There is a daunting catalogue of risks faced by empty property, compared to that which is occupied on a more or less permanent basis. The list typically includes loss or damage to the property resulting from:

• fire and arson;
• squatting;
• theft and vandalism;
• other trespassers;
• use for illegal parties, raves or trading;
• fly-tipping;
• flooding caused by ingress of water or burst water pipes; and
• losses arising from property owners’ liability claims.

Above all, remember that your landlord insurance policy is no substitute for well-planned and regular maintenance. Loss or damage that occurs because of your neglect or failure to maintain the property is not covered by your insurance.

Reasons for your property standing empty and unoccupied

There are many reasons why your property may be unoccupied for more than a month or so.

You might be:

• taking an extended holiday, for example, or working away from home for a period;
• renovating the property, which remains unsuitable for you or tenants to live in during building works;
• moving home and have already taken up residence in your new house whilst the former home remains on the market for sale; or you may have an interest in a property which is subject to probate, pending decisions on its eventual disposal.

Keeping your empty property safe

These are times when you might want to consider the need for the type of unoccupied property insurance, described in greater detail in our free guide on the subject.

The need for unoccupied property insurance arises because the standard home building and contents insurance – or landlord insurance if it is let property – is likely to provide inadequate protection once the premises have been unoccupied for longer than 45 to 60 consecutive days.

Although the exact period varies from one insurer to another, in practically every instance, insurance cover becomes restricted – or is allowed to lapse entirely – once the property has been unoccupied for longer than a month or so. In the place of your standard home or landlord insurance, therefore, specialist unoccupied property insurance is necessary to keep the house safe.

Quick tips

There are a few basic things you might want to think about if your property is going to be empty for anything more than a relatively short period:

1. make sure that your insurance remains valid. As we mentioned above, once your property has sat unoccupied for more than around 30-45 consecutive days (the exact number will typically be specified in your existing property insurance policy), your cover may become invalid;
2. you might need an unoccupied property insurance quote to make sure you benefit from continuity of cover – specialist providers of unoccupied property insurance such as ourselves here at Cover4LetProperty will be able to provide additional details;
3. think about security – many burglaries, attacks of vandalism and squatting episodes, are essentially opportunistic so, anything you can do to hide the fact that your property is sitting unoccupied from potentially prying eyes, might help keep it that bit safer. If there are internal building or redecoration works underway, try to avoid allowing builders to hang their signs so that they are visible from outside the property;
4. good examples of how to help camouflage your property in that respect include making sure that there are no accumulations of post in letterboxes, putting lights on timer switches, regularly adjusting the position of curtains and blinds when visiting and making sure that garden areas are kept in a good and tidy condition;
5. visit your property regularly to check for small problems that might become big ones through inaction because no one is in residence to notice them. Typically, this may also be a condition of any empty property insurance you arrange, too;
6. shut off your water and gas at source and drain down the heating and water systems if you believe that the property is like to sit empty for some considerable time. A possible exception might arise where a freeze is forecast and, in that case, you may need to leave the central heating on an occasional use low thermostat level in order to avoid frost damage (check your policy terms and conditions for clarification);
7. prevent any of the various forms of infestation from taking hold. One of the most useful things here is to ensure that absolutely no foodstuffs are left anywhere in your property. You might also wish to consider things such as sonic repellents or humane traps and the like. Remember, it can be extremely difficult to remove infestations once they become established;
8. you might wish to position dehumidifiers and deodorizers at certain parts of your property to stop a damp and aged smell arising from a property that has stood unoccupied for some time.
9. ensure that quality locks and bolts are not only fitted to doors and windows – but are also properly used and secured;
10. cancel any scheduled deliveries and making arrangements for anything else delivered to the address is taken indoors by a neighbour, friend or relative;
11. consider asking a neighbour to park their car on your driveway from time to time – helping to create the impression that someone may be at home;
12. avoid putting up signs anywhere confirming that you are away and advising people what to do in the interim.

A further word on insurance

This brief blog has not touched on other categories of risks arising with unoccupied properties, such as those associated with leaking pipes etc.

However, in terms of criminal intrusion and other potential forms of property damage, whatever steps you take, you may in a worst-case scenario need to fall back on your unoccupied property insurance.

Remember that some empty property insurance cover is rather more limited than that available with other policies. For example, some policies of this type might only offer what is called “FLEA” protection – standing for Fire, Lightning, Explosion and Aircraft.

You may find that type of cover is too limited for your peace of mind and selecting an appropriate policy is something that you may need specialist assistance with. Why not call us today on 01702 606 301 to find out more? We offer various levels of unoccupied property cover to meet your needs and your budget.

Further reading: Guide to Unoccupied Property.

Do you need business contents insurance?

Just sit yourself down with your landlord’s hat on and start valuing all the contents in your buy to let property (or properties). You’ll probably be surprised at how much they may be worth.

Since you are in the business of being a landlord, the contents of your rental property are business assets.  And that means that business contents insurance – or landlords contents insurance, as it might also be known – may be worth thinking about.

Bear in mind that this article relates to landlords’ residential properties and not commercial lets, where there are many variants of business insurance including that for commercial business premises, business equipment, and insurance for business activities.

Why you may need landlord’s contents insurance cover

As a landlord, you are almost certainly aware of the importance of landlord’s buildings insurance to protect your business. But what about insuring the contents, such as those in communal areas or in furnished lets and HMO’s?

In case you were wondering about whether you need business contents insurance, you may want to consider how you would fund the task of replacing the items that you have left at the property if they were destroyed or damaged as the result of insurable risks and perils such as a fire, flooding, or storm damage, for example.

Some landlords provide white goods, and most provide cookers and ovens for their tenants to use. If you regularly let rooms to students, you may find that you provide beds, desks, and wardrobes too.

Would you be able to replace the items from your own pocket, or would you instead have to take out a loan?

Rather than “do you really need business contents insurance?” the question you might want to ask yourself is what you would do without business contents insurance.

Business contents insurance details

Take a moment or two to look at the details of several residential landlords’ business insurance policies and you are likely to find that each one is slightly different – and that isn’t just a question of the cost of the premiums.

Despite the differences of detail, however, landlords’ business insurance policies will typically cover similar risks, such as:

• theft;
• fire;
• storm damage;
• earthquake;
• civil commotion; and

It may also be well worth your while taking a look at the terms, conditions, exclusions, and limitations to determine whether you would have to change any of your current practices (security provisions, type of tenant accommodated, and so on) to meet your insurer’s expectations.

While the above point is important in general terms, it’s worth keeping in mind the following specific points relating to your business contents insurance:

• contents cover may be restricted to certain parts of your property and items kept outside, such as garden furniture, might be excluded;
• some item categories may also be excluded – examples might include antiques, perishables, or individual items in excess of a specified maximum value;
• the total amount claimable overall may be capped at a specified maximum claim value; and
• some insurance policies might require you to produce original receipts as evidence of purchase and worth.

Business insurance policies should be compared in all these respects in order to obtain a balanced view as to their suitability. At Cover4LetProperty, we can help you do this so that you choose the most cost-effective and comprehensive insurance for your let property business and its contents.

Choosing insurance for a business as a landlord

When it comes to choosing your business insurance provider, you might want to consider more than the risks and perils covered by any policy. You may also want to bear in mind the price of the cover, and the kind of service the provider may offer. For example, you may want to take into account what hours the client helplines are open, and how easy or difficult it is to get through to a real person.

Given that no two property rental businesses are the same, you may wish to make sure that the business contents insurance you have selected meets your individual needs. Accordingly, a specialist website with telephone backup – just as we offer – may be a good place to start looking for the most appropriate insurance for a business.

Your tenants’ contents

It would be sensible to encourage your tenants to take out insurance to protect their own possessions while on your property.

Your own landlords’ contents cover will typically apply to your possessions and not, in most circumstances, to those of your tenants. They should not believe that your insurance would cover them if, for example, the property was burgled and their possessions were stolen, or water damage caused damage to their possessions.

Be alert, too, to property upgrades and their knock-on consequences for your landlord business.

If you significantly upgrade and expand your property, not only will you need to inform your buildings insurance provider (as the sum insured may need to be increased and the property details updated) it might also have a consequential effect on your contents and their valuation too. That might be particularly so with substantial renovations where you might have sub-divided and added additional kitchens or bathrooms and the like.

Remember to notify your contents insurance provider in cases like this and think carefully and realistically about the total revised value of your contents.

Consider fixtures and fittings versus contents

Landlords’ buildings policies will typically include cover for fixtures and fittings.

In some situations, especially those involving unfurnished lets, you might be entertaining the notion that specific contents cover isn’t required.

That is likely to be a mistaken assumption.

Look at each policy carefully and be certain that its definitions match the reality as you see it – particularly if you’re inclined to think that you do not need contents cover.

How can we help?

Cover4 Let Property is calling out to all you UK based landlords to come and try the services of a buy to let UK property insurance expert.

We are proud of what we believe is a first-class service backed with affordable premiums. Our call centre is UK based and we offer competitive quotations for your building and contents insurance for your buy to let UK based property.

But our landlord insurance UK services do not stop there.

After sales service

We always ensure that our after sales service continues at the same high standards.

We will be on hand to answer any queries you may have regarding your building and contents insurance for your buy to let UK property – you can contact our landlord insurance UK property experts on 01702 606 301or by emailing us at cover4letproperty@alanblunden.co.uk.

What happens if I need to make claim?

In the event of you having to make a claim for your buy to let UK property insured with Cover4 Let Property our staff will remain on hand to guide you through the process to ensure that your claim is swiftly dealt with by your insurers. There is no point having landlord insurance UK for your property if no one will help you make a claim!

We pride ourselves on our service levels and encourage you to speak to our building and contents insurance experts to discuss the requirements you have for insuring your buy to let UK based property.

Get cover with us today

Cover4LetProperty provides what we believe is market-leading cover at competitive rates for buildings and contents insurance. We are here to provide the insurance solution for your investment and provide you with a one-stop shop for all your insurance needs.

Our landlord’s business cover provides you with the peace of mind that is afforded only by what we consider to be superior cover, ensuring that should the worst happen, you are protected.

We use a panel of specialist insurers in the market and enjoy an excellent relationship with each and every one of our providers. This means we can go that extra mile to ensure you are completely satisfied with your landlord’s business contents insurance.

Our Cover4LetProperty team is here to ensure you receive a service that exceeds your expectations at all times. Our team comprises experts in the field of property cover and are they are here to ensure you receive the policy that most suits your needs.

You can contact the business contents insurance team on 01702 606 301 or alternatively visit our website and email them directly.

Remember, landlord insurance UK is only a mouse click or phone call away with Cover4LetProperty.

To obtain a quick easy quote, simply complete our online quote form or telephone us and our team will find the cover that meets your individual requirements.

At the heart of any successful home renovation project is the renovation insurance that safeguards the existing structure and fabric of the building from loss or damage.

It is important not to lose sight of this critical safety net at a time when many people who are emerging from the restrictions and privations of lockdown look to extend their home to create more space, make better use of its internal layout, or create a home office.

While planning consent, architectural and engineering input, and your budget are all going to be important factors in any renovation project, underpinning them all and lending the whole undertaking the security you need is renovation insurance.

Insurance to the fore

With the importance of insurance to the fore, when you are planning any renovation project, therefore, consider the status of your home insurance cover – essentially, does it provide the cover you continue to need?

Unless your idea of renovation amounts to little more than a quick lick of paint, probably the best way of establishing what cover you do or do not have is to ask your current home insurance provider.

In some cases, your existing cover will be unaffected by your plans to refurbish or even remodel your home.

The big exception, though, comes when you are planning anything that changes – or threatens to impact on – the physical integrity and structure of your home. When knocking down walls, building an extension, or doing anything that affects the structure of the building, you are almost certain to find that your home insurance incorporates important exclusions.

This means that if those works are excluded, your home insurance policy will typically become invalid.

What is renovation insurance?

At its simplest, renovation insurance is specialist cover designed to restore the safeguards temporarily excluded from your regular home insurance while building works are in progress.

Renovation insurance provides standalone cover that replaces your regular home insurance for the duration – so that the existing structure and fabric of your home and, if required, its contents continue to be protected while renovation works are in progress.

Why do you need renovation insurance?

Specialist renovation insurance is necessary, therefore, to plug any gaps in your existing home insurance while the works are in progress.

Unlike most other types of general insurance, renovation insurance is extremely flexible, and you may buy the cover only for the period during which you expect work to be taking place, rather than the full 12 months. If the project is scheduled to take just six months, for example, your renovation insurance may also last only that long – but may then be extended if the schedule of works overruns.

What does renovation insurance cover?

As explained, the primary purpose of renovation insurance is to replace any areas excluded from your existing home insurance cover because of the building works you have planned.

For a full and considered explanation of the function of renovation insurance, you might want to consult our Guide to Renovating.

What if your property stands unoccupied while it is being renovated?

One of the contentious issues sometimes associated with insurance cover when you are renovating your home concerns the period when the property is considered unoccupied for insurance purposes.

As a posting by the Financial Ombudsman Service on the 26^th of January 2021, suggests, you may be less than of the definition of an unoccupied property. Even though you have builders visiting the site every day, for example, most insurers will consider your home unoccupied if you have moved out for a period longer than 30 to 45 consecutive days while building works are in progress. Once it is considered unoccupied, the extent of cover may become severely restricted or even lapse altogether.

Specialist empty property renovation cover is then likely to be required to restore the safeguards your home continues to need.

Summary

It might seem that there are a thousand and one things to organise if you are planning to renovate or extend your home.

Planning consent, architecture and engineering drawings, and budgets aside, renovation insurance needs to sit squarely at the heart of your renovation planning to ensure the continued safety and security of your home. Please contact us to on 01702 606 301 if you are planning on renovating your property.

Buy to let properties are obviously no safer from then risk of flooding than any other.

While you might take a modicum of consolation from the fact that you are not actually living there, if you are the landlord of buy to let property that is flooded, you still have to deal with the colossal mess and consequences – the time-consuming hassle and energy of trying to sort things out.

On the strength of that old maxim that being forewarned is to be forearmed, here are some suggestions for preparing for the possibility of flood damage to buy to let property if you are a landlord:

Be prepared

• given the unpredictability of the British weather, flooding can occur at practically any time of the year and in almost any part of the country;
• even so, you can prepare for that possibility by assessing the current status of any risk to your property by consulting the government’s official Flood Warning Information Service – just key in the postcode of the property and you can view any long-term flood risks or current flood warnings;

Be insured

• in the light of any potential threat to loss or damage of your property, of course, your mind turns first to insurance;
• safeguarding against the risk of loss or damage to your buy to let property calls for exactly the same precaution – make sure you have adequate flood insurance;
• unfortunately, the Flood Re scheme which helps insurers keep flood insurance premiums lower does not apply to buy to let property – but that makes it all the more reason why you need to check that your let property is adequately covered against the risk of flooding;

Understand your insurance

• reread your buildings cover policy so that you are clear in your own mind about what is and is not covered and whether your policy provides new for old replacement for your belongings;
• some policies may also provide financial assistance towards the costs of cleaning and safety inspections for gas and electrical appliances – here at Cover4LetProperty, we can help advise you in this respect;

In the event of flood damage – make your claim

• your landlord’s insurance provider will require details when you lodge your claim – so, make a list of the damage to the property and those contents that belong to you (your tenants will obviously have to claim on their own contents cover for their belongings);
• take photos of any damage and leave any other evidence, such as a mark on the walls showing the level to which flood waters rose – so that you have a comprehensive record;
• if you have photos of your property prior to the flood then that may also help with your claim;

Record the progress of your claim

• keep a record of all conversations and contact with your insurance providers, particularly relating to any emergency work that needs to be carried out in advance of your formal claim;
• be sure to keep all related receipts and work quotes so that you can claim for the reimbursement of these expenses;
• don’t just throw damaged items away – your insurance provider or loss assessor may need to see these as part of their investigations, although spoiled food may be an obvious exception;
• you might also want to check your policy to see if it provides you with protection for loss of rental income if your tenants have to vacate your property while repairs are carried out – naturally, that could make a significant difference to your finances.

Remember too that there may be a few things that you can do to perhaps minimise the effects of such a flood should it happen again. Some of these may be fairly simple like using ceramic tiles and rugs on ground floors rather than fitted carpets.

Historic England – who know a thing or two about flood prevention down through the ages – have published a guide on making a home flood resistant and resilient. You might want to take a look at it.

A mixture of good news and missed opportunities inspired this past week’s headlines about the property market.

From first-time buyers making hay while the sun shines to a spotlight on some of the busiest markets. From developments in the relationship between landlords, their agents, and tenants to a failed scheme to make our homes greener … here is a brief round-up of the latest property news.

Over a third of FTBs have taken advantage of stamp duty holiday

The Chancellor’s introduction last July of a stamp duty holiday on the purchase of homes costing up to £500,000 was welcomed by all homebuyers, of course, but none more so, it seems, than first-time buyers.

According to a report in Property Wire earlier this week, 39% of all first-time buyers in the UK have already taken advantage of the tax-break to buy their home. And, a further 8% are renewing their plans to do so following the decision to extend the stamp duty holiday until the end of June – and continue the incentive until the end of September, but only on homes costing up to £250,000 via a tapered scheme.

The busiest property markets of 2020 revealed

Small towns, in parts of England and Wales previously shunned by many buyers, became the hottest residential property spots during 2020, according to the Daily Mail on the 26^th of March.

Buyers have avoided the larger towns and cities, preferring to escape to quieter, more remote locations such as Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, Pontefract in West Yorkshire, and Great Yarmouth in Norfolk.

Smaller towns are in demand – other than Doncaster, each of the locations in the top ten has less than 100,000 inhabitants.

While turning away from the bustling pace of life in cities and the larger provincial towns, buyers have nevertheless sought out areas in which value for money could be found in affordably priced homes, revealed the survey.

Portsmouth, the Wirral and Luton all had the lowest property purchase rate in 2020.

PRS survey looks at landlord, agent, and tenant relationships

Earlier last month, Landlord News published the results of a survey investigating the nature of the relationship between landlords, their agents, and tenants:

• probably against the expectations of many, a full 95% of tenants said they had not fallen into rent arrears because of Covid;

• among those who have struggled, 58% praised the understanding of their landlord, with 31% of them offering temporarily to reduce the rent or grant a rent holiday;

• when asked to rate their landlord on a scale of 1 to 10, tenants gave them an average 7.4;

• landlord and letting agents, on the other hand, rated their tenants either 9/10 (30% of landlords) or 10/10 (29%);

• tenants were evenly split on the economics of renting – half of those surveyed said it offered value for money while the other half considered rent to be overpriced and more expensive than a mortgage;

• for 67% of tenants, homeownership is their long-term goal, while renting is the most affordable option for 51%;

• the majority of landlords surveyed (80%) have run their buy to let business for more than five years. Though two-thirds of them (65%) felt that the industry has grown steadily worse as a result of creeping legislation, regulation, and taxation.

Although 90% of landlords and their agents, therefore, feel unsupported by government, 79% are committed to their role as a landlord for at least the next five years. 

Green plan to upgrade homes was ‘botched’, say MPs

Parliament’s environmental audit select committee has issued a damning indictment of the government’s Green Homes Grants scheme, according to a report by the BBC last week.

Under the scheme, homeowners stood to gain grants of up to £10,000 in energy efficient insulation measures for their homes.

Only 10% success has been achieved in realising an initial target to insulate at least 600,000 in the first six months of the scheme – leading to rumours that the Treasury was arguing for the termination of the scheme. Rather than termination, the select committee has called for reform of the scheme and has branded its current performance as “inept” – to the point of damaging the housebuilding sector.

Should you manage a let property yourself or hand that particular job over to a letting agent? That’s a classic and much-debated question that has probably been around as landlords themselves – and there’s still no definitive answer.

Here are some of the typical pros and cons in the argument to help you form some views – if you don’t already have firm views, of course:

The potential upsides to using a managing agent

• taking on the role of a landlord can be a daunting prospect – and one that is bound to absorb much of your time if you intend to go it alone;
• especially if you are a new landlord, the daunting list of responsibilities might be downright frightening. A managing agent typically may be able to ensure you and your property is compliant;
• leading on from the point above, if you do not have a sound grasp about the increasing volume of legislation and regulation relevant to your role as a landlord a letting or managing agent might be indispensable in keeping you and your buy to let business the right side of the law, suggested a guide published by the Consumers’ Association’s Which? magazine;
• an agent may be able to market your property more effectively than you can yourself – especially if you are new to the ways of the buy to let landlord;
• they may also be able to help you with cost-effective second-level services such as cleaning, garden maintenance, and the like;
• if you are a more seasoned landlord, you might simply want to escape the time-consuming business of finding, vetting, and managing tenants;
• a managing or letting agent may free up a lot of your time since they will typically take on board a significant volume of the administrative tasks involved in managing let properties (advertising for and finding tenants, showing them around, taking inventories, and so on);
• your letting agent maintains a buffer between you and your tenants, so avoiding your need to get personally involved in resolving every single issue that arises during the course of any tenancy. Your agent should field all initial tenant calls, so you may find that you do not need to maintain a permanent telephone presence yourself;
• they may also be able to shield you from minor disputes that might arise with tenants from time to time.

The potential downsides to using a managing agent

• on the downside, a managing or letting agent will, of course, take a percentage of your rental income – and for some landlords that might seem a disproportionate or unreasonable amount;
• some agents may be tardy in escalating issues or even raising them with you at all in line with your own judgement – you will then need to instruct them more closely and hold them fully to account;
• their presence on and around your property may complicate your legal liabilities and your requirements for let property insurance – for example, in certain situations, the law may interpret managing agents on your property to be acting as your employees and that may introduce issues relating to your need for employers’ liability cover;
• relationships with tenants may sometimes be confused by having a third party involved and misunderstandings might arise a little more easily than would be the case if you always had direct personal contact; and
• strict legal liabilities may also become blurred in some situations – if you appoint agents and they make statements or issue undertakings on your behalf to tenants or other third parties, then you may be bound by them even if you subsequently find that you are not in agreement.

Each individual landlord may have his or her own views about managing agents. It’s a big subject and one worth thinking about carefully.

As the country and the property market begin to emerge from the relative inactivity of the previous lockdowns, a recuperation programme is beginning to take shape.

This involves a raft of inevitable tax changes and refinements as the government scours the coffers for the necessary funds to get the economy and the property market back on to their feet.

That picture is painted by some of the following property news headlines.

Budget changes and landlords

For landlords, some of the most significant – and potentially painful – changes on the horizon may be scheduled amendments to the tax regime. The chief features of the Chancellor’s latest budget were described in a piece by Which? magazine on the 3^rd of March:

Income tax

• the income tax personal allowance goes up from £12,500 to £12,750 and the threshold for moving up from the basic rate of income tax to the higher rate increases from £50,000 to £50,270;

Corporation tax

• the news is rather less promising for landlords who have formed a limited liability company and who, therefore, pay Corporation Tax;

• first, there was probably a sigh of relief that there is to be no immediate increase – as was feared – in the current 19% rate of Corporation Tax;

• less welcome, though, is the news that, with effect from 2023, it will go up from19% to 23%;

• the Treasury defends the position by pointing out that even the higher rate of Corporation Tax is still the lowest of all the G7 countries and smaller businesses earning less than £50,000 a year will continue to pay at the lower rate of 19%;

Stamp Duty

• landlords hoping to invest in new property will have welcomed the Chancellor’s extension of the Stamp Duty holiday for a further three months until the end of June. From then until the end of September, Stamp Duty will continue to be zero-rated for property valued at up to £250,000 (instead of the current) £500,000, but from 1^st of October 2021 will revert to its normal rate (paid on property valued at more than £125,000);

• the 3% Stamp Duty surcharge on the purchase of second homes – including buy to let property – remains in place throughout;  

Capital Gains Tax (CGT)

• another area in which some property owners had feared an early increase was CGT;

• in the event, this has been held steady – again, against expectations – but remains scheduled for a thorough overhaul in 2026, according to an article in the FT Adviser on the 3^rd of March.

Renting in the Capital is more affordable

The supply of private rented accommodation in London is bucking the national trend, reported Estate Agent Today recently.

Outside the capital, demand very markedly outstrips supply. But within London there has been a 30% increase in supply of rental property in January alone.

Although the market across the capital continues to be highly localised, the trends confirm a broad measure by which renting in the capital is becoming more affordable.

The new generation and what they do different when buying property

The pattern of homeownership – and the steps for getting on the housing ladder  – are qualitatively different for the current generation, argued Wales247 on the 4^th of March:

• renting presents more options for the kind of lifestyle they choose;

• longer-term mortgages are favoured;

• rooms may be sublet, or a home owned might be let to tenants;

• roommates are welcomed;

• homeownership comes later in life;

• smaller homes are favoured; and

• less expensive parts of the city are good for younger homebuilders.

Demand for rental properties beyond city centres rises

The demand for homes outside the major cities is some 21% higher than this time last year and those rental homes that are available are being let 30% more quickly than they were a year ago, said Property Reporter earlier this month.

The surge in demand for suburban and rural properties is fuelled by a post-lockdown demand for bigger homes that allow for more comfortable home working, access to a garden or other open space, and a lifestyle somewhat quieter than inner-city living.

Slowly but surely the energy efficiency ratings for any let property have grown steadily more exacting.

Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) were introduced in the UK in October 2008 and every let property had to have one – rating the property from A (the most energy-efficient) to G (the most energy-inefficient).

With effect from the 1^st of April 2018 in England and Wales, a landlord wanting to issue a new lease or tenancy agreement to incoming tenants had to make sure that their property achieved a minimum energy efficiency rating of E, explains Propertymark. In Scotland, there is also a minimum energy efficiency rating of E.

These Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) were extended to existing let properties and any renewed or continued tenancy agreement with effect from the 1^st of April 2020.

Landlord Today warned that the standards are unlikely to rest there are that the limit will probably be raised further – to a minimum D rating – before very long.

Against that background, how can you improve the energy rating of your property to meet ever-increasing standards?

The principles

Energy suppliers Ovo Energy state the fundamental principle of energy efficiency as simply as possible – it is all a question of doing more with less. That means getting the same or even more by using less energy.

It gives the example of the energy-efficient light bulb which gives out the same amount of light but consumes less electricity and has much lower wasteful heat-loss than its old-style predecessor.

When it comes to changing light bulbs, therefore, make sure you use only the LED low energy lights variety – and, if your tenants are expected to change them, encourage them to do the same.

By a similar type of logic, you can explain to your tenants that they are wasting energy if they leave heating turned up in rooms they are not using. You can play your part as a responsible landlord, of course, by ensuring that the property is sufficiently well insulated – yet still adequately ventilated – that heat generated within the property stays within the property.

Heating the home

According to estimates prepared by the Energy Saving Trust, half the amount of money spent by the average household on their fuel bill goes towards paying for heating and hot water.

You might start your energy efficiency improvements, therefore, by improving the efficiency of the installed heating system:

• not all central heating boilers are equal – consider replacing your existing one with a newer and more efficient boiler;
• heating controls have become ever-more sophisticated and can ensure that you get the heat where you want it when you want it – so fit thermostat controls on all radiators, which tenants can turn off in rooms they are not using;
• while you’re giving thought to those big-item, high-investment items, continue to tackle the smaller jobs – like lagging the hot water pipes, insulating the water tank and loft space, and generally installing whatever draught-proofing measures you can find and afford; and
• to keep your central heating system and the associated pipes and radiators running smoothly and debris-free, use chemical inhibitors to keep the system clean.

Retaining the heat

Having improved the efficiency with which you’ve heated your home, the next concern is about retaining as much of that heat as possible:

• cavity-wall or solid-wall insulation, for instance, is likely to save up to a third of all the heat that is lost in an uninsulated home, says the Energy Saving Trust;
• insulating the ground floor and those above cold outside spaces, such as your garage, will also help to retain the heat;
• insulate the hot water cylinder to reduce heat loss;
• draught-proof windows and doors; and
• loft and roof insulation can help cut the further 25% or so of heat-loss your home is likely to suffer.

More energy-efficient tips

NRLA (National Residential landlords Association) also suggests some simple tips too …

• bleed all radiators several times a year;
• replace older kitchen appliances for the most energy efficient type;
• fit sensor lights both externally and in communal areas so that no lights are left on unnecessarily.

By following just a few of these energy efficiency improvement measures, you could be well on your way to having a more energy-efficient and MEES-compliant home.

We are two months into the year, so what will the rest of 2021 bring for landlords? Here we look at some of the upcoming legislation changes. (Please note that this legislation is correct at the time of writing).

Evictions

One of the most significant legislative changes you might actually welcome. This is the return at the end of March to a more normal and familiar regime for evictions in England and Wales.

You will know that government pledged to help tenants during the successive rounds of lockdown by first of all putting eviction proceedings on hold and then requiring landlords to give at least six months’ notice of any intention to evict. As Which? magazine explained on the 4^th of January, the only exceptions to this rule are if the tenant is more than six months in arrears with the rent, obtained the tenancy under false pretences, or has been convicted of anti-social behaviour.

In England and Wales, those rules end on the 31^st of March and the situation reverts to the situation pre-pandemic.

The rules have been slightly different in Scotland and Northern Ireland, where a return to the pre-lockdown regime is also expected.

Electrical Safety Standards

The 1^st of April is the last date on which you need to have completed the now obligatory electrical safety checks – and have a satisfactory Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) – in any let property you own as a landlord.

Despite an attempt by the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) to get the government to delay this deadline – because of the large number of its members that own more than 60 properties that would have to be checked – the effective date remains.

By the 1^st of April, therefore, the law says that you must be in possession of an electrical safety certificate for any let property – and must have the electrical installation checked again at least once every five years.

Client Money Protection

The 1^st of April is also the final date for complying with the legislation that requires all letting agents to arrange membership of a client money protection scheme – which is, essentially, a way to ensure that letting agents have insurance to protect any tenants’ or landlords’ funds they hold.

Enforcement of the effective date has been delayed twice already – because of the coronavirus pandemic – explains Client Money Protect – but this 1^st of April is certain to be the final deadline.

Stamp Duty for foreign buyers

With effect from the 1^st of April, all non-UK buyers of residential property in England and Northern Ireland – whether as an investment or to live in themselves – must pay an additional 2% Stamp Duty surcharge. The stamp duty surcharge of a further 3% is also payable if the property is a second home – wherever in the world your existing principal home may be.

Bankers JP Morgan have pointed out that partial relief of the 2% surcharge had existed for foreign buyers completing their purchase of property valued at less than £500,000 between the 8^th of July 2020 and the 31^st of March 2021. That partial relief expires at the end of March.

Partial relief on the tax payable reflected the Stamp Duty holiday available to UK nationals – who also had to pay the 3% surcharge on the purchase of second homes and buy to let properties.

It remains to be seen whether the new 2% surcharge – in addition to the existing 3% surcharge on second homes – will further discourage foreign investors from purchasing buy to let property in the UK.

Some good news for tenants and their pets, a certain must-have for any student tenants, the state of the housing market, and how to improve your homebuying skills. These are just some of the recent headlines across the UK’s property news outlets.

So, let’s take a closer look.

Pets and lets

A press release from the National Residential Landlords’ Association (NRLA) recently described how the government has given a boost to tenants wanting to persuade their landlords to let them keep a pet or pets.

The news comes in the shape of freshly amended provisions in the model tenancy agreement which the government encourages landlords to use – but which is by no means obligatory. In its release of the new model agreement, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government explains that the revisions have been made with the express purpose of helping tenants with well-behaved pets.

If you choose to use the model agreement, you also agree to entertain requests in writing from your tenants to keep a pet. If you object to the request, you must (again in writing) give the tenant a good reason for that refusal – although you still have the right to refuse tenants with pets.

House price growth slows

When the restrictions of the pandemic’s first national lockdown were lifted the housing market and average house prices bounced back in a surge of released pent-up demand. The Chancellor’s decision to offer a Stamp Duty tax holiday added further stimulus to the tidal wave of activity.

A story in Property Wire on the 3^rd of February suggests that the resurgence is now waning as the 7.3% annual increase in average house prices which was achieved in December – marking a six-year high – has been knocked back to 6.4% in January.

Although the somewhat dampened enthusiasm on the part of buyers may be explained by the imminent removal (at the end of March) of Stamp Duty tax advantages, market analysts predict only a “softening” of prices and activity, rather than a major reversal.

58% of students will not rent a property with poor internet

If there’s one thing that any landlord always wants to know it’s what their tenants most want from a let property.

A recent survey lifted the lid on what most attracts student tenants. 58% of those interviewed said they wanted a good, reliable internet connection – saying they wouldn’t consider renting a place that did not have high-speed broadband.

Further survey questions reveal that, because of the Covid restrictions on face-to-face teaching, a third of students are spending an extra five hours a day studying online; 21% of them an extra four to five hours; and 24% an additional three to four hours.

Little wonder, then, that a full two-thirds of all students gave top priority to having good and reliable internet access at home.

How good manners could help homebuyers

“Manners maketh man” – and the successful homebuyer, according to a recent story.

The news story cited recent research suggesting that the first impressions created by well-mannered prospective buyers when viewing a home are likely to go down so well with the vendor that they could be more inclined to accept their offer.

A survey of sellers revealed that 72% of them were more likely to accept an offer if the prospective buyer came across as polite and well-mannered. The story went so far as to suggest that in more than a third of all sales (36%) buyers who created a good first impression stood to make savings on the price of the property.

Good manners may count for something if all things are equal. If the seller receives a better offer, however, manners might take second place.