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    DO YOU HAVE AN ELECTRICAL CERTIFICATE?

    I was recently chatting to a landlord who self-managed his properties and was having a problem with one of his tenants who had fallen into rent arrears. Despite trying all they could to help the tenant, it was clear the arrears were not going to be made up and they would continue to increase.

    The landlord was picking my brain on what paperwork was required, in the event he had to go down the court route.

    It was apparent to me that he was a good landlord and had always used an agent (not Move On) to set up a new tenant for each property and then let the tenancies rollover.

    After going through the paperwork, it was clear he had not had any electrical certificates conducted on his properties and he was completely oblivious to the fact that he needed one. He was under the impression that they would only be required for new tenants moving in after April 2021 and as none of his tenants had moved out, he hadn’t instructed his electrician to do them.

    Part of the court paperwork is to include all legislative paperwork. Also in the court waiting room is a representative from Shelter, who will go through the tenant’s paperwork as well.

    I advised him to get the electrical certificates completed ASAP.

    For the avoidance of doubt:

    SINCE APRIL 2021 – ALL RENTAL PROPERTIES MUST HAVE A VALID FIVE-YEAR EICR CERTIFICATE!

    Feeling deflated? Exhausted with all the changes? Then let us take care of your property needs. We promise to hold your hand throughout this process, giving you less stress and more freedom!

    If you fancy an informal chat any time, then email me sharon@moveon.biz with your phone number.

    Sharon

    Blog Articles

    Nil Deposit Schemes: Everything You Need to Know

    Did you know that there’s currently £5.2 billion locked up in deposit schemes?

    At Move On, we work with flatfair to offer a Nil Deposit Option that works for both tenants and landlords. flatfair have helped save tenants over £10 million in upfront costs so far, helping alleviate the stress of moving between rental properties and the costs it can include.

    Nil Deposit Option – Information for Tenants

    Deposits for rental properties can be expensive. And with the rising cost of living, some of us simply don’t have the funds to pay an extra five weeks’ worth of rent upfront. Tenants are spending an average of £3,350 on moving costs, and most are having to pay for a new deposit before they get their old one back.

    How does it work?

    When you sign up for a Nil Deposit Option with flatfair and your offer to rent with us has been accepted, you’ll be sent a link from to go through and sign up to the flatfair platform with the plan that we have created for your tenancy. This will include paying a check-in fee of one week’s rent + VAT (or £120, whichever is greater). This check in fee is non-refundable.

    They may ask for various documentation such as your signed tenancy agreement and referencing information.

    At the end of your tenancy with us, we will still carry out a check out report to compare against the inventory and make note of any charges our landlords need to make.

    For more information, visit flatfair or enquire with us about a Nil Deposit option when you view.

     

    Nil Deposit Option – Information For Landlords

    Many landlords are cautious when it comes to alternatives to the traditional government-backed deposit schemes. However, flatfair creates new options and another route to protecting your property.

    What does Nil Deposit mean for your rental?

    With a flatfair nil deposit scheme, when tenants move in, they pay a check in fee directly to flatfair. Then, at the end of a tenancy, if there are any charges or unpaid rent, all relevant documents (such as check out reports) need to be uploaded to flatfair and tenants are asked to pay the amount agreed.

    If there is any dispute, this will be discussed through government-backed, independent adjudicators.

    Once charges are established and agreed with No Deposit, flatfair can offer up to 10 weeks’ worth of protection and put landlords back in pocket within just 10 days.

    And, if you’re managed by us at Move On, we’ll take the stress of arranging check out reports and figures for deductions off your shoulders. We’ll deal with all correspondence between flatfair and the tenants, so you don’t have to.

    Interested in finding out more about flatfair and their Nil Deposit options? Click here to read more information, or chat with us today!

    Tel: 01202 711169

    Email: enquiries@moveon.biz

     

    Blog Articles

    Rents Have Risen!

     

    The past 18-24 months have seen a massive increase in rental prices throughout the Poole and Bournemouth area.

    We are valuing rental stock, new and existing, with huge increases and properties are being successfully let at the new prices.

    Prior to the last couple of years, rents had remained static, but when Covid came and we saw an increase of out-of-towners looking for properties with gardens, this caused a huge demand and saw the rental prices going up.

    We are also seeing a lack of stock coming to the market, which again is increasing the rental prices.

    As a tenant, this is not good news, as we now have an increase in energy prices, fuel prices and cost of living being added on.

    Contrary to popular belief, many landlords are not making vast amounts of money on their rental properties and expect their investment to help them in their retirement years. Those landlords who are already retired, will also be impacted on the cost of living going up.

    It is always a hard decision for landlords to increase rentals when they have had long-standing tenants, this is where Move On can help, by being the negotiator between all parties, in an amicable way.

    At Move On, we make sure all our landlords can sleep at night, because this is what we do every day. We make sure we are always up to date with latest legislations, and we are often ahead of the deadline.

    If you would like a free up to date rental appraisal or fresh eyes over your paperwork to ensure you are compliant, then please contact me 01202 711169 or email sharon@moveon.biz

     

    Sharon

    Blog Articles

    Possession Notices Back to Pre-COVID Length

    When COVID hit us back in March 2020, none of us had any idea of the impact this would have on our lives and how every sector would be affected – good or bad (there are always winners and losers after all).

    As it became apparent that COVID was going to be around for a while and many people furloughed, the Government deemed it necessary to bring in additional measures to stop any tenants being evicted from their homes, especially as there was nowhere to go: hotels, etc. were all closed.

    The extension of the possession notices from 2 months to 6 months caused huge ramifications to landlords who already had tenants in rent arrears.

    Some landlords have been incredibly generous to their tenants where COVID had an impact, and either came up with a payment plan or, in some cases, gifted a month’s rent.

    There will always be people who like to use the system, thankfully this is not the majority of tenants.

    The government then confirmed that, from the 1st of October, possession notices would revert to as they were in to pre-COVID times, meaning landlords can now give their tenants 2 months’ notice to vacate the property through a Section 21 notice for the time being. Section 8 notices have also reverted to pre-COVID rules.

    If you need help or advice on your tenancy management then please do not hesitate to contact us. We are not just good; we are amazingly good!

     

    Have a good month!

    Sharon Canning

     

    If you would like a friendly, no obligation chat regarding buying, selling, renting or investing in property, then please email sharon@moveon.biz   or telephone 01202 711169.