Perfect tenants

[Crystalclear]

Ideas I've used and can swear by to keep a steady income from a residential tenant, without the headache of loss of rent, and keeping your property in pristine condition too.

Number 1

Avoid chasing bad tenants for £1000's of unpaid rent, and wishing you knew what their real name was so you could take them to court or at the least report them to their employers/police.

Collect as much information on the tenant of your choice, PRIOR to handing them the keys.
At the least, you will ask for their photo ID, National Insurance number Card. Photocopy them at your local post office and hand the cards back. No tenant will even think about trashing your place after you do this! maybe because they know this info will be used for a super speedy court case, and a bad credit rating.

Number 2

1.5 months deposit; if the tenants can't afford this it means they have no organisational skills to save money, and most likely once the 'cuckoo' tenants are inside, your rent payments will cease. Worst case scenario, you use this money ASAP and fix fixtures that they've damaged.

Number 3

Don't be soft; keep your tenants verbal conversations at 'arms length'; if you get personal with them they'll take advantage of you like a baby lamb ready for milk!.
Be professional, be a lady/gentleman, be human, most of all be fair, and use your common sense; be all the above, but never do anything your contract doesn't expect of you; trust me, they'll be 'testing the water' before they hit you with the "...I was wondering if you could come over sometime, I've got a problem..." You'll be cleaning their gutters, the leaves from the yard, the phantom door squeaks that you can't hear....

Number 4

If your tenant breaches the caveats in your lease agreement, be 100% professional! and using your best laptop, post them a letter, keeping it short and sweet! informing them of the breach and consequences. "...your rent is late by a week...if you delays the payment over the agreed 21 days, you will have made our agreement invalid..." Keep them on their toes, reminding them that you don't tolerate abuse of the agreement.
Most of the landlord program's on the box are always about shy landlords, the ones who fall for the "I'll pay it on Wednesday..", or "...I'm at my mums in Scotland, and I'll be home in two weeks, and I'll pay it in then..." (She/he texts from he bathroom, lights switched off) and had they done this or that, they wouldn't be in this mess.

Last but not least number 5

Never use texts to communicate. It's a must!

Make it clear from day one, " I won't answer texts... Ring me and talk, and explain your dilemma/ issue"

Bad tenants find it easier to run circles around landlords by sending a well written text, than using their vocals skills or lack of, knowing that they are bad at lying!

There are sooo many more things I could add, but a good landlord mentality goes a long way.

 

[longdogs]

Yes, I know a landlord who has been far too soft over the years and has been taken for a ride financially several times resulting in financial problems and bad credit ratings.
Another piece of advice I would add is never take on DSS tenants. Only because their rent is paid (supposedly) by them and not the DSS. They have been known to withhold their rent for several months, then do a runner.
As for the little problems like leaves in the gutter etc, I would have thought it would be in your interest to get these things sorted as soon as possible to prolong the life of your property. So often we see properties neglected by their owners and their tenants which really can bring down the surrounding area. Not nice for the neighbours to look out over a garden that resembles Steptoe's yard.

 

[jockscott]

A friend of mine is in the process of evicting a tenant who hasn't paid any rent since October last year. The eviction (through bailiffs) is due this Thursday. She (at the eleventh hour) has applied to the court to have the eviction set aside for a further five weeks (reason? this will cause her severe hardship ) My friend's solicitor has told him that at least 95% of these cases are won by tenants facing eviction, meaning extra weeks living at properties for non paying tenants. There's no mention of the financial hardship faced by landlords though (he still has a mortgage to pay) My friend has decided enough is enough and when he finally regains his property, it will be refurbished and put up for sale.

 

[jockscott]

Avoid chasing bad tenants for £1000's of unpaid rent

And allow these scumbag tenants to rip off even more landlords.... Are you a multi millionaire who can afford to be so benevolent then?

 

[Crystalclear]

A friend of mine is in the process of evicting a tenant who hasn't paid any rent since October last year. The eviction (through bailiffs) is due this Thursday. She (at the eleventh hour) has applied to the court to have the eviction set aside for a further five weeks (reason? this will cause her severe hardship ) My friend's solicitor has told him that at least 95% of these cases are won by tenants facing eviction, meaning extra weeks living at properties for non paying tenants. There's no mention of the financial hardship faced by landlords though (he still has a mortgage to pay) My friend has decided enough is enough and when he finally regains his property, it will be refurbished and put up for sale.

Wow, that is crazy, but reality like this hidden from first time landlords. Sigh***.

 

[HawkEye244]

I'm renting a house to a couple of polaks. I went through a managing agent who did all the checks I've since found out I can do myself.

They paid 5 months up front plus one months deposit which I wa suspicious of because it can sometimes mean they intend to never pay a penny after that. So far two months into the contract.

I had a few niggles initially and a few text messages recently about things like broadband. I had an existing contract which I cancelled and later found out was not cancelled. So, when the tenant wanted to take out their own broadband contract they were told they couldn't because mine was not cancelled. Long story short virgin media are atrocious, but I finally managed to cancel it.

With regards to phone/text messages, I'd take a text message over a telephone call if it's about a problem with the property. I find it useful because I can just ignore the texts if like number 3 you have a tenant that struggles to put batteries in things and use the cooker, ignoring works wonders. People definately take advantage of you if you let them. I keep small talk to the bare minimum and I've avoided asking if things are ok because they will no doubt try and find things for me to sort out that are not my problem, the broadband being one. Another example, the wife of the couple phoned me up because there was an error message on the boiler, she didn't know how to use the gas card on the prepay so the gas had run out, I sent a text back telling her she had the card or the husand had the card and to go to the shop and put money on it, sorted in one text.

 

[HawkEye244]

A friend of mine is in the process of evicting a tenant who hasn't paid any rent since October last year. The eviction (through bailiffs) is due this Thursday. She (at the eleventh hour) has applied to the court to have the eviction set aside for a further five weeks (reason? this will cause her severe hardship ) My friend's solicitor has told him that at least 95% of these cases are won by tenants facing eviction, meaning extra weeks living at properties for non paying tenants. There's no mention of the financial hardship faced by landlords though (he still has a mortgage to pay) My friend has decided enough is enough and when he finally regains his property, it will be refurbished and put up for sale.

Not carrying out the proper checks can really come back to bite you

 

[Crystalclear]

Ihad a few niggles initially and a few text messages recently about things like broadband.... I keep small talk to the bare minimum and I've avoided asking if things are ok because they will no doubt try and find things for me to sort out.

In a nutshell, once the small talk goes into, the red zone, you will struggle to get out.

 

[jockscott]

Not carrying out the proper checks can really come back to bite you

Proper checks were done when the tenant took out the tenancy (she's been there for over 3 yrs) Found herself in increasing debt and decided to play the system for all it's worth. My friend has done everything by the book and she just takes the proverbial p**s. Thing is, as far as an extension to the eviction is concerned, the law seems to be on her side. As my friend's solicitor has told him 95% of the time the courts decide in favour of the tenant.

 

[JBR]

A friend of mine is in the process of evicting a tenant who hasn't paid any rent since October last year. The eviction (through bailiffs) is due this Thursday. She (at the eleventh hour) has applied to the court to have the eviction set aside for a further five weeks (reason? this will cause her severe hardship ) My friend's solicitor has told him that at least 95% of these cases are won by tenants facing eviction, meaning extra weeks living at properties for non paying tenants. There's no mention of the financial hardship faced by landlords though (he still has a mortgage to pay) My friend has decided enough is enough and when he finally regains his property, it will be refurbished and put up for sale.

Some friends of ours had a similar problem. I don't understand all the ins and outs, but the tenant was receiving hand-outs from the DSS but was supposed to pay our friends herself.

She stopped paying for some reason, so they eventually ended up taking her to court. As with your friend, the court do-gooders took the tenant's side. I feel that these people don't live in the real world and, for some reason, always seem to support the people who cause all the trouble.

Our friends eventually managed to have her evicted and found that she'd left the place in a right mess. They never got the money they were owed and I'm sure this woman was straight off to cause trouble for some other landlord.

I wouldn't dream of letting a property. I'd sell it as soon as I could.

 

[crank39]

And get them to sign a section 21 at the same time as the tenancy agreement, it'll save a few months when the time comes to evict them and especially when housing options is telling them of all the loopholes and delaying tactics they can use against you

 

[joe-90]

People resent paying someone else's mortgage and giving them tax relief at the same time. They spent so much of their wages on rent that they'll never afford to buy - so the BTL Landlord buys another house and so it goes on. Dunno how its going to end - but all bubbles burst eventually, and the bigger they grow - the bigger the bust. That's why they won't pay and trash the place instead. We are the lucky generation that owns the property and give our kids generation the debts.

 

[HawkEye244]

Ihad a few niggles initially and a few text messages recently about things like broadband.... I keep small talk to the bare minimum and I've avoided asking if things are ok because they will no doubt try and find things for me to sort out.

In a nutshell, once the small talk goes into, the red zone, you will struggle to get out.

True, valuable information for first time land lords, in my case it came naturally because I'm used to people trying to get one over on me anyway. Ignoring the odd text/call from the tenant works well I find

Not carrying out the proper checks can really come back to bite you

Proper checks were done when the tenant took out the tenancy (she's been there for over 3 yrs) Found herself in increasing debt and decided to play the system for all it's worth. My friend has done everything by the book and she just takes the proverbial p**s. Thing is, as far as an extension to the eviction is concerned, the law seems to be on her side. As my friend's solicitor has told him 95% of the time the courts decide in favour of the tenant.

Wouldn't you? I feel sorry for your friend as it's such a tough and unlucky positin to be in though.

I wonder if a few hundred off a month for a few months might have made the tenant like that feel they could breathe. Or perhaps suggesting they don't pay water/electric/gas as long as they are prepared to pay the rent, that's all that would matter to me. If my tenant got into trouble I'd find ways for them to get something over to me a month even if it means not paying utilites, that's there problem after all as long as utilities are in the name of the tenant you are never going to be liable as a landlord, so while the system is taking for ever to evict them you are at least getting some rent a month

 

[HawkEye244]

Last but not least number 5

Never use texts to communicate. It's a must!

Make it clear from day one, " I won't answer texts... Ring me and talk, and explain your dilemma/ issue"

But for dealing with utilitiy companies/broadband providers e-mail/texts are a much better option in my opinion. I've had vital conversations before which have later been denied, if it's in print it can't be denied, it's there word for word, dated and timed. Try speaking to EDF energy or some such **** and awful energy provider without a paper trail, it's absolute hell on earth

 

[Crystalclear]

Ihad a few niggles initially and a few text messages recently about things like broadband.... I keep small talk to the bare minimum and I've avoided asking if things are ok because they will no doubt try and find things for me to sort out.

In a nutshell, once the small talk goes into, the red zone, you will struggle to get out.

True, valuable information for first time land lords, in my case it came naturally because I'm used to people trying to get one over on me anyway. Ignoring the odd text/call from the tenant works well I find

Not carrying out the proper checks can really come back to bite you

Proper checks were done when the tenant took out the tenancy (she's been there for over 3 yrs) Found herself in increasing debt and decided to play the system for all it's worth. My friend has done everything by the book and she just takes the proverbial p**s. Thing is, as far as an extension to the eviction is concerned, the law seems to be on her side. As my friend's solicitor has told him 95% of the time the courts decide in favour of the tenant.

Wouldn't you? I feel sorry for your friend as it's such a tough and unlucky positin to be in though.

I wonder if a few hundred off a month for a few months might have made the tenant like that feel they could breathe. Or perhaps suggesting they don't pay water/electric/gas as long as they are prepared to pay the rent, that's all that would matter to me. If my tenant got into trouble I'd find ways for them to get something over to me a month even if it means not paying utilites, that's there problem after all as long as utilities are in the name of the tenant you are never going to be liable as a landlord, so while the system is taking for ever to evict them you are at least getting some rent a month

Bad practise I have to say. It's one thing to help the less fortunate, but it's another when some tenants take advantage and 'expect' your kindness.