Cairn Estate & Letting AgencyWould you know if your tenants were subletting? The National Landlords Association has announced that 50% of subletting happens without landlord consent. This is a huge number, and could become an issue if not addressed. Here’s our guide to prevent and spot subletting. The issue Unauthorised subletting can lead to cramped living conditions. Too many people living in one space can be uncomfortable and dangerous, as well as breaking licensing laws and invalidating insurance. A clear statement within your tenancy agreement about your policy on subletting, is great but no assurance that tenants won’t continue to do so without asking permission. Therefore it’s important for tenants to understand the weight of subletting. How to stop subletting Educating Tenants Setting out your expectations from the start is important. Discussing your subletting policy with tenants at the start of their tenancy, rather than relying upon them reading a hand book or tenancy agreement is smart. Outline how to address requests to sublet. Focus on the importance of communication rather than isolating tenants by focussing on potential penalties. Taking headshots of tenants when they move in allows you, or whoever is inspecting, to quickly identify who should be there. This practise also creates a good opportunity to address (and stress) your policy on subletting. Property Inspections Property inspections are always important, and can save you money in the long run. Regular visits to your property help to identify if anyone other than the agreed parties are living there. Although this could become a strenuous task for landlords who manage multiple properties, these findings mean that it’s a necessity. Diaries are the most effective way to keep track of property visits. Using one will ensure you are inspecting each property regularly, and is a good way to keep notes together. Visits are your main opportunity to look for any signs indicating that extra tenants are in your property. Stay well informed on the actions you can take if you do discover subletting. This will hopefully allow you to put a stop to the problem before it becomes worse, saving you time, money and hassle.
Landlords, is it worth setting up as a limited company? Property is one of the most accessible forms of investment, and an area most people feel comfortable in. Although it’s familiar territory there can be a big jump between owning your family home, and running a successful property portfolio as a landlord. Running a limited […]
Why you should consider Investing in Residential Property in Dundee The Waterfront in Dundee hasn’t been the only thing growing at speed recently. Dundee rents have risen an impressive 4% too – ahead of Scotland’s national average – an attractive opportunity for investors. Recent figures show that average monthly rent for June has increased year […]
How to invest in property through crowdfunding Crowdfunding is a hot topic for investors and businesses alike. Now property investment has diversified into crowdfunding too. Crowdfunding, the means of raising finance by asking a large amount of people for a small amount of money each, usually using the internet, has been growing steadily in the […]
Have pension reforms got you asking how to invest in residential property? April’s pension reforms mean that from the age of 55 onwards people have access to their entire pension pot, and this has led many more people than before to consider residential property investment as an option. The reforms remove the need to buy […]
New legislation: Landlords required to install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms Housing Minister Brandon Lewis announced new measures in March to protect tenants. Regulations for landlords in England were to be brought into line with building regulations for new builds in the UK, and will require the installation of working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms […]
Changes to Scottish Repairing Standard statutory regulations Over the next two years, beginning on December 1st this year, new mandatory electrical checks come into force for all privately rented properties. New regulations from the Scottish Government mean that all electrical items in a rented property must be either Electrical Installation Condition Report or Portable Appliance […]
Student accommodation: Why Cairn are HMO licensing specialists The term HMO is used frequently in the property investment market. As experts on HMO development we want to explain what HMO is, and understand why such a highly regulated sector continues to be popular for investors. Since 2000 in Scotland HMO properties have required an HMO […]
General Election Ahead – Key Housing Policies Explained With the general election less than one hundred days away, MP’s proposals to tackle the housing crisis in the UK will be a key area of debate. Part of their proposals will be what they plan to do to build more homes, which will of course mean more […]
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