Wanted to check with the new Renters Rights Act.

- Do I just need to issue this to my existing tenants before the end of May?

In the process of refurbing my property based in west midlands (Coventry)

Have come across rent scheme by the local authority.

Wondered have others done this with local authorities and how have you found the scheme?

Interested to know others experiences.

This is especially common with landlords who manage their properties themselves.

Many of them live in a different city, sometimes even in a different part of the country. From their perspective everything seems to be running smoothly — rent is coming in and the tenant is not reporting any issues.

But the reality inside the property can be very different.

In many cases tenants simply don’t report smaller problems. Sometimes they don’t want to cause trouble. Sometimes they think the issue is minor. Sometimes they just assume it’s not important.

The result is that small issues slowly develop into much bigger ones.

A small leak under a sink might go unnoticed for months. Poor ventilation in a bathroom might slowly lead to moisture problems. Minor maintenance issues can develop into repairs that cost significantly more later.

Another very common problem appears at the end of a tenancy.

Many disputes between landlords and tenants happen simply because the condition of the property was never properly documented.

Landlords often rely on a few photos taken at the beginning of the tenancy, while tenants may have a completely different view of what the property looked like when they moved in.

Without a clear inspection report or inventory, it becomes very difficult to prove anything objectively.

This is why regular property inspections can make a significant difference.

They are not only about checking whether the property is clean or tidy. A proper inspection can highlight early signs of maintenance issues, ventilation problems, wear in high-traffic areas, and other things that are easy to miss during day-to-day management.

In many cases a simple inspection once or twice a year can help landlords avoid much larger problems later.

Properties, like buildings/flats,houses  in general, tend to show early signs when something is not quite right — but someone needs to actually walk through the space and notice them.

How are you managing these inspectons ?

I'm sure it has been asked before but what do self managing landlords need to do extra when the RRB comes into effect in May?

I only rent 1 property

Thanks

Hi all! I’m 37 and work internationally a lot, but I’m now at a stage where I want to buy a UK base (part-time use) that ideally costs me close to neutral monthly, while still having decent capital growth. I’m looking at areas in SE London like Anerley/ Norwood / Penge.

What I’m considering

• 2–3 bed Victorian freehold house

• Purchase price: £300k–£325k

• Mortgage: £200k–£225k

• At ~5% interest, repayment looks like ~£1,200–£1,300/month

• After council tax, insurance, maintenance allowance etc: ~£1,600/month total outgoings

Plan to offset costs

• Take 2 lodgers at around £750/month each

• Total income: ~£1,500/month

• So my net housing cost should be roughly £100–£500/month depending on voids/repairs

Longer-term

• If growth averages ~3% p.a., that’s roughly ~£50k appreciation over 5 years (plus mortgage paydown)

• I’d also like the option for a loft conversion later if it makes sense

Advice I’d love from anyone doing something similar

1. Is £750/month realistic for clean, professional lodgers in Anerley/Norwood / Penge (assuming a well-presented room and decent transport links)?

2. Any pitfalls or “wish I’d known this earlier” with running two lodgers long-term? (practical, legal, insurance, lifestyle, voids, etc.)

3. Thoughts on freehold house vs long-lease maisonette in these areas (resale, hassle, costs, risk)?

4. Would you prioritise buying a house already loft-converted vs buying cheaper and adding a loft later?

Thanks, any real-world numbers, experiences, and warnings welcome! :)

Please does anyone have experience with this?  How did you handle this yourself within the OPenrent platform or did you find a work around?  Short of asking tenants to give me their email (which I guess is frowned upon) I am stumped.

Grateful for any advice ..........

Hi everyone 👋

I’ve been keenly following the issue of void periods and how landlords are adapting in today’s market.

I’m curious — have any of you explored creative or community-oriented uses for your properties to keep them occupied and well maintained?

For example, turning spaces into something that benefits local families or supports essential services — while still generating reliable income and preserving the asset.

I’ve seen a few interesting models emerging lately and wondered if anyone here has experience with this kind of arrangement, or views on the pros/cons.

Would love to hear what’s worked (or not!) for others.

I am primarily and commercial landlord and do not really like resi, but have recently acquired a couple of flats in East London/Hackney area just to diversify my portfolio. I also live overseas and plan to self manage them. The area is also new to me.

My plan is to get the British Gas Heating and Plumbing Emergency cover and then have already made connections with a couple of local handymen. And for anything, I plan to use the highly rated tradesmen from Checkatrade/Bark etc. I know all this could be a little expensive but cheaper than using an agent I suppose.

Being experienced landlords, what would you advise - is this the right strategy, and what else could I be missing/need covering? OR do you recommend using an agent anyway since I am overseas?

Any help/guidance would be appreciated. Thanks in anticipation.