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Robert Brown
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my expertise in the industry

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Robert Brown
It probably is and he's changed it to avoid the discrimination suffered by many white middle class males from all aspects of our public sector! Come to think of it, maybe that's why it was allowed to escalate to such a level?

From: Robert Brown 07 December 2018 10:56 AM

Robert Brown
When there is a shortage of homes, it's crazy to ban otherwise perfectly habitable properties from being rented out to tenants willing to take them and the associated higher energy costs.

From: Robert Brown 07 December 2018 10:51 AM

Robert Brown
Same in Glasgow. A gap of 1 to 2 months should be allowed to cover voids and refurbishment. I had an appeal disallowed because the Council claimed a trashed bathroom with no usable w.c. didn't mean the flat was "uninhabitable"!

From: Robert Brown 07 December 2018 10:47 AM

Robert Brown
Andrew. I usually agree with your comments but don't on this occasion. I have always used the leverage of high LTV mortgages to increase my portfolio as I pay around 2% interest on them but get up to 10% yield on renting them out. Over the last 20 plus years they have grown in value by 300 to 400%, so an initial investment of around £12000 on a £50000 flat in 1997 would have grown to equity of over £150000 on a £200000 flat yielding £25000 per annum gross rent. However, by remortgaging, that same £12000 of my money has been augmented by around £1 million of mortgage finance to build up equity of around £2 million in a £3 million portfolio, yielding close on £250000 gross rental income. I therefore believe it's better to use the money saved by the over cautious risk averse savers to multiply the return on my own more sensibly invested funds.

From: Robert Brown 07 December 2018 10:35 AM

Robert Brown
David. Join the real world and look at the evidence. Whilst there is a shortage of homes, rents will always rise to cover costs including taxes, so tenants end up worse off. The fact that 100% of respondents agree more homes need built proves most landlords are fair and decent. Many tenants live in rental properties they couldn't afford to buy, lease cars they couldn't afford to buy and spend all their spare cash on expensive holidays, coffees and nights out. They should thank God for sensible landlords subsidising their profligate lifestyles!

From: Robert Brown 07 December 2018 10:22 AM

Robert Brown
Proves my point in an earlier post. The rogue landlords are obvious. Leave the decent ones alone, cut bureaucracy and screw the rogues with the resources diverted from bureaucracy.

From: Robert Brown 06 December 2018 09:30 AM

Robert Brown
If he was so notorious, why was he not stopped much earlier. Councils should focus on scum like this instead of going after decent landlords who haven't been told a smoke alarm is broken or tenants have allowed mould to take hold.

From: Robert Brown 06 December 2018 09:27 AM

Robert Brown
So we can confidently expect a huge thank you from tenants, councils and government for taking such a huge risk in such uncertain times?

From: Robert Brown 06 December 2018 09:21 AM

Robert Brown
I totally agree. Pay monthly in advance direct to landlord, guarantee to cover any losses due to damage etc when tenants leave and make eviction easier and faster. - THEN we might consider helping out the Councils who can't do what they're already paid to do.

From: Robert Brown 04 December 2018 12:05 PM

Robert Brown
Or another way of putting this would be to say Landlords save Generation Rent, Councils and Government up to £1000 billions in investing in affordable housing by doing it for them - but that would be too much like giving Landlords due credit for doing a vital but thankless job!

From: Robert Brown 04 December 2018 11:56 AM

Robert Brown
Sincere thanks to the SNP whose anti landlord legislation has helped rents rocket for high demand properties.

From: Robert Brown 03 December 2018 12:37 PM

Robert Brown
Good landlords sometimes get landed with bad tenants. I think it's rare that a good tenant will end up stuck with a bad landlord though.

From: Robert Brown 03 December 2018 12:34 PM

Robert Brown
If mortgage rates go down, property prices go up and rents also go up. If mortgage rates go up, rents go up. If mortgage rates stay the same, rents go up with general inflation and market forces. I can't think of any scenario when rents would go down or when I would agree to a rent reduction.

From: Robert Brown 03 December 2018 12:30 PM

Robert Brown
In Scotland it's now impossible for landlords to specify and end date for tenancies and tenants can leave after 28 days notice any time or stay for 28 years unless the landlord uses a limited number of reasons to evict. Too early to say what long term effects will be, but short term effect has been landlords selling up, shortage of good properties and rents rocketing - so no complaints so far!

From: Robert Brown 03 December 2018 12:19 PM

Robert Brown
Glasgow's west end can generate yields of well over 10% since rents started to rocket following the SNP' s anti landlord (and thus anti tenant) legislation in December 2017.

From: Robert Brown 03 December 2018 12:12 PM

Robert Brown
I didn't see anything about airbnb landlords spending some of their money on income tax. I suspect they are major players in the black economy, so they'll get on well with their construction contractors! It's time the Chancellor stopped stuffing landlords who provide homes and concentrated on those who are stuffing the regulated hotels and boarding houses.

From: Robert Brown 03 December 2018 12:07 PM

Robert Brown
Until they can buy their own properties they shouldn't expect all the privileges that come with ownership. Until I can afford to fly 1st class I accept that I don't get free champagne.

From: Robert Brown 28 November 2018 10:18 AM

Robert Brown
I tried to sell a property with tenants in situ. Disaster! Place never clean and tidy for viewing and only ludicrous offers. After the lease finished, we marketed the property as if we lived in it ourselves and sold it within 2 weeks at the top end of our expectations. I would never try to sell a property with tenants in situ, as any loss of rent is small compared to the difference in selling price achieved. I've also bought a property with sitting tenants and got a bargain then.

From: Robert Brown 27 November 2018 17:21 PM

Robert Brown
I will treat everyone who can afford my properties out of earned income equally and accept them as tenants. Equally I will reject everyone who can't afford to rent them out of their own earned income. Surely that's observing equality?

From: Robert Brown 27 November 2018 09:13 AM

Robert Brown
I do a lot of student lets and find the threat of a ccj concentrates the minds of relatively affluent parents in the rare occasions where they get stroppy. The only downside is having to go and change light bulbs, unblock loos and sinks, wash windows and weed gardens - but the higher rents and zero arrears compensate for any extra work. Also any damage tends to be due to irresponsibilty rather than malice.

From: Robert Brown 26 November 2018 10:39 AM

Robert Brown
So we have these cumbersome Government sponsored deposit schemes to deal with under 1% of tenancy deposit issues! Why not allow Landlords who have never abused it to retain the deposit (as we used to do) and put the interest earned on it to remedy the inevitable (usually minor) damage at the end of every tenancy.

From: Robert Brown 26 November 2018 10:21 AM

Robert Brown
I think this woman is despicable and one of the reasons Landlords are all vilified. However I take issue with the use of "forced" as these people were not locked in the premises and presumably preferred them to cardboard boxes?

From: Robert Brown 26 November 2018 10:16 AM

Robert Brown
The Council or Government could GUARANTEE that Landlords be fully covered for all losses for providing HOMES for people they themselves CAN'T or WON'T help. Perhaps SHELTER could set up a fund to compensate out of pocket Landlords instead of encouraging rent dodgers to stay put and deny homes to tenants who would pay their way?

From: Robert Brown 26 November 2018 10:06 AM

Robert Brown
I don't agree that this is landlord's behaviour can be defended or that this is just another case of landlord bashing. People like this landlord are the reason the rest of us who try our best are vilified.

From: Robert Brown 20 November 2018 19:47 PM

Robert Brown
The council should confiscate her properties and make them into Council houses and Council tenants.

From: Robert Brown 19 November 2018 18:22 PM

Robert Brown
Public sector officials and "representatives" should have to risk their OWN money and positions - like the hapless landlords - when they persecute the public they're supposed to serve. Only then will we have a level playing field. HMRC are also very guilty of this. If the council think tenants are"forced" to live in "sub standard" conditions they should build more homes. I've never seen a cardboard box that gives 8 square metres of floor space.

From: Robert Brown 19 November 2018 10:30 AM

Robert Brown
In Glasgow, using the gearing of a 75% mortgage at 2% quadruples the gross yield on my own 25%. My best flat gets £2100 per month with mortgage interest of around £300. Without using mortgages my portfolio and gross yields would be only about 25% of what I currently achieve.

From: Robert Brown 16 November 2018 09:22 AM

Robert Brown
Scotland already has this, which is the only potential benefit of last December's SNP legislation which obliterated almost all Landlords' rights over their own properties, but time will tell. The article talks of the rare times when landlords need court help but suggests tenants are often at the mercy of their landlords! My experience is only bad tenants need fear their landlords and even then poor practice is a rarity.

From: Robert Brown 14 November 2018 13:08 PM

Robert Brown
The landlord should have sought legal advice but the Council should step in to pay the Landlord directly in such circumstances - cheaper than putting 10 people up in B&B as no sensible landlord will take this family on now. The benefits system needs an injection of common sense to avoid penalising landlords where tenants have failed to follow the rules. No sense in taking away his licence and making 15 other families homeless as I doubt he'll make the same mistake again.

From: Robert Brown 13 November 2018 11:19 AM

Robert Brown
In Scotland, after the SNP's war on tenants (and therefore on tenants) a flat worth £250,000 can generate £2100 per month, so over 10% yield and zero voids due to supply and demand imbalances. If, like me you invest 25% and borrow 75% at around 2% interest only, then the gross yield on your own investment grows to over £21k pa on £63k invested, making around 33% before costs and taxes. Given my earliest properties were bought over 20 years ago for under £100k on 90% mortgages, these are delivering annual gross yields of over 200% on my initial deposits even before any capital growth is taken into account.

From: Robert Brown 13 November 2018 11:09 AM

Robert Brown
Totally agree with both the above comments. Let's have a Rogue Tenants register!

From: Robert Brown 12 November 2018 13:57 PM

Robert Brown
No doubt the Hungarian tenants knew enough English to claim all the benefits they feel"entitled" to? Did this £1000 get put towards the rent arrears? Today's BBC News reports that UC rent arrears are up by 260% in Council properties. Perhaps they'll now be a bit more sympathetic to Private Landlords? I think I already know the answers to both these questions!

From: Robert Brown 12 November 2018 13:50 PM

Robert Brown
Thanks for your support. The removal of fixed term leases in Scotland only helps bad tenants hog good properties and prevents good tenants from getting them. Good tenants can virtually always rely on being able to stay long term but the new legislation means good neighbours being lumbered with bad neighbours who can't be easily removed. Landlords also can't rely on good tenants staying long term so need to maximise rents and minimise expenditure on improvements. Only bad tenants win!

From: Robert Brown 07 November 2018 09:49 AM

Robert Brown
13.7% rise over 4 - 5 years is probably less than inflation over the same period. I would hope rents would outstrip inflation, especially with poor capital growth and punitive GGT imposed on any sales profit. Ironically Hammond's removal of Letting Relief will probably help retain properties in the rental market but reduce the availability for such properties to first time buyers and push up capital values.

From: Robert Brown 07 November 2018 09:40 AM

Robert Brown
Big surprise! People who can't afford to buy their own property are twice as likely to be in fuel poverty than owner occupiers! Previous articles have pointed out the nonsense of taking less fuel efficient properties out of the rental market. How fuel efficient are cardboard boxes or doorways? Until the general housing shortage is fixed, the government should be helping and not penalising the prs who are at least providing homes instead of cardboard boxes!

From: Robert Brown 07 November 2018 09:28 AM

Robert Brown
The SNP's war on private landlords has predictably backfired on tenants as landlords pull out of the market and those who are left ensure they reap the rewards of market forces whilst awaiting more draconian misconceived ideology driven measures. This article understates the rental increases in high demand properties, with rents for 4 bed student flats near Glasgow University growing from £1500 to £2100 per month over the last 18 months. Thanks Nicola. Keep your. "reforms" coming!

From: Robert Brown 06 November 2018 14:17 PM

Robert Brown
Eliminating "draughts" means eliminating natural ventilation which leads to increased condensation which leads to mould which then gets the landlord labelled as "rogue". Tenants rarely keep properties adequately heated and ventilated, usually insist on drying clothes indoors but won't take responsibility for any mould that results. The government's intervention is as usual missing the point and counter productive as the above two posts clearly demonstrate.

From: Robert Brown 06 November 2018 14:03 PM

Robert Brown
Good to see RLA doing something for a change!

From: Robert Brown 05 November 2018 13:26 PM

Robert Brown
Surprised only 60% of readers favour a clamp down on airbnb. This activity changes the character of many residential areas in tourist hotspots, threatening viability of properly regulated hotels etc and giving owners additional £7500 tax free incomes without observing safety measures required by professional hoteliers and landlords providing proper homes.

From: Robert Brown 02 November 2018 09:42 AM

Robert Brown
Oh dear! Join the real world! Owner occupiers have to source their own repairers AND pay for them, no matter when problems occur. In my experience, tenants often ignore warning signs or problems that could be nipped in the bud and repaired economically during normal working hours. They wait until it needs dealt with urgently. This service will only encourage this behaviour. Instead tenants need to learn responsibility if they ever hope to buy and maintain their own home.

From: Robert Brown 02 November 2018 09:30 AM

Robert Brown
Airbnb is a much bigger threat than prs as airbnb takes permanent homes out of the system, whereas prs provides long term homes to good tenants. Government needs to get a grip and understand the benefits prs brings to society.

From: Robert Brown 30 October 2018 13:32 PM

Robert Brown
Can't understand any landlord supporting a no deposit scheme. It's difficult enough to ensure tenants respect your property when they have a deposit to lose. If they leave my properties as found they get a prompt refund of the full deposit, so zero cost other than lost interest. These schemes add an unnecessary cost and raise questions over the tenants' commitment to look after my properties.

From: Robert Brown 19 October 2018 11:00 AM

Robert Brown
This is the inevitable outcome of the SNP policy of protecting tenants against landlords in all circumstances. The rest of the UK should follow the damage done to the prs in Scotland by these idiots and ensure they don't allow their loony party and charities to repeat this debacle.

From: Robert Brown 19 October 2018 10:53 AM

Robert Brown
If the Government regulations allowed in safe panels then private landlords should be compensated. If the suppliers fitted panels which were illegal then they should pay. As a backstop, building insurance should pay. To put the cost on already beleaugered landlords is unfair and will lead to even higher rents.

From: Robert Brown 19 October 2018 10:48 AM

Robert Brown
If the Government or local council wants us to let to DSS tenants then they should guarantee that the landlord won't be out of pocket, with full rent and all remedial work paid in full, no quibble, for the entire length of the tenancy. We can get such guarantees from normal renters' guarantors so why should we settle for something worse from DSS tenants?

From: Robert Brown 19 October 2018 10:39 AM

Robert Brown
So £1 million of deposits are "stolen" each year. What amount of unpaid rent or uncompensated damage is stolen from landlords each year?

From: Robert Brown 18 October 2018 19:29 PM

Robert Brown
Why rent to someone who doesn't expect to leave the property as he found it and therefore get the full deposit back, no quibble?

From: Robert Brown 18 October 2018 19:26 PM

Robert Brown
In Scotland the SNP have listened to idiots like this, ignored landlords and rents for the most popular properties are up 25 to 30%, with many chasing each property. This guy and his loony pals are ignoring the consequences because they are hell bent on pursuing their ideology whatever the real life outcomes.

From: Robert Brown 18 October 2018 19:21 PM

Robert Brown
Both above posts raise valid points but living near this house must have been a nightmare, and the neighbours were certainly forced to do so, even if the tenants weren't. I think the fine is ludicrously small and not even a criminal conviction, just a civil penalty like a parking ticket.

From: Robert Brown 18 October 2018 17:53 PM

Robert Brown
Can't understand why anyone thinks this is a bad idea, provided the info is genuine and verifiable. Now that the SNP "government" has taken away landlord's right to determine the length of the lease, some proof of stable rental history would be very useful information in Scotland especially.

From: Robert Brown 18 October 2018 17:47 PM

Robert Brown
What a shame! I do hope oligarchs who have recently bought in this market don't lose any of their freshly laundered cash!

From: Robert Brown 18 October 2018 17:39 PM

Robert Brown
Scotland's rents rising highest, even although our economy is lagging further and further behind the rest of the UK. Both factors due to SNP interference and incompetence. The big boys in the UK parliament should check out the harm done to Scottish tenants by meddling in the prs. My own rents for good high demand properties are up around 30% over their 2016 levels, with one 4 bed flat getting £2100 per month, compared to £1500 two years ago.

From: Robert Brown 14 October 2018 20:42 PM

Robert Brown
Your calling us "idiots" tends to suggest you have not yet matured! Having rented to students for over 20 years, raised 3 former student offspring and been one myself, my experience is that any credit you give them for common sense is usually unwarranted. Only once they learn to study at the University of Life do they usually merit being treated like adults. All political parties know this and so will try to bribe them, Labour by promises to abolsh tuition fees and write off loans, Tories by pretending to help them with cheaper rents and help to buy schemes. The Banks have also been conning them with freebies for years. I hope you'll soon be mature enough able to understand and absorb this valuable information.

From: Robert Brown 13 October 2018 16:26 PM

Robert Brown
I agree. Scottish landlords are the hardest hit by SNP meddling and our rents are up by 3 times the UK average at 5.6% annual increase, despite our economy lagging way behind - again due to SNP incompetence.

From: Robert Brown 13 October 2018 16:13 PM

Robert Brown
Big surprise! SNP screw private landlords with crazy new prs legislation and Scottish rents up by over 3 times UK average! This 5.6% increase actually downplays the situation for many areas in Scotland. For good high demand properties, rents are actually up about 30% over 2016 levels. Thanks SNP. Keep this up you might win over Scottish Tories yet!

From: Robert Brown 13 October 2018 16:03 PM

Robert Brown
All of these ideas are cr*p. Their only effect on me would be to ensure that I was always getting the maximum rent possible to mitigate against potential higher costs.

From: Robert Brown 13 October 2018 15:50 PM

Robert Brown
Vindicates what many have said in earlier posts. Screw the Landlord and win the tenants' vote. Only problem is many tenants don't bother to go on the voters' roll or drag themselves along to the polling station. Build more properties and everyone wins!

From: Robert Brown 11 October 2018 09:19 AM

Robert Brown
We should swamp this silly woman's email system demanding she backs up her assertions with evidence, or withdraws them and publicly apologises to our much maligned business community.

From: Robert Brown 10 October 2018 15:44 PM

Robert Brown
I agree. Many tenants also have new cars on pcp leases and several fancy holidays each year, both things I can't do because I'm more responsible with my money and budget to meet my obligations.

From: Robert Brown 10 October 2018 10:08 AM

Robert Brown
Tenants should read their lease and public domain information. There's nothing secret about their rights and obligations. Public money shouldn't be wasted on helping those who won't help themselves!

From: Robert Brown 10 October 2018 09:51 AM

Robert Brown
So good prospective tenants will be denied properties being hogged by less deserving sitting tenants. Every landlord will know tenants who have had to move out of their previous property will have been at fault. Another case of shooting in the foot!

From: Robert Brown 10 October 2018 09:46 AM

Robert Brown
I have just read this article again. Half the CGT relief is to go to the tenant. Who has taken the risk in investing in and maintaining a home for someone else? 100% the landlord! I really don't see why half the tax relief should go to the tenant or why a sitting tenant should get a better deal than anyone else who wants on the housing ladder. The £2000 scrappage deal put up the price of new cars. Help to Buy has made millions more for house builders. This would also put up prices. Governments might try but they can't defeat market forces.

From: Robert Brown 08 October 2018 10:50 AM

Robert Brown
I agree. This has already happened in Scotland. In fact if the UK Government wants to see how loony ideas backfire on tenants they only need to look up here where rents are up 25 to 30% over last two years in high demand areas - so landlords shouldn't be too concerned but tenants should be very careful what they wish for!

From: Robert Brown 08 October 2018 10:40 AM

Robert Brown
Everything seems to be focused on giving more rights to tenants. Good tenants can easily get long term tenancies. Why help bad tenants? Instead make it easier for landlords to get rid of bad tenants and then the good tenants can have greater choice with properties no longer hogged by bad tenants.

From: Robert Brown 08 October 2018 10:35 AM

Robert Brown
All great comments above. Dodging rent, whether on benefits or not should count as theft. Unrepaired damage beyond wear and tear should be criminal damage.

From: Robert Brown 02 October 2018 12:27 PM

Robert Brown
What this shows is that the vast majority of landlords do things correctly in all the areas surveyed above. The researchers should stress the positives and advise those tenants with bad landlords what remedies are open to them.

From: Robert Brown 02 October 2018 12:15 PM

Robert Brown
Basic market economics. Don't see any flavour of government changing this for the better ( tenant eye view) any time soon. As a landlord with no need or intention to bail out, I'm quite happy for the current situation to continue improving (landlord eye view).

From: Robert Brown 01 October 2018 14:04 PM

Robert Brown
I totally agree. If tenants paid £850 extra in a year, we would still be well out of pocket in removing all traces of their handywork once they have left. If they don't like the professionally decorated properties we supply, many more tenants are available who will be delighted with them.

From: Robert Brown 01 October 2018 13:57 PM

Robert Brown
The Tories are set to lurch to the left to attract moderate labour and angry lib dem voters. Don't expect any landlord - friendly policies any time soon. I also don't see how reducing CGT for landlords who want to bail out can help the availability of rental property. Come to think of it, that probably means it will happen!

From: Robert Brown 01 October 2018 13:49 PM

Robert Brown
In Glasgow, HMO licences have been needed for over 10 years whenever 3 or more unrelated adults live together, this applying to most student flats. It's largely been a good thing for reputable landlords with well maintained properties and has driven out most rogue landlords. During these 10 years I have seen rents in a 4 bed HMO flat grow from around £750 to £2100 per month - so basically good news for landlords with high quality in demand properties.

From: Robert Brown 01 October 2018 13:43 PM

Robert Brown
My Glasgow properties have seen rents rise by around 30% since early 2016, mainly due to SNP jealousy on top of Tory madness driving cautious landlords out of the market. My sincere thanks to both parties!

From: Robert Brown 28 September 2018 17:25 PM

Robert Brown
I agree. The Tories are not going to give Corbyn the opportunity of calling them the Landlords' friend and hoover up every Generation Rent vote. Aa the son of a miner who has nevertheless built up a nice property portfolio, I don't really like voting Tory, but I like the current alternatives even less!

From: Robert Brown 27 September 2018 19:43 PM

Robert Brown
I rent to groups of 4 students, but only with joint and several liability guarantees from all 4 sets of parents. It's amazing how effective the other 3 sets of parents can be in dealing with one dodgy flatmate when their pocket and credit rating is threatened!

From: Robert Brown 27 September 2018 19:33 PM

Robert Brown
Join the real world! Of course landlords want to keep good tenants, but also want to get rid of the dross as quickly, painlessly and cheaply as possible. As Andrew said above, if they get rid of no fault eviction, then every evicted tenant will have proven faulty and no decent landlord will want to touch them. This is already a reality in the SNP Republic of Scotland and has backfired on decent tenants with rents up 25% over last year.

From: Robert Brown 26 September 2018 18:31 PM

Robert Brown
Please explain how a smart meter is an energy saving measure?

From: Robert Brown 25 September 2018 19:13 PM

Robert Brown
I tried to sell a flat with a sitting tenant, but they wouldn't co-operate with keeping it tidy, being there to show buyers round or being out so agent could show buyers round. I got offered £20k less because it was a tip. Luckily I persuaded them to move to another property just vacated, spruced it up and got £30k more. I then didn't renew the lease on my other property to which they had moved, spruced it up and got £200 per month more from new better tenants! Sweet revenge! However our SNP lefty loonies are trying to stop Scottish landlords doing what they want with their own properties, so my timing was perhaps fortuitous. Bottom line? Take the hit on the lost rent. You'll get a much better price if you stay in control of its presentation rather than trust scruffy tenants.

From: Robert Brown 25 September 2018 19:07 PM

Robert Brown
Landlords who stick it out will benefit from the faint hearted who bail out due to more tenants chasing fewer properties, resulting in higher rents. It's already happened in Scotland where we have a choice of two loony parties vying to outloon each other in our toy parliament.

From: Robert Brown 25 September 2018 14:08 PM

Robert Brown
SNP have outawed fix term leases up here as part of recent legislation but still plenty of ways to ditch dodgy tenants, like major refurbishment required, property needed for own or family use, to be sold etc. Basically the most predictable effect will be fewer properties chased by more potential tenants and this higher rents.

From: Robert Brown 25 September 2018 14:00 PM

Robert Brown
Look at Scotland's btl market, following SNP's new prs legislation last December which abolished fixed term leases, limited rent increases to once per year. Result is fewer properties to let and rents up 25% for the most desirable properties. English landlords should relax if their properties are in demand as this plan will backfire on tenants as it has in Scotland.

From: Robert Brown 25 September 2018 13:55 PM

Robert Brown
Vote for Corbyn and his pals. After the cautious btl investors have sold up, rents will shoot up like they have in Scotland after the SNP's attempts to screw landlords have helped rents grow by 25 to 30% on new leases.

From: Robert Brown 23 September 2018 18:54 PM

Robert Brown
Agreed. No need to force longer term leases as the norm. Good tenants can stay as long as they like. It's the dross we want out ASAP. Since in Scotland most dross vote SNP their heroes have tried (and failed) to remove our rights to get shot of them, but have helped us to increase rents by over 25% due to fewer decent properties available for rent. Sincere thanks Nicola and cronies!

From: Robert Brown 23 September 2018 18:48 PM

Robert Brown
This understates the rent increases in Scotland on new rents following the SNP's crazy new PRS legislation last December. I now get £2100 per month for a. 4 bed student flat, which was £1650 last year and £1500 for several years earlier. SNP - sincere thanks! Just drop your crazy separist dreams and continue to find ways to help beleaguered landlords, then I might vote for you.

From: Robert Brown 23 September 2018 18:40 PM

Robert Brown
Why not go the whole hog and suggest rent free properties? Wait a minute..... With housing benefits and not criminalalising rent dodging, rent free properties are already a reality in modern Britain!

From: Robert Brown 19 September 2018 16:32 PM

Robert Brown
Or the tenant can simply ring or email the landlord or agent. In my experience many problems go unreported and then slow down the change over process when I finally discover them after the tenants have left.

From: Robert Brown 12 September 2018 17:30 PM

Robert Brown
I like, but not sure this is legal nowadays?

From: Robert Brown 12 September 2018 11:10 AM

Robert Brown
Best to budget for more blocked loos with these tenants?

From: Robert Brown 12 September 2018 10:56 AM

Robert Brown
As long as the younger generation like expensive coffees, cars on pcp lease deals and clothes bought with store cards, they'll need to keep on renting as they don't think far enough ahead to raise the deposit needed to buy. BTL's future as a secure long term investment is safe in their hands!

From: Robert Brown 12 September 2018 10:52 AM

Robert Brown
Last year I replaced some kitchens and bathrooms and incurred a lot of legal fees in remortgaging. Result? A tax loss. Response from tax man? An investigation - and lots of hassle! Lesson learned? Don't do anything that's not essential to improve your properties as the tax man would rather you spent less on maintenance and paid more tax!

From: Robert Brown 12 September 2018 10:20 AM

Robert Brown
Councils and SNP need to realise that the more unattractive they try to make the prs, the higher will be their bills for the homeless and the higher the rents for the flats still available for rent! Rent control has never worked and never will. Stop meddling with people's lives, both landlords' and tenants'.

From: Robert Brown 12 September 2018 10:07 AM

Robert Brown
In Glasgow, where the SNP "government" has added additional problems in removing all certainty in lease duration with its crazy new PRS legislation, rents for decent flats have gone up by 25% over the last 18 months. Heartfelt thanks to the SNP! Glad I'm a landlord and not a tenant!

From: Robert Brown 12 September 2018 10:00 AM

Robert Brown
I like it but not sure it's legal to avoid the statutory deposit schemes?

From: Robert Brown 06 September 2018 20:19 PM

Robert Brown
There are plenty of areas where too many tenants are chasing too few properties and this rents can go up to accommodate increased landlord costs. Why stick with areas where you have to subsidise tenants?

From: Robert Brown 06 September 2018 09:47 AM

Robert Brown
Typically, landlords are very happy for good tenants to stay long term. Only a government as idiotic as the SNP one would risk forcing landlords to suffer bad tenants indefinitely or bail out of btl, causing a supply crisis and a huge increase in rents. Glad the UK government has shown more common sense - although I'm grateful to SNP for my recent 25% rise in my rents in Glasgow!

From: Robert Brown 06 September 2018 09:41 AM

Robert Brown
Students make excellent tenants if parents sign joint and several liability guarantees as parents are usually solvent and sensible. Flats in Edinburgh and St Andrews can also be let as holiday lets in vacation times, although the SNP's recent removal of the landlord's right to determine lease periods threatens this opportunity which will lead to higher rents and reduced availability for these students. However, 4 bed student flats can now command £2100 per month, yielding 8 to 10% gross.

From: Robert Brown 15 August 2018 22:43 PM

Robert Brown
Throughout our society, the "good" subsidise the bad. Much more use should be made of giving those who are "bad" or even rent defaulters etc. unpaid labour - picking up litter, painting public buildings etc to at least get some payback and act as a disincentive to the lazy and feckless and a possible way into paid work for the unfortunate or misled potentially "good" among them.

From: Robert Brown 15 August 2018 10:00 AM

Robert Brown
I agree that's a real danger, which is why I'm putting my rents up as much as I can while I still can do so. Every attempt to control a market through legislation always backfires on the most vulnerable that the loony left claim they want to protect.

From: Robert Brown 14 August 2018 11:36 AM

Robert Brown
This is already proving a disaster in Scotland. Tenants are moving in and then giving 4 weeks notice because they are only needing a short term let while on a short term contract. This along with the huge numbers of landlords selling up actually works against availability of long term let's. My letting agent advised me to ask for an extra 20% on properties recently vacated and I got it from the first viewers. My heartfelt thanks to the SNP and their fellow loony lefties in Holyrood.

From: Robert Brown 14 August 2018 09:21 AM

Robert Brown
As I said in an earlier similar article, I wouldn't want to rent to tenants who aren't confident they will hand my properties back as they found them. As the article says, deposits are refundable. Insurance premiums aren't. These insurance schemes are the next generation ppi scams.

From: Robert Brown 14 August 2018 09:11 AM

Robert Brown
My computer breaks. Do I blame computer engineers for not making better computers? No. I'm just happy they're available to fix it at high (if market) costs. My fancy new phone makes a huge profit for the world's richest company. Do I resent this? No. I'm actually perversely pleased to show other geeks I can afford this type of rip off. I need somewhere to live locally. Do I thank Landlords for providing high quality local accommodation at market rents? Anyone see the disconnected thinking here? BTW - the I here is not me but unfortunately is not just a figment of my imagination!

From: Robert Brown 07 August 2018 14:02 PM

Robert Brown
All rogues - landlords or tenants - should be prosecuted. Pity it always seems to be one sided. A register of both lots would help both decent landlords and tenants.

From: Robert Brown 07 August 2018 10:55 AM

Robert Brown
Sticks and stones! I know I'm a good landlord. More importantly my tenants know it too. Even more importantly I am now a rich landlord mainly due to market forces brought about by shortage of rental properties exacerbated by the lefties and gutter press. To both groups my heartfelt thanks. Keep it up!

From: Robert Brown 07 August 2018 10:48 AM

Robert Brown
The directors should be held personally liable for all such things, especially the over paid plc directors of companies such as RBS, BHS, Carillion etc.

From: Robert Brown 06 August 2018 16:43 PM

Robert Brown
If tenants aspire to be property owners they will surely welcome such a taster of the real world and being treated like actual owners! Next step is to make them pay for any repairs or replacement inventory items needed. After all that's what being a grown up property owner entails. Perhaps they'll have to cut back on new car pcp payments, fancy holidays and overpriced coffees. These things seem to be the priority spending for many tenants.

From: Robert Brown 06 August 2018 16:26 PM

Robert Brown
There are still plenty of profitable btl opportunities around. In Glasgow a flat costing £80k can get over £6k in annual rent, yielding 7.5% gross. If fully mortgaged at around 2% Apr that still yields over 5%. Larger properties costing under £300k can get £25k annual rent or a gross yield of 8 to 9% and 10 or more groups chasing every such available rental opportunity. I don't like what Osborne has done but the squeeze on over extended landlords has helped my annual rental income grow by over 20% over the last 3 years without having to make any further Capital investment. More pain can mean more gain for those who can bear it.

From: Robert Brown 06 August 2018 16:17 PM

Robert Brown
I have just paid £900 to a specialist letting agent in Glasgow for tenant find, but they are getting me £2100 per month for a 4 bedroom flat that I had only been getting £1500 per month for - so money well spent this time. Next time? We'll see what the benefit is then. Moral? If agents add value then I'm happy to use them, but not otherwise.

From: Robert Brown 05 August 2018 09:45 AM

Robert Brown
If it were made a criminal offence and offenders properly prosecuted then it might deter some of them and at least the landlord would have the satisfaction of knowing that they hadn't got off scot free as currently happens.

From: Robert Brown 03 August 2018 17:26 PM

Robert Brown
I tried to reply to the reply about Tory leeches. I'm not a great fan of them but they're infinitely preferable to the SNP zealots up here in Scotland and Corbyn's Loony Leftists. I think the base rate hike is due and will have a neglible effect on the prs, much less than the damage done by Osborne.

From: Robert Brown 03 August 2018 17:15 PM

Robert Brown
This was done by the independent Bank of England and expected for long enough to get a longer term fix to avoid it. The Government is no friend of btl landlords but this is not their doing.

From: Robert Brown 03 August 2018 09:29 AM

Robert Brown
Next story is about a rogue landlord being fined £15k - probably quite justifiably- but why are rogue tenants not fined for malicious damage? Why is continuing to live in a property with no intention of paying the rent not fraud or theft? Incidentally the charity shelter and student representative bodies also recommend staying put until the bailiffs come. The bailiffs should have the right to arrest those who have failed to comply with court orders and charge their fees to them and not the landlord victims.

From: Robert Brown 02 August 2018 12:25 PM

Robert Brown
I don't know why someone would give up earning £4600 from a spare room just because they had to pay tax on the last £100 of that. The rent a room allowance has been hijacked by air BNB landlords avoiding tax and normal landlords providing homes are making up the shortfalls.

From: Robert Brown 01 August 2018 19:42 PM

Robert Brown
This article is missing the real point which is that this relief was fair at around £4500 when landlords got tax relief on mortgage interest. It should have been withdrawn when the landlord tax relief was withdrawn and if kept should only apply where a room is let as a long term home, not as a holiday let. It's also crazy that all furnished holiday lets qualify for better mortgage tax and CGT relief than long term lets providing long term affordable homes.

From: Robert Brown 01 August 2018 11:23 AM

Robert Brown
I don't agree that we need "independent" or professionally produced inventories, just accurate ones mutually agreed by landlord and tenants. This mob are just wanting to feather their own nests by pushing for yet another unnecessary cost to be borne by tenants (because they always pay in the end). What both landlords and tenants need is less bureaucracy, less unnecessary expense and more understanding of how vital the prs is in providing affordable homes to those with no other option.

From: Robert Brown 01 August 2018 11:09 AM

Robert Brown
Effectively tenants are being charged a non returnable 1 week's extra rent because they don't think they can take sufficient care of other people's properly to ensure getting their full deposit back! Sorry but I prefer tenants who expect to take proper care of my flats and contents. So far, over 20 years and around 200 tenancies, while flats aren't handed back pristine, it's never seemed worth the effort in disputing refunding the deposit. Giving a good reference seems to be a better incentive than deductions from the deposits.

From: Robert Brown 28 July 2018 10:40 AM

Robert Brown
The Association of Mouse Trap Suppliers, Purple Towel Washers and Yellow Bucket Purveyors have statistics to prove these items are essential in every flat. People die every day in flats with no clean purple towels! Why has Landlord Today not highlighted this indisputable fact? PS: I still have stocks of all such essentials at ludicrously high prices. Buy now before your local Council forces you to get them or evict your tenants if stocks run out!

From: Robert Brown 28 July 2018 10:25 AM

Robert Brown
That probably makes all 3 of you happy as I doubt either would be keen to rent to you either! I wonder if the Ashford councillors would accept personal liability for such fines if their subsidised council tenants' boilers weren't fixed in 4 days.

From: Robert Brown 20 July 2018 10:04 AM

Robert Brown
More potential tenants than available properties means market forces will allow rents to increase, even if landlords are unaffected by any of the increases cited above. Tenants might need to cut back on expensive coffees, holidays and pcp cars as finding money for a home has to come first. Tenants can forego a Crunchie or Morning Star some days if cash is short but rent needs paid for every day they live in a property. Happy Days!

From: Robert Brown 16 May 2018 09:41 AM

Robert Brown
If tenants spent less on coffees, booze, eating out, holidays and leasing cars they would save up the purchase deposits much faster.

From: Robert Brown 27 April 2018 11:57 AM

Robert Brown
So tenants are now having to submit sealed bids? Welcome to the real world! Landlords have had to do this for the best properties for decades.

From: Robert Brown 27 April 2018 11:19 AM

Robert Brown
Surely the answer is to compel tenants to spend £15 or so on a CO alarm of their own? Teach them a bit of self sufficiency and to take some responsibility for their own lives instead of nicking the batteries out of the alarms that most landlords always fit?

From: Robert Brown 18 April 2018 16:02 PM

Robert Brown
No need for us to lose heart as long as we can pass increased costs on to tenants. Only a drop in demand will stop this possibility and that's hardly likely given the millenial generation's preference for fancy cars and holidays, eating out and expensive coffee bars instead of saving for deposits.

From: Robert Brown 18 April 2018 15:56 PM

Robert Brown
Things are a lot different than when Mary Barbour was alive. If she were a Glasgow councillor now she'd probably have a portfolio of her own to keep her until she got a safe seat in Holyrood beside Leonard and his out of date cronies.

From: Robert Brown 18 April 2018 15:48 PM

Robert Brown
Lenders boycotting pensioners should realise that pensions are the safest from of income. High salaries stop when jobs are lost. Pensioners also tend to have more time and cash to keep properties maintained and tenants happy, further reducing the risk on rent losses due to voids.

From: Robert Brown 18 April 2018 15:40 PM

Robert Brown
This man has cost decent Glasgow landlords (and therefore their tenants) thousands through Glasgow Council's over- reaction to that tragedy - and yet they have allowed him to continue his evil practices for the last 14 years! He should be jailed and Council officials fired.

From: Robert Brown 05 April 2018 09:03 AM

Robert Brown
Many dampness issues are due to tenants failing to adequately heat or ventilate properties. Are landlords to be fined for tenants' indolence in such circumstances?

From: Robert Brown 24 January 2018 10:38 AM

Robert Brown
Glad to hear of a landlord getting justice for a change. I hope this waster pays up and gets a real job actually working for a living, although I for one wouldn't employ him in any capacity however menial.

From: Robert Brown 16 January 2018 11:42 AM

Robert Brown
Fined £1000 for not replacing light bulb and for not replacing a kitchen bin! Totally over the top. In any case surely Tenants should do these things themselves!

From: Robert Brown 10 January 2018 09:18 AM

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