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YOUR BLUEPRINT FOR HASSLE-FREE RENTALS
Nothing affects the smooth running of your tenancy more than how you set it up from the start.
Although maintenance and repairs are an inevitable part of owning a rental home, most other tenancy issues can be avoided with the proper preparation.
In fact, whenever we meet landlords in Liverpool with tenancy problems, we can usually trace them back to before their tenant moved in, from marketing to referencing to handing over the keys.
With that in mind, we’ve put together all you need to attract and retain your ideal tenants, get the legals right, and protect your time and investment. So let’s take a look at:
- Getting your rental home ready to rent
- Effective property marketing
- Screening and referencing tenants
- Perfect paperwork and procedures
- Smooth check-ins and regular check-ups
Setting up a tenancy correctly is an intricate and demanding task. But with our guide, you can create a streamlined and confident process for a rewarding and remarkably smooth buy-to-let business.
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HOW TO START AND THRIVE AT BUY-TO-LET
Are you thinking about becoming a landlord, but wondering how to go about it given all the recent and upcoming changes in the law?
The buy-to-let landscape is certainly shifting, and as traditional landlords with short-term business models exit, the dwindling supply of homes is driving up rents and creating new opportunities.
These aren’t about quick wins. They’re about building lasting wealth and future financial freedom by establishing a robust and responsible business that provides good-quality rental homes.
If you’re new to landlording, understanding the basics is key to building a successful portfolio, and this guide is packed with tips to build a strong business from the ground up, including:
- Getting Your Finances Right
- Finding the Perfect Investment
- Understanding Your Legal Obligations
- Attracting & Managing Tenants
- Optimising Your Investment & Avoiding Pitfalls
Entering the world of buy-to-let can feel like a big step, but it’s also an exciting one that offers real potential for financial growth, security, and a lot of personal fulfilment, so let’s dive in.
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TURN A RENTAL VOID INTO A PROFIT BOOSTER
Every rental home needs updating at some point, from simple wear and tear to evolving technology and design, or changes in the law around living standards and energy efficiency.
Although rental voids are usually viewed in a negative light, they’re ideal for enhancing your investment and elevating its appeal, just as a top athlete spends their off-season refining their performance.
With thoughtful planning, you can use the time between tenancies to significantly increase your rental income and improve the quality of tenants you attract, by focusing on areas like:
- Minor fixing up
- Major renovations
- Future-proofing measures
- Marketing makeovers
- Reviewing your rental strategy
Given that renovating is almost always cheaper and faster than selling and buying again, let’s explore how you can maximise the time between tenancies to boost your long-term returns.
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ARE THEY ALL BAD, AND WHAT CAN YOU DO?
While most tenancies run their course without a major hitch, ending up with difficult tenants is a real concern for landlords, and we're often asked how we spot and avoid potentially troublesome candidates.
Years of experience and a rigorous referencing process help us eliminate most of the risk, but you can never really know how someone will react to a problem or dispute until one comes along.
Often, the ‘difficult’ label is pinned on a tenant who behaves or communicates in a way that feels jarring or tricky to handle, which can spiral into a yucky mix of frustration, exhaustion, and resentment.
Fortunately, there are ways to minimise the chance of difficulties in the first place, and to diffuse the drama if it ever occurs. With that in mind, let's dig a little deeper into:
- What does ‘difficult’ look like?
- Creating contract clarity
- Handing over for harmony
- Cooling down conflicts
- When ‘difficult’ turns to ‘bad’
Hopefully, you can already see that it’s a lot more nuanced than “a difficult tenant is automatically terrible”, and our guide is here to help you handle any situation with greater confidence and control.
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SHOULD YOU RENT TO FAMILY OR FRIENDS?
Renting out your property to someone close can seem like an easy win. You can dispense with marketing and viewings, and even skip the tiresome paperwork and background checks.
Well, take a moment’s pause. Renting to family or friends does indeed have its upsides, but it also brings its own unique challenges, so it’s wise to weigh up the pros and cons before diving in.
Whoever rents your property — friend, relative, total stranger — has the same rights, and every landlord has the same responsibilities. So it's vital not to put yourself at risk by being overly accommodating.
It’s a bit like having an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other — every advantage has a potential pitfall. And with that in mind, let’s explore:
- What could go right?
- What could go wrong?
- The risks of relaxing your rules
- Where boundaries can blur
- Saying yes with confidence
Renting to someone close can work out beautifully for everyone, but without the right foundations, even the best relationships can come to blows. So here’s all you need to ensure that never happens.