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 3rd 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.
