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WINTER PROTECTION AND PLANNING THE FUTURE OF YOUR PORTFOLIO

 

The big day is less than a week away, and we hope you’ll have the chance to take some well-earned time off.

As well as the usual overspending, over-eating and overindulging, the festive break gives landlords a chance to review their business and think about what comes next. And if you can limit your intake of mulled wine and eggnog, you can do it all with a clear head!

Christmas provides all sorts of opportunities, including:

 

  • filing your tax return long before the deadline
  • strengthening relationships with your tenants
  • ensuring your rental home survives winter in one piece
  • checking and improving vacant properties
  • planning the future of your portfolio.

 

As luck would have it, all of these are covered in this week’s blog. So make yourself a cuppa, find a cosy corner where you won’t be disturbed, and let’s dive in.

ARE YOU ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE LAW? 

Every landlord needs to follow around 170 different pieces of lettings legislation, so you’re not alone if you’re feeling flummoxed by so many rules and regulations.

Even though we let and manage rental homes every day, we still need to set aside time to keep track of changes to the law and landlords’ responsibilities. And to make sure we get everything right and done on time, we need watertight systems, reminders and checks.

Does this mean that being a landlord is difficult or unprofitable? No, but it can be time-consuming when there’s so much to know and do. You can also be fined or taken to court if you get things wrong.

Some of the biggest misunderstandings we see among landlords and tenants are also some of the most important. So our blog this week covers what you can, can’t, must and mustn’t do, to keep you on the right side of the law for smooth and successful tenancies.

WHY BEING A LANDLORD IS A SOLID PLAN FOR YOUR FUTURE

How do you feel about becoming a landlord?

If you're planning your long-term financial security, you have plenty of options to choose from. Savings, shares, pensions, property… they all have their pros and cons, and people choose one or more for multiple reasons.

We have many different types of landlords as clients. Some of them own just one property, while some have large portfolios. But regardless of whether they’re private individuals or limited companies, they share some common motivations for owning rental homes.

Freedom, stability, feeling in charge, retirement planning and financial security for their families are all in there, and so is the feelgood factor in nurturing their passion for property and providing comfortable homes that people to live in for many years.

So, in this week’s blog, we’re diving deeper into how our clients choose to become landlords and why they enjoy it, so you can decide if you’d like to start and grow your own lettings portfolio.

COULD RISING INFLATION SPELL GOOD NEWS FOR LANDLORDS?

Everyone's talking talking about inflation right now, and usually in negative terms.  The current climate of rising prices is affecting us all, from filling up the car to doing the weekly shop. There’s also plenty of news about tenants and buyers feeling the squeeze, but what about landlords?  Reduced tax allowances and rising interest rates are affecting monthly profits, and you might be
wondering whether buy-to-let is still a viable business.  

While today is nothing like when inflation hit 25% in the 1970s, or when mortgage rates breached 15% in the 1990s, those numbers aren’t very useful for making decisions now.  Nonetheless, there are some lessons to learn from previous times of uncertainty, not least that growing your business and income can be far more profitable than simply cutting your losses.


As a landlord, you want your rental portfolio to thrive and give you a passive income into retirement, regardless of economic ups and downs. With that in mind, this week’s blog explores how rising inflation can work to your advantage.

WHAT CAN YOU DO WHEN YOUR TENANT PAYS THE RENT LATE OR LEAVES WITH ARREARS?


Arrears - a dreaded word among landlords and, for anyone with even a mildly British temperament, an often uncomfortable situation to discuss and resolve.  We’re fortunate enough to have very few tenants behind with their rent, but we also know the current economic climate could throw anyone’s finances off course.  As the cost of living crisis bites, household budgets are getting squeezed, and rent arrears are
more of a threat. It may never affect you, but if your tenants do stop paying their rent, you need to act quickly to prevent the situation from spiralling out of control.  With that in mind, this week’s blog contains everything you need to protect yourself from the start, find solutions to financial hiccups, and recover what you’re owed.

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