, do credit checks, and interview the prospective tenant so you can get an idea of what they are like. Alternatively, having a letting agent do this work will save you a lot of time and money. Your choice will depend on how confident you feel about making the right choice regarding your tenant. It will cost you more to use an agent, but this may be a case in which you can consider the money spent an investment since you won’t have to worry about anything – the agent will do it all. 

If you choose to do the work yourself, make sure you tick all the boxes when it comes to compliance and legality, and ensure you select Looksy Inventories to complete an inventory report and a check-in report on your behalf. In this way, you can reduce costs further down the line. 

Quotes 

Another great thing to remember when it comes to how landlords can reduce costs for their rental property business is to always get multiple quotes for any work that needs doing. Having more than one price and speaking to more than one contractor or expert means that you can make an informed decision and who is going to do the best work at the best price. 

It’s not always about the lowest price, though – sometimes paying less at the start means having to pay more later on to fix the problems that a less qualified or experienced tradesperson has created. The old adage of you get what you pay for is never truer. 

Looksy Inventories Is Looking Out For You 

Paying for the best is sometimes expensive, but when it comes to Looksy Inventories, not only do you pay fair rates, but you get exceptional quality results in return. Contact us today if you want to know how landlords can reduce costs when renting out a property – we’ve got the answers.