The Right Way To Handle Tenant Disputes
Hello readers, One of the keys to being a successful landlord is proper tenant management and, particularly for an HMO, this is something that can make or break a successful property investment. Disputes can range from simple (even seemingly petty) things such as a tenant in the property pinching another tenant’s food to a tenant […]
*WARNING* The Government issue “How to Rent Guide” with incorrect date stamp
Gosh, it’s good to be back. It’s been a while since my last post and so much has happened in that time; I hate being away from the blog and sharing all the industry and local news. Undoubtedly the biggest reason for the gap in my posts has been that I was involved in a […]
HMOs benefit from the highest rental yields – FACT
Recently I had a landlord contact me asking me to manage his “fully refurbished” property. On meeting him at the property, I can only describe what I was greeted with as utterly disgusting. I’d go so far as to call this property a slum. I can assure you that it felt really good to let […]
99.4% of HMO applications are being approved but 72% of Councils are not enforcing license law
As you all know, my lettings company specialises in management of Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMO) so I always have a vested interest in the HMO market. In October last year, one of the most important legislations for HMOs changed; the mandatory HMO licensing rules removed the three storey rule (previously licensing applied to HMOs […]
With 45% of Medway HMO owners living outside of the Medway towns, could smartphones replace cheap letting agents?
There are very few people who have not succumbed to the ease of a smartphone. Those that haven’t – I’m in awe. For me, my phone is instant access to every aspect of my business and – as for many I’m sure – has become a fairly permanent extension of my forearm. But is it […]
Is HMO saturation of the property market an issue in Medway?
August was huge month for my HMO management company HomeShare, with thirty eight rooms let, thirty tenants checked in and seventy one newly refurbished rooms becoming available across Medway, Folkestone, Dartford, Catford and Woolwich. With fantastic reviews from both happy landlords and tenants, you’d think all would be well in HMO land, right? We are […]
Should Medway’s industrial and retail properties be included in an investor’s portfolio?
Five huge new retail stores and a raised car park at Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre were approved by councillors this month. It seems that while Kent and Medway has not been totally untouched by the economic uncertainty of Brexit, business activity and demand for retail property is still enjoying growth. As a relatively affordable area […]
A development in Hempstead halts but the news is sunny across Medway
News from a controversial housing development in Hempstead is that work has been halted because of a dispute over the ownership of the land. The proposed development of the land on Gibraltar Farm is for 450 homes to be built on farmland in Ham Lane. Initial the planning permission was rejected by the council but […]
Is the complexity of licensing going to drive landlords out?
I’ve just written an article on some license changes in Bexley which could considerably change the landscape of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) ownership in that area, which led me to thinking about the wider impact of licensing complexities for buy-to-let landlords. Currently Medway Council follow the prescribed licensing set out by the government; that […]
Figures for the top buy-to-let rental yields across the UK
I’ve just come back from another meeting with a HMO landlord who wants me to take over management of his 5 bed HMO in Gillingham Road. An estate agent himself, he knows the property market really well but after losing two tenants, he simply doesn’t have the time to find new ones, complete the reference […]
