Category Tenant

According to recent statistics, the number of people over 55 who live in private rented accommodation has increased by 110 percent. Landlords and real estate professionals should welcome the increasing number of seniors renting privately, as this demographic group often provides more stable income through longer tenancies.

Renters over the age of 65 make up a growing portion of the privately rented population, and the number of individuals who have privately rented accommodation for ten years or more has increased by 115 percent since 2002. Both tenants and landlords value long-term stability in their rental agreements.

Tenants By Age Group

Changes in occupancy rate have been found to be highly age-dependent. The number of private rental accommodation by tenants under the age of 35 has decreased, while the number of private rentals by tenants above the age of 35 has increased. More young people are staying at home for longer periods of time, which has led to a 3.7 percent decrease in the rental market for persons aged 16-24.

The 25-34 age group boosted their private rental presence to 6 percent, which is likely related to the inaccessibility of property ownership for millennials.

Over the past decade, the population of people aged 65 and up who are renting private residences has increased by 38 percent. There was a 50 percent increase in the age bracket between 45 and 65.

Number of individuals over 35 living in private rentals has risen to 2.5 million, up from 1.9 million in the younger age groups.

What The Government Says

The private sector, according to official data, has increased by a factor of 10 over the past decade. There are presently more than 11 million people living in its 4.4 million dwellings. There are 17 percent renters and 65 percent owners in this group, making up 19 percent of all households.

Those between the ages of 25 and 34 continue to make up the largest demographic of renters. The amount of retirees, at 8.6 percent, is relatively low compared to other demographics. However, this share has grown by 38 percent in the past decade.

The data also shows that private renters pay a much larger share of their income on housing than either owner-occupants or social renters. Many people who live in private rentals receive housing assistance in addition to their regular income.

The average renter now lives in their house for 4.9 years, but that number is on the rise as more and more seniors choose to live in private rentals.

What About The Rental Sector?

Renters of all ages have been hoping for more secure tenancies, which would also be great for landlords in a big way. Most of the time, landlords have to pay a lot to get a new tenant, and the time between tenants can be bad for them. Renters who are older and less likely to move out can be very good for the real estate business.

Older tenants are more likely to pay their rent securely, regularly, and on time, which is a huge benefit for both letting agents and landlords. Statistics show that they are also less likely to damage your property.

What kind of renters you get depends on what kind of property you’re renting out. Older tenants are more likely to need more space for their families to visit, while young professionals are more likely to rent newer apartments in the city centre.

In the UK, more than 7 million people smoke. The number is going down from year to year, and there is so much information about why it’s good to stop smoking that more people will soon give up the habit.

But it’s likely that at some point you’ll find the perfect tenant for your property, except for one thing: they smoke. Even though 14.7 percent of people smoke regularly, only about 7 percent of rental properties actively welcome smokers.

If landlords had a different attitude, they might be able to rent to more people. But they have good reasons to worry about things like lingering smells, damage to furniture, and the chance of a serious fire. And it’s easy to see why this makes landlords less likely to put “smokers welcome” on their online ads.

So where do you and other landlords stand? Can you stop people from smoking in a rented property? Find out by reading on.

Laws About Smoking In A Rented Property

If you don’t want your tenants to smoke, there aren’t many laws to back you up.
Under the Health Act of 2006, smoking was banned in all places that were “open to the public” as of April 2007. It applies in many places, like bars, restaurants, and workplaces, and its goal is to make smoking less harmful.

But it only applies to privately rented property if it’s an HMO. It can’t be used to enforce a no-smoking rule in a self-contained apartment or house.

If you rent out HMOs, you can say that smoking in a rented property isn’t allowed in places like hallways, kitchens, and bathrooms that are used by everyone. You’ll also need to put up the right signs to let tenants know what they need to do.

Since your decision will be backed by the law, it should be easy to make it happen. If you do let people smoke in these places, you will be breaking the law and could be charged or given a fine by your local government.

So, landlords have every right to ask tenants who break this law to leave if they don’t follow it.

Smoking In A Rented Property And Tenancy Agreements

So, if you don’t want to allow smoking in a rented property but there are no rules to back that up, what are your options for places that aren’t HMOs? It all depends on your lease and how much you trust your landlord.

You can take steps right from the start of marketing your property to keep tenants from smoking: Make it clear in all of your ads that you will only rent to people who don’t smoke.

During the viewing, look for signs that the potential renter smokes, or ask your agent to look for them. Check for yellowed fingers and teeth in addition to the obvious smell of tobacco, which can be hard to hide.

Remind everyone who comes to look that smoking is not allowed, and pay close attention to what they say. Some people may lie a little bit.

Add a clause to the rental agreement that says tenants and visitors are not allowed to smoke anywhere on your property.

Even if you try hard, it may not help. The big problem here is how to make it work. So, what can you do if your tenant breaks their word and doesn’t follow the rules of the lease?

The first thing you can do is politely remind them of their promise and ask them to stop. Invite them to smoke outside if you want to keep things as good as possible with them.

If this doesn’t work, you can use one of the fault-based reasons for getting rid of an assured tenancy: Ground 12: The tenant broke one or more of the tenancy agreement’s rules, except for the one that said they had to pay rent. But this can only be enforced if a court decides to do so, which isn’t likely to happen if the tenant pays rent on time every month and would be expensive.

If your renter won’t stop smoking, you could use their security deposit to pay for any damage they cause. You might want to spend it on a deep clean by a professional to get rid of any stains on the walls and furniture. For this to work, there would need to be a thorough inventory at the beginning of the tenancy.

You could also raise their rent at the end of a fixed term to make up for any damage that occurred from someone smoking in a rented property.

What About E-Cigarettes?

Even though the number of people who smoke is going down, the number of people who vape is going up. Over 3 million people in the UK now use e-cigarettes.

More and more people who used to smoke are now vaping, but can they do it in your home? There is no law that applies, so it’s up to you if you want to let it happen or not. E-cigarettes don’t have the same bad smell or fire risk as regular cigarettes because people inhale nicotine in the form of vapour instead of smoke.

You can say in the lease that it’s not allowed, just like you can say that smoking isn’t allowed, but it will be harder to explain, find, and prove. And if you do let them do it but don’t let them smoke, you might turn off your tenants who smoke because they have to go outside to do it.

To let people smoke or not to let people smoke. Only the landlord can tell you the answer to that question. If you want to keep your property smoke-free, the best thing you can do is find an honest tenant who won’t be smoking in a rented property.

It’s important for landlords to know what tenants want. What are tenants looking for in a place to live? What should landlords put first when they buy a property to rent out? What turns away renters?

Some landlords find it hard to figure out exactly what their renters want, and some renters find it hard to find a place that meets their needs. In this article, we talk about the most important things that renters want in a place to live and what landlords can do to make renters more interested.

Good Location

When people are looking for a place to rent, location is very important; it’s a crucial factor in what tenants are looking for. Most people want to live close to their jobs, as well as to shops, restaurants, and public transportation.

Obviously, you can’t move a rental property that you already own. But landlords who want to buy a property to rent out should think about where it is and what kind of tenants would be interested in it.

Tenants don’t want to live too far away from things they might need. Especially if they don’t drive and there aren’t many ways to get around. It’s important to live near a local supermarket, a doctor’s office, a pharmacy, and other shops, and families put a lot of value on being close to a good school.

Tenants care a lot about where a place is, so landlords should be sure to list all the nearby services in the property ad so that tenants looking for something specific know they have found it.

Safety & Security

Everyone who rents a place wants to feel safe there. Most people wouldn’t choose to rent a place in a dangerous area, so location and safety are often linked.

In addition to the number of crimes in the area, renters like to know that the alarms and locks on the windows and doors work. Because of this, it is important for landlords to make sure that the rental property has a security system that works.

Landlords can make their tenants feel safer by putting in CCTV, adding extra locks and a peephole to the front door, and making sure that all safety certificates are in place.

Landlords should also schedule a mid-term inspection to check on their property and make sure everything is safe and working. This also gives the renter a chance to talk about any questions or worries they may have.

Outdoor Space

Many renters like having their own outdoor space, like a patio, balcony, or garden. If those options aren’t possible, tenants, especially those with young children, often want to live near a park.

When tenants have outdoor space, they can enjoy the sun during the warmer months, have outdoor gatherings with family and friends, and have a whole other place to relax. People were stuck in their homes for so long during the pandemic that they realised how important it was to have space outside.

If the house has a garden, updating and improving it can make it more appealing to potential renters. This shows the tenants that the landlord cares about the property and is willing to make changes. It can also raise the value of the house.

The tenant fee ban has been in place in England since June 2019, so it’s been a while now, but some people are still not entirely aware of it. The tenant fee ban made it illegal to charge tenants any fees other than the rent they pay, contract renewal or modification fees (no more than £50), default fees (like cutting a new key when the original is lost), a security deposit (no more than five weeks’ rent), and a refundable holding deposit (no more than a week’s rent).

Everything else that could have been charged in the past, such as check-in and check-out fees, administrative fees, inventory fees, and cleaning fees, was taken away.

Referencing After The Tenant Fee Ban

This list of illegal fees also included any fees for checking a tenant’s references, which many landlords and letting agents used to charge tens or even hundreds of pounds for.

Now, landlords and letting agents are the ones who have to pay for a tenant’s references. This usually includes a credit check, which the agent or landlord must now pay for, either on their own or through a referencing agency.

You will also be asked to provide or suggest some of the other references, such as your employer, a previous landlord, your bank, and a guarantor if you’ve never rented before.

Be Prepared

If you’re looking for a place to rent in an area with a lot of competition, it’s best to have these references ready before you start viewings since it can take days or even weeks to find them.

Remember that if a landlord or letting agent takes a holding deposit from you and then asks you for the information they need to do a credit check, but you don’t give them the information they need or take too long, you could lose your holding deposit. This is perfectly valid even under the tenant fee ban.

Holding Deposit

You could also lose some or all of your holding deposit if you don’t pass referencing. For example, if a previous landlord says you broke something or were kicked out for not paying rent, you could lose some or all of your holding deposit.

One important point here. Referencing can be done in either of two ways. Most of the time, the agent or landlord will “put you through referencing,” which means they will pay for it. Or, they may ask you to find your own references and suggest that you use this or that paid service.

This is fine, but it CANNOT be a condition of the lease going forward. So they can’t say, “You can sign the contract once you’ve gone through references with XYZ company.” It has to be up to you.

This also applies to a lot of other things. For example, a letting agent can’t make it a requirement for a tenant to get contents insurance, sign up with a certain energy provider, or use a certain alternative rental deposit service before accepting them as a tenant.

The place you rent from a landlord becomes your home. They should only come in without you being there if you’ve given them permission to or if it’s a real emergency. For inspections, repairs, and maintenance, your landlord or letting agent will need to get into the property. By law, they have to give you 24 hours’ written notice. In other words, no, your landlord cannot enter a property without permission.

If you’re new to renting and don’t know what the landlord’s and tenant’s rights and responsibilities are, keep reading for our full guide to landlord access in rented properties.

The Right To Quiet Enjoyment

As a tenant, if you sign an assured shorthold tenancy agreement, you have the right to “quiet enjoyment of your property.” You pay rent to the landlord so that you can use the property as your home. Since it is your home, you have the right to decide who comes in and when. If your landlord comes into your home without your permission, they are technically breaking the law unless they have a court order to do so. They cannot just enter a property because they want to.

Landlords’ Right Of Access To Enter A Property

Still, landlords or letting agents can go into the property to do what the law says they have to do. The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1985 says that your landlord can look at your home as long as they give you at least 24 hours’ notice and come at a reasonable time.

The landlord should send you a letter telling you who will be coming into the property and why. You are not forced to say yes to the visit. But keep in mind that it might be in your best interest to be flexible, so that your landlord can keep the house in good shape and make sure it’s safe and comfortable to live in, and so that you can keep getting along.

Why Your Landlord Might Want To Enter A Property

There are many good reasons why your landlord might want to enter a property:

For regular inspections, your landlord has the right to check the property at regular times to look for damage or problems that could get worse and cost a lot to fix.

For repairs and maintenance, the landlord is responsible if you report a problem or an inspection finds one.

Your landlord is required by law to have a gas safety check done every year.

To have viewings near the end of the tenancy. If you’ve given your landlord notice that you’re leaving, he or she will need to find a new tenant, so it’s a reasonable request that you show people around.

Enter A Property In An Emergency

In a real emergency, your landlord will need to get into your home right away. In this case, they won’t need permission from the tenant to enter a property. Emergencies are rare situations like a fire, flood, the smell of gas, dangerous damage to a building, or the thought that someone has done something violent or illegal.

Changing The Locks

Your right of exclusivity gives you the legal right to change the locks on your rental property. You don’t have to give your landlord a set of keys unless it says in your rental agreement that you do.

Think about whether it would make things easier if you gave your landlord a set of keys in case of an emergency, if you locked yourself out, or if you agreed to inspections and repairs while you were away.

Tenant Refusing Entry

If your landlord asks to enter a property in writing, you can say no if it doesn’t work for you, but try to offer an alternative and come to an agreement. If you keep saying no, it could make you look like you don’t want to help and make the landlord less willing to work with you if you need them to.

Work or other obligations may make it hard for you to give a 24-hour notice. If you don’t want your landlord to come in when you’re not there, suggest a longer notice period that will make things easier, or let them know any regular times that work for you.

Harassment

Most landlords are fair and easy to get along with. If your landlord comes over too often, at odd hours, or without your permission when you’re not there, they may be breaking the law. This is especially true if their actions make you feel pressured. Under the Housing Act of 1988, it is illegal to bother tenants. If you think this is happening to you, talk to a lawyer or call Citizens Advice for help.

A property inventory is a very important document to have, whether you are a tenant looking to move into a rented place or a landlord who wants to protect his or her investment. Even though most landlords know how important they are, many tenants don’t care about them. This is a mistake that could cost you in the long run; there are many reasons why an inventory is important.

Who Conducts The Property Inventory?

A landlord, a letting agency, or an independent inventory clerk can all create an inventory. To be sure you’re working with a reliable company, look for an independent inventory company that has plenty of experience – just like Looksy Inventories. 

Both parties must sign the inventory report to certify that they agree with its contents, which is normally completed on the day of move-in. If the contents of the property are valuable, the report’s level of detail will reflect that. Photographic proof and written record are both acceptable.

Landlords should be mindful that if there is a disagreement, doing their own inventory might generate complications. The TDS would always prefer expert inventories over those done by the property owner.

Why Is An Inventory Important?

By taking an inventory, both parties can get a good idea of how the property is in its current state.

The property inventory will point out any areas that need to be fixed and say who is in charge of fixing them.

Having the document on hand will help tenants know exactly how to return the property to the landlord and give them an idea of how to take care of the home.

Inventory reports make it easy to tell the difference between damage and normal wear and tear.

Property inventories help both the landlord and the tenant protect their money.

When the tenancy is over, there are less likely to be problems if the inventory is done well.

But if there is a disagreement, having an inventory will help make sure the right decision is made.

Contact Looksy Inventories to find out more.

In the UK as a whole, renting is becoming more popular. The UK rental market is growing because house prices keep going up, pay raises don’t go up, and people’s attitudes are changing toward renting. Even though this is the case, many of us still think that renting is something young people do, rather than renting on a pension.

Renting in retirement, on the other hand, is on the rise. While many renters of pensionable age would want to be homeowners if they could afford it, many are electing to rent in retirement with the luxury of choice. In today’s article, we’ll look at the benefits and drawbacks of doing so.

Renting On A Pension vs. Homeownership

When making a choice of this size, there are bound to be arguments for and against, and a lot of what you choose will depend on your own situation.

Still, there are some pros and cons of renting on a pension that are pretty much the same for everyone, and we’ll talk about those below.

Pros Of Renting In Retirement

No Mortgage: If you choose to rent on a pension, you will still have to pay rent, but you won’t be tied down by a mortgage. This gives you some freedom in your life. For example, you could move closer to your children and grandchildren, or you could try out areas you’ve always wanted to live in without much risk.

Release Equity: If you own a home and are getting close to retirement, you won’t be the only one who decides to sell it and rent instead of keeping it. Most of the time, released equity is used to add to pension funds. This gives retirees more freedom and the money they need to enjoy their retirement to the fullest.

Fewer Hassles: Ask any homeowner, and they’ll tell you that one of the worst things about owning a home is having to deal with unexpected maintenance issues. Leaking pipes roofs, broken boilers, and even less climactic problems like dealing with normal wear and tear can be annoying, expensive, and time-consuming. Who wants to have to deal with that when they’re old? If you decide to rent instead, your landlord will take care of these problems, which can be a very appealing idea.

Amenities: As the rental market grows, so does the competition between landlords and developers to get your business. This has led to a huge increase in the number of amenities in apartment complexes. Gyms, pools, rooftop verandas, and concierge services are becoming more and more popular. Most of the time, these extra features will be included in your rent, which means you can use them for free and they’ll be right outside your door.

Warden-Assisted: Renting in retirement gives people who need a little extra help the chance to move into a warden-assisted block or complex. People with health problems or trouble moving around will benefit most from these apartment buildings for older people. Having a warden on site can also give loved ones peace of mind, which may be missing if an elderly relative lives alone in a home they own.

Cons Of Renting On A Pension

Rental Fees: Not having a mortgage hanging over your head is a good thing, but you still have to pay rent, which can be expensive. In recent years, the cost of renting has gone up a lot, and there’s nothing stopping your landlord from raising your rent as your lease goes on.

Insecurity: Renting in retirement gives you more freedom with your living arrangements, but it also makes you feel less safe. Since you don’t own your home, you can be asked to leave when your lease is up. With shorthold tenancies being the norm, this could mean that you have to move more often than you’d like, which could get very old very fast.

Problems with Pets: Even though attitudes are changing, many landlords still don’t want their tenants to have pets. This won’t be a problem for some people, but for others it will be a deal-breaker. If you’ve always loved animals and had pets your whole life, chances are you’d like to keep doing that when you retire.

Dead Money: One of the most obvious “cons” of renting (at any age) is that the money you pay each month isn’t doing anything for you in the future. Now, this may be less of a worry for a retiree than it is for a twenty-something, but it’s still something to think about when weighing the pros and cons of renting on a pension.

Should You Rent In Retirement?

It shouldn’t come as a surprise to you that there is no one right answer when it comes to deciding whether to rent or buy a home in retirement. But thinking about it is a whole different thing, and it’s definitely something to think about.

What works for one retiree might not work for another, so you should do your own research. Read through the pros and cons listed above, but also think about your own reasons.

If you’re just starting to rent, you’ve probably seen properties that are already rented. Maybe you’ve already found the house you want and signed a contract, but on the agency’s website, it still says “let agreed.” So, what does it mean when a house is agreed to be rented? Is it a contract that holds up in court, and why do landlords use it? Here, we look into the term and tell people who want to rent what it means.

Let Agreed Explained

When a property is under let agreed designation, it means that an offer has been made and the landlord or estate agent has agreed to it in principle. But the landlord or property management company must first do tenancy checks before the deal can be finalised. These steps are taken to make sure that the potential tenant can rent the property and has enough money to pay the rent.

There are credit checks, references from previous landlords, and checks to make sure the person has the right to rent. If, for example, the tenant’s credit isn’t good, the landlord might ask for six months of rent up front.

The Difference Between Let Agreed And Let

So, as we’ve already said, “let agreed” means that the landlord basically agrees to the offer made by the possible tenant. The landlord won’t sign the official tenancy contract, which would let the potential tenants move in, until the checks are done.

So, there is a chance that a property that has been agreed to be rented could fall through and become open to other people who want to rent it. Before signing the final contract, it’s a good idea to do as many checks as possible and make sure it’s the right property. Both the landlord and the applicant can back out of the deal at this point.

When a property is rented, on the other hand, both the landlord and the person who wants to rent it have agreed to the terms of the rental contract. At this point, all of the checks have been done, and the landlord is satisfied that the new tenants are a good fit and have enough money to pay the rent.

Can You Still View An Agreed Property?

You could still look at a house that’s under let agreed status in theory. Depending on how strong the applicant is, though, most letting agents won’t bother with showings until the deal falls through.

Most of the time, they will set up a time for you to see the place after the lease should have been signed. If the let agreed status drops before then, you would be the first person to see the property and could make an offer. So, if you’re interested in a let-agreed home, it’s always a good idea to ask about it, since there’s a chance you could still get it.

Acceptance for a rental property can be time-consuming, difficult, and confusing, and many people would like to know how to make it easier with good rental property advice. In this article, we will explore the procedures used to pick a tenant and provide tips to improve your chances of success.

It’s often assumed that if you inquire first when a rental property becomes available, you’ll be more likely to be approved. This is sometimes true, but there is a procedure that must be followed in order to locate a landlord the perfect tenant. Every landlord will have different criteria and goals when it comes to renting out their home, thus being told you haven’t been successful might be for a number of reasons. Continue reading to learn more.

Sign Up With Local Letting Agents For Great Rental Property Advice

If you want to increase your chances of securing a rental property, and you want somewhere to go for reliable rental property advice, signing up with a number of local letting agents is a good idea. Not only will you be on their mailing list when new properties come up, but you’ll be able to ask as many questions as you need to – this is particularly useful for first-time renters who need some guidance.

Have The Right Budget

Make a decision on what your budget realistically is before you start looking at houses. This will keep you from being enamoured with a sparkling new kitchen and spending more than you can afford. Take into consideration the expense of travel. It’s pointless to save £100 per month by renting farther away from where you want to be if the added expense of travelling to work is £200 per month. The last thing you want to do is put your name forward for a property only to realise that it’s too expensive and have to pull out – this could make you look less reliable in the future. Only say you want to live somewhere that you really do want. Of course, life happens and sometimes you might change your mind, but the wrong budget should never be a reason for that.

Be Prepared

Prepare payslips from your employer (or accounts if self-employed) to present the landlord or agent, as well as a reference from any previous landlord. You may be required to provide information about your former residences for up to three years. Take your bank or building society account information with you so the agent or landlord can get a banker’s reference. In the eyes of landlords, not having a bank account at all is a significant disadvantage. Check your credit score at www.experian.co.uk or www.equifax.co.uk. If everything is in order, you can present it to the agent or landlord as evidence that you are reliable with money; if not, attempt to clear up any issues and errors. A good agent will check regardless, but you want to see it first.

Check The Inventory

When it comes to rental property advice, there is one thing that is crucial; check the inventory. Although this won’t determine whether you are chosen for a property or not, it’s still going to benefit you once you do move it. Many tenants ignore the inventory report or sign it without looking, and then, when they move out and an issue arises, they have no recourse for help. Read the report, check you’re happy, and only sign when everything is cleared up. For more rental property advice about inventories, please get in touch with Looksy Inventories today.

When many workplaces were forced to close because to the Covid-19 outbreak, an extraordinary shift toward working from home occurred. In order to accommodate their new work habits, tenants had to reevaluate what they required from their rental property, which had a big influence on the rental market.

What Adjustments Did Tenants Want To Work From Home?

As a result of individuals working from home, whether they were renting or owning, three essential aspects of their residences changed:

• Work area

• A place to relax and unwind in the fresh air

• Location

For many families, there was a need for more than one person to work at the same time. For those who wanted to work from home, more room was required. Employees wanted an additional room for a home office, but the option to set up a particular workspace or desk in an existing room also made a significant impact.

People also wanted more outdoor space in addition to more inside space. When individuals were not permitted to leave their homes, having a garden or even a balcony became a necessity. For both physical and emotional well-being, even when constraints have been relaxed, getting up and moving about throughout the course of a long day at a home desk is a need.

Finally, people’s ability to live altered as well. To save time and money, they no longer had to drive to cities or commuter suburbs to go to work.

Renters, in particular, have the freedom and flexibility to pick where they want to reside based on their work schedules. As a result, a large number of city dwellers relocated to the countryside or small villages outside of the city centre in search of more affordable housing with the additional room they sought.

What Happened After Lockdown?

Expectations are high that things will revert to pre-pandemic status, including those of tenants, at some point in the near future. Even still, according to YouGov, 60% of British employees would like to work remotely from time to time, so the need for space and desire to live in distant areas may be here to stay.

However, when businesses reopen, there seems to be a resurgence in city life. According to a recent BBC article, the urban rental market has seen an uptick in demand due to people returning to work gradually and covid restrictions being loosened. This year’s January demand was 76% higher than in the prior four years.

Landlords who own homes in cities and bigger towns will be pleased to hear this news. However, they must take into account the fact that many renters will continue to work from home, which will have an impact on their choice of property.

Looksy Inventories Is Here For You

Contact Looksy Inventories now to learn more about how our local team can become your inventory partner and ensure that your property continues to be attractive to today’s tenants.