The introduction of measures in the Housing and Planning Act of 2016 to help local authorities crack down on rogue landlords, in addition to a proposed “landlord blacklist,” have left many landlords across the UK to become concerned over what can be done about troublesome tenants.
Based on the Housing Act, there are rigid health and safety standards that every rental property must meet. Since landlords are responsible for repairs on major areas of the house and the general maintenance of these standards, failure to meet these requirements could be ruled against the landlord, according to the new act.
The ban on rogue landlords and property agents is to prevent them from letting or managing property indefinitely, as well as including them in a national database of rogue landlords and property agents.
While landlords and some other stakeholders in the sector agree that some landlords are non-compliant, there have been many who’ve expressed concerns over the relationship between troublesome tenants and landlords, agents and tenants.
Below are some helpful tips landlords can use to avoid difficult tenants and ensure that their property is respected and taken care of.
What Landlords Can Do
- Choosing the right tenant is crucial, so make sure to have a thorough vetting process in place. New landlords should contact the previous landlords of their prospective tenants to find out what kind of tenant they were and how respectful they were to the property. Skipping through a comprehensive screening process may result in the acceptance of a difficult tenant.
- Regular inspections and visits to the property should be carried out. According to research on property use by tenants, occasional visits from landlords to their rental properties can massively reduce the chance of disputes and property damage — which can end up being very expensive. Visits also help to foster a healthy landlord-tenant relationship that is beneficial to both sides: occupants will be more likely to take care of the property.
- It also helps if landlords get acquainted with the neighbours. Since neighbours live close to the property, they can be helpful, and at times willing to divulge relevant information on tenant conduct and on the state of the property.
- Landlords should also carry out repairs as soon as they are required. This gives tenants the impression that the landlord cares about the upkeep of the property, and in return the tenants will feel obligated to take care of it better. In addition, property owners should give specific cleaning instructions and directives on how the property should be handled. It’s not up to the property owner to instruct tenants on how to live, but giving general cleaning instructions as the property is leased to them helps clarify issues and reduce chances of disputes arising as a result of damage done.
- Perhap the most important thing to remember is the need to include all relevant lease clauses that the tenants should be aware of. They need to understand who is responsible for what and what needs to be done when a problem with the property arises and needs to be solved.
Keeping a rented property in good condition makes things less work for the landlord down the line.
“Keeping the property up to code is not only important for the health and safety of the tenants — maintaining and updating the rental home on a regular basis could add to the value and integrity of the property.” states BridgingLoansCalculator.com – Bridging Loan and Property Development Specialists. Demonstrating to tenants why the property to be well taken care is the best way to get them to respect the property in return.
