Renting Property in Bristol - the rents continue to rise

Tenants are facing steep increases in rents as landlords push prices back to levels not seen since the start of the economic slowdown.

The south east in just one month have seen landlords push up rents by 2.8%, London has also seen a rise during August of 2%

Letting property in Bristol has itself on an average of all properties from studios to 5 bed houses seen rents decrease by 2.4% in the last quarter. So if your a tenant you have been lucky.

Average rents are below

                                                September                  August                         July

Studio                                      551                              516                              477

1 Bed                                       554                              548                              534

2 Bed                                       685                              688                              676

3 Bed                                       793                              776                              768

All types average                    766                              768                              784

Behind the increase in rent is supply and demand – which is currently strongly in favour of landlords. "accidental landlords" who put their properties up for rent when the market froze during the financial crisis has now fallen back, decreasing the supply of properties on to the market.

Meanwhile, first time buyers squeezed out of the purchase market as they cannot stump up sizeable deposits demanded by lenders, are switching to renting, instead.

Rents are jumping up as more and more potential home buyers opt to rent. People are wary of a crash in house prices and concerned over the effect of government cuts on their own ability to meet long-term financial commitments. Additionally, many can't get a mortgage at an affordable rate.

As more people are forced to rent, campaigning group Shelter says more are also becoming the victim of landlord scams. Its research found almost one million Britons have fallen victim to a scam involving a private tenancy or landlord in the past three years.

The private rented sector has increased more rapidly than any other tenure, with three million households now privately renting and predictions that one in five people will be living in the sector by 2020.

I didn’t sign an agreement, so I can walk away right? Or wrong?

As a Bristol letting agent, having dealt with thousands of students over the last decade, I sometimes came up on dare I say calculating, the defaulting and the fleeing tenant, who said ‘well I didn’t sign a tenancy in the beginning, so I don’t have any obligations as a tenant’  Often this was through no fault of the agent.

Sadly for the said tenant, not signing an agreement does not exonerate you from your liabilities as  a tenant. Its a myth, unfortunately for them. You can actually have a proper legal tenancy without there being any paperwork at all.
These are called oral tenancies, not to be advised or recommended to either the tenant or Landlord.

If you move into someone’s property, and start paying rent, you will most likely have a tenancy.

The reason it is a big no no for tenants and landlords alike is that often memories fade, and what was agreed verbal often get forgotten or misinterpreted.  With no agreement, it’s not possible to use the accelerated possession procedure, if you should need to get rid of the tenant. Also for the tenant especially in uncertain economic times, if they need to apply for any form of benefit they will need a tenancy agreement.

So whether you are either a tenant or Landlord you are better off with a properly drafted agreement.

Mould and Mildew - Prevention

Mould & Mildew...

There are two types of mould and mildew that can develop during a tenancy:

1) Low level damp penetration to outer walls normally creeping up the walls from the bottom.

In most cases this indicates a maintenance issue for the landlord.

2) High level mould normally seen on ceilings, silicone sealant around bath fittings and

window frames. This is almost certainly caused by a combination of high humidity and

lack of ventilation.

In either case, the problem should be kept under control or even eradicated by using a good

quality proprietary treatment readily available from retailers. In our experience, the most effective

brand is Hagesan Mould Spray which can be purchased from www.amazon.co.uk

Here is what one satisfied user said about the product.

This is honestly the ONLY product to successfully remove black mould. I live in a very hard water area and have a large corner shower with beautiful uneven tiles and large white lines of grout between them. Since the bathroom was decorated nine years ago, I've fought a losing battle against horrendous black and orange mould. Having tried every other product on the market I picked up a bottle of this in my local supermarket, assuming it wouldn't make any difference. The instructions say spray on the affected area, leave for half an hour, then clean off. I sprayed on a generous amount and forgot about it! A couple of hours later I went back to the bathroom and the shower was gleaming white - no mould, looking absolutely brand new!!! I couldn't believe it. After years wearing out toothbrushes, brillo pads (?!)and every other cleaning utensil and product out there, not only does this stuff work but you hardly need any effort. Be warned - it is STRONG. It smells like a swimming pool that has just been clorinated and it's best to open a window, spray the area, and leave, closing the door behind you. If you can't do that, I suggest you wear a DIY mask.
There are warnings and useage instructions on the bottle. To be frank, I don't care what's in it (not very 'green' I know) as long as it does the job. After use, the grout stayed perfectly white for about three months, and the tiles had a fabulous sparkle. I'm just about to re-do a few small patches where the black is creeping back. I bought a 750ml bottle which should keep my very large shower enclosure mould free for a whole year.

A cheaper alternative can be diluted bleach in a small spray bottle, add a few tablespoons of white vinegar. The combination works a treat.

10 great tenant finds by inventory clerks

A survey of UK inventory clerks compiled by TVIA (The Video Inventory Agency) has revealed some eyebrow raising incidents involving UK property tenants in the last 12 months.

Structural damage to a ceiling when installing a pole dancing studio in her front room in Birmingham.

Two storey extension had been built without the landlord's knowledge or planning permission.

Tenants had moved back in to a supposedly empty property.

Cannabis plants being grown in a cupboard by a doctor who claimed they were for "medicinal purposes".

Attempt to bribe an inventory clerk not to report damages.

Whip and other sex toys left by tenant who said they were for "horse riding".

Medical students claimed doctors were exempt from having to tidy up after themselves.

Denied carpet was dirty and needed vacuuming because she'd "only been here for six months".

10 year old cherry tree stolen by tenant who'd lived in the property for six months claimed he "planted it myself".

Several illegal immigrant families revealed by an interim inspection to be living in a two bedroom property, including one in the attic.


info kindly from propertywire

Are you Protected by your Landlord

Tenants 'should ask landlords' for proof of registration

Tenants are not aware of the mandatory safeguards that are in place when they are renting a property, one expert has indicated.

A spokesman for the Tenancy Deposit Scheme said those who are leasing a domicile should always ask for proof of registration.

"If for any reason you are not going through an agent, which can happen, you always have that first line of defence regardless of how you actually find the property," he added.

The representative explained the document will ensure the deposit is protected, as this is likely to be the largest amount of money a resident will have handed over.

He noted proprietors who have not registered their tenants will be liable for a fine worth three times the amount they put down to secure the deal.

According to Shelter, almost one million people have been the victim of a scam involving a private tenancy agreement in the last three years
 



info by kind permission of houseladder.co.uk

5 Dodgy Landlord scams

Shelter has put together the top five scams which are most prevalent among dodgy landlords, so if you are a renter be sure to be on your guard against these:

1) Let and run

This is a particularly scary scam. Con-artists break into an empty property, and then attempt to rent it out as their own. They’ll convince the unsuspecting tenant to hand over a stack of cash in the deposit and initial rent payments, at which point they’ll disappear.

2) Duped into debt

This ruse is where the landlord takes huge sums of money for hidden costs (fees for a tenancy inspection for example) without the tenant’s knowledge. The dodgy landlord will then ‘forget’ to inform the tenant about this cost, putting them immediately into arrears.

3) Receipt rip-off

Here, the fraudster will ask for money to be wired from the tenant as a sign of good faith that the tenant is committed to letting the property. However, this money won’t be wired to the fraudster – it will be sent to a friend of the tenant or relative. All the scammer will ask for is a receipt of the transfer.

Sadly, that’s all they’ll need to get away with your money, and they may even be able to get their hands on your entire account.

4) No need for a deposit                                                            

Here’s an awful scam that targets not just the tenants, but their loved ones as well.

Rather than ask for a deposit, the dodgy landlord will instead request the details of guarantors. Then, when the tenancy agreement comes to an end, the guarantors are then liable for very expensive, and generally unnecessary, ‘repairs’.

 5) Unprotected deposits

Since 2007, landlords have been required to protect the deposits their tenants hand over.

Before that, there were often disputes between landlords and their tenants about whether the deposit should be returned – the landlord may claim the property was damaged, and so should keep the deposit to cover the repairs, for example, even if no repairs were actually necessary.

Now though, landlords must keep the deposit in an official protection scheme to ensure that tenants do indeed get the deposit back so long as they have kept up their end of the contract, rather than the whole thing relying on the mood of the landlord.

However, according to Shelter’s findings, many landlords are still avoiding complying with their legal requirements, and then keep hold of the deposit at the end of the tenancy for no good reason.

Igloolets are pleased to say that as a Bristol Letting Agent, we do not condone any Bristol Landlords, using sharp practices against tenants. As a Letting Agency we pride ourselves in walking away from unprofessional Landlords or unprofessional practices. We use the DPS to protect all tenant deposits, and check in and check outs are carried out by independent inventory clerks. If you would like further help, advice or support in renting a property in Bristol, feel free to call us on 0845 652 1428 or 0117 230 5056 or send us an email  at admin@igloolets.com

7 Reasons why renting is better than buying

England has always been a land of home buyers and not renters, unlike lots of the other countries in europe. We have always had the urge to buy more so than rent. However, times are changing, because of the instability of  the economy, unemployment and job requirements resulting in relocation, more and more people are finding that renting a property is practical and flexible.


The stigma associated to renting as being the ‘poor relative’ when compared to the housebuyer has long gone and instead has been replaced as a popular and intelligent option.  With government legislation focusing on the private tenant’s protection and security, it’s never been a better time to rent.

Reasons to Rent

• No committment to mortgage lenders.
• No house repairs/maintenance.
• Flexibility with areas and regions.
• No worry or stress related to interest rates.
• Government benefits and help towards rent.
• No building insurance.
• Not being tied down, the knowledge that you can serve your notice and move.

“  Although the bulk of the enquiries we receive are from landlords, we get a lot of people asking advice about becoming a tenant.  Most enquiries are about tenancy agreements.  Tenants who are new to renting tend to be concerned about the length of an AST.  There is a misconception that landlords are likely to evict tenants at the end of a tenancy term.  This is seldom the case.  If a landlord is happy with a tenant, he/she will want that tenant to stay and the tenancy will just continue.  As a Bristol Letting Agent, we always do our best to maintain a good relationship with tenants, and because of this we know landlords that have had the same tenant for years,”  


Questions are welcome from both Landlords and tenants, we will always to our best to give honest and objective answers, relating to rented property in bristol. You can contact us on 0845 652 1428 or 1117 230 5056 or via our site www.igloolets.com

Is-a-tenant-covered-on-a-landlords-insurance-policy

As a Bristol Letting Agent, sadly I have seen distraught tenants having had their rented property in Bristol broken into suddenly realise that their Landlords insurance does not cover their lost possessions

Most people who are renting their home from someone else my have little or no experience with insurance or may have never needed to make a claim so they are unaware as to what is covered by a  landlord insurance policy or a renters insurance policy. Hopefully we can put together some information that can be helpful to the tenant and the landlord when thinking about what insurance to buy.

So that as a tenant you understand insurance in general, we have initially included a breakdown of the likely insurance cover that your Landlord has. If you really cant be bothered to read it, skip the next six paragraphs where we explain all about tenant insurance.

Igloolets are pleased to be associated with Endsleigh Insurance because we believe that they offer some of the most comprehensive and competitive insurance for tenants

Click here for a quote for tenants insurance from endsleigh insurance

Landlord Insurance

A landlord insurance policy is designed to insure the interests of the landlord. The landlord owns the building and receives rent from a tenant if the property is occupied. In the event of a fire the landlord can suffer losses to include damage to the building, damage to other structures like a garage or shed, loss of rent if the tenant can’t live in the property due to a covered loss, or even a liability claim should someone get hurt on the property and the landlord is found to be negligent. Now lets break down the coverages a little more to make it a little more clear.

Building or Fire Insurance. A basic policy will insure the building for damages resulting from a fire. The fire can be the fault of the landlord, the insured, or something else entirely. Other hazards that may cause a loss are wind, hail, vandalism, malicious mischief, and leaky pipes. Other hazards are not automatically covered on a basic fire policy and may have to be purchased in addition to the fire coverage. If the loss is the result of the tenants negligence the landlord may be covered as long as the policy is written as a tenant occupied property and the cause of loss was a covered peril. Perils can be fire, wind, hail, VM&M, or leaky pipes.

Other Structures. This coverage is for any structure owned by the landlord that is not attached to the house. A detached garage, shed, or fence would be an example of an other structure. All the hazards or covered losses would be the same as the building coverage. Other structures is not always an automatic coverage and may have to be purchased separately on the policy.

Landlords Contents. This would cover contents of the landlord to include a stove, dishwasher, or other appliances or property owned by the landlord and left for the use of the tenant. This property is covered on the contents portion of the landlords policy up to the specified limit. Not always an automatic coverage and may have to be purchased separately on the policy.

Loss of Rent. This is often a misunderstood coverage. Loss of rents provides coverage for the landlord if the property is damaged due to a covered loss and the tenant can not live in the property until it is repaired. The loss of rents pays the landlord lost rents that they can not collected from the tenant because the house is unlivable. The coverage does not provide housing or living expenses for the tenant, only the rents the landlord can not collect from the tenant while the property is being repaired. Coverage for the tenant to provide housing is covered under a tenant or renters insurance policy which we will discuss later in this post.

Medical and Liability Coverage.Liability insurance would be for more extensive medical treatment and/or pain and suffering. This is the amount a person, either the tenant or a guest, could sue the landlord for injuries caused by the property of the landlord. Common lawsuits brought against landlords are for poor maintenance of the paths and steps driveways, missing rails, or other property hazards and can result in a liability claim to the landlord. Even if the person was a guest of the tenant, the landlord can still be responsible for their injuries.

Renters Insurance or Tenant Insurance.

A renters insurance policy is a policy purchased by the tenant and is separate from the landlords insurance policy. The renters insurance policy covers the contents owned by the tenant, loss of use due to a covered loss, tenants fire legal liability limit which actually provides coverage for the landlord, and liability coverage should someone be hurt or injured due to the fault or neglect of the tenant. A typical renters policy will cost only a few pounds each month, depending on the company and the coverages offered. Now lets break these down a little more.

Contents. This is coverage is for a tenant should they lose the things they own due to a covered loss. If the home catches on fire and the tenant has damage to their clothes, furniture, and other possessions, the policy would cover the loss up to the amount of coverage. A basic renters policy will usually cover £10,000 of the tenants possessions but can be more or less.

Loss of use. This is almost like the loss of rents coverage except the tenant is the person who receives the benefit. If a property is unlivable due to a covered loss, the insurance company will pay for the tenant to live somewhere else like a hotel until the property is repaired or the coverage runs out. Most policies state how much or how long they will pay for alternate housing while the property is being repaired. To summarize the difference, loss of rents is on the landlords policy and pays the landlord for lost rents, loss of use is on the renters policy and provides housing or money to the tenant.

Fire Legal Liability Limit. This is coverage that provides money to the landlord should the tenant be responsible for the claim. If a tenant is smoking in the home and causes a house fire resulting in £25,000 in damage, the landlord can sue the tenant for the damage to the property because it was the tenants fault. The insurance company for the tenant would represent the tenant and pay for the damages to the landlord if it is a covered peril such as fire. In most rental contracts a landlord can charge a tenant for damages to the property and they collect a security deposit to help offset a small amount of damage. So fire legal liability limit coverage is on a tenants policy and pays the landlord if the tenant is responsible for the damage and the damage is a covered peril. The policy probably will not cover intentional damage to the property as an example. Most landlords require tenants to have a renters insurance policy for this exact reason.

Liability Insurance. This works the same way as it does for the landlord but since the tenant is not usually responsible for the general maintenance of the property this would cover negligence of the tenant like a trip hazard such as a something left lying around which they trip over.

Click here for a quote for tenants insurance from Endsleigh Insurance

We hope you found this information to be useful. This is not an all inclusive list and does not represent what an insurance policy will or will not cover. These are general terms and should only be used as an educational guide. Always consult your agent and read your policy to make sure you have the coverage you need and want.