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Alison King

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About Me

my expertise in the industry

Alison 's Recent Activity

I do allow pets. I say "Clean, well behaved pets considered" and I get a lot of applicants prospective tenants begging me to let them have the property before they have even seen it. However, I disagree about the allergy thing. It can be a genuine issue and I have had a new tenant report allergy issues caused by a previous occupant's pet.

From: Alison King 18 December 2020 16:19 PM

This is utterly ludicrous. It's in a landlord's interests to keep good tenants not to lose them just because they've temporarily hit hard times during Covid. Research from the NRLA has confirmed that we have been helping our tenants where we can. For my part I've agreed that my commercial tenant can pay a lot less rent whilst the business is being impacted by Covid and where my residential tenants are struggling I've given them breaks. As for my student let, some of the students haven't even arrived yet, but I'm still holding their rooms for them, and no they don't pay until they arrive. I'm lucky to be able to do that without sinking under bevause I have small mortgages but some landlords must be really struggling. To say landlords aren't taking their share is like kicking someone when they are down and quite honestly makes me feel like giving up and selling up.

From: Alison King 05 November 2020 20:18 PM

It depends whether or not any of the lodgers has another permanent address elsewhere or are only Monday-Friday lodgers. If so they are guests not lodgers, even if they pay for the room.

From: Alison King 14 October 2020 20:58 PM

I've been in this business for seven years and its never been "easy money". It takes time to renovate a property and tenants rightly expect high standards. I'm on 24 hour callout and properties need a lot of maintenance. I do it because I enjoy being my own boss and get pleasure out of providing decent homes to young families. The government offers no support, only increasing amounts of legislation aimed at driving more conscientious landlords out of the business. Where their tenants are supposed to go, who knows? The latest proposal to raise minimum EPC to C will probably drive me out of business, which is distressing as most of my tenants are long term or have been passed the property by family members.

From: Alison King 09 October 2020 09:13 AM

Well, that will make it impossible to sell for those who have already released equity by remortgaging. Maybe that's the intention. To trap people into into having to rent out at no profit and with no way out except bankruptcy.

From: Alison King 09 October 2019 21:15 PM

Far better to have huge properties with one or two occupants rattling around in them (not). Landlords can't win. Try to address under occupancy and we are rogues. Accept housing benefit tenants and we are thieves.

From: Alison King 12 April 2017 12:18 PM

I think anything that involves having to remove the plaster is immensely disruptive for the tenant, such as a full damp course or wall tie replacement. Also asbestos removal including artex. Lead piping replacement can involve ripping up the floorboards. Agreeing with the tenant to do these things when they are on holiday is fine in theory. But when you are at the behest of contractors or water authorities who may let you down, you can't take the risk. Having had this problem myself I would never again consider letting a property until all outstanding major works are fully completed.

From: Alison King 20 December 2016 09:17 AM

My last tenants left loads of stuff behind including sofa bed, stereo and a tumble dryer. I told the next tenants to keep what they wanted and junk the rest.

From: Alison King 17 October 2016 13:27 PM

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