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A word from
Firstly, can I say, that becoming a first-time landlord is not something I would do at the end of my career. Property is a long terms investment and as such working out what you want your investment to achieve is a good starting point.
For example, do you want to use the money to prop up your pension pot when you retire? Do you want to save for a world cruise i.e. you will sell it when you retire to fund a dream. Or do you want an income now to alleviate todays money troubles?
Whichever it is you need, you can find my hints and tips below on becoming a buy to let landlord.
Now you can either get a buy to let mortgage to fund your purchase which means you only pay the interest on the mortgage and not any capital payments. If you don’t need the monthly income now, I would suggest paying off the capital so that when you do need the income the rent will be yours in full without having to pay a mortgage.
TOP TIP
If you are looking to get a mortgage the consumer website which.co.uk has some very useful information on mortgage deals and of course you can us a mortgage advisor who will work to get you the best deal. Mortgage advisors have access to deals that aren’t available to consumers direct. However you need to weigh this up against the cost of using a mortgage advisor
When you own a rental property, you benefit in two ways, financially speaking. Firstly you have a monthly income stream if you do your sums right.
Secondly you should see your property increase in value over a long period of time.
The rental yield is a way to measure the return on your investment. There is your gross yield and your net yield, which are both important, but take different things into account.
Let’s say you rent out a two-bedroom property in South Cheshire for £850PCM.
As an example, if you originally purchased the property for £150,000 and you divide the annual rent (£10,200) by the amount you invested (£150,000) and times it by 100, you get a percentage, and that’s the gross yield. In this case 6.8%.
Gross yield is a fairly basic figure but it gives you a good idea about what you’re getting back. However, there is also net yield. This is similar to gross, but you also take into account the additional costs you incur as a landlord, such as insurance, maintenance, solicitors, agents, mortgage, and so on.
This net yield is helpful because you can look at exactly how much it costs you to be a landlord and shows you where you could reduce costs to increase your yield.
Deciding what a good yield is might be different, but anything above about six or seven per cent is good.
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Do your homework and understand what being a landlord actually means. Make sure your figures add up. Talk to us and we’ll do our best to help.
We’ve talked about why property is a good investment. Lets look at the practicalities of finding the right property to make the money.
Do you by a property ready to rent out or a doer upper?
Well that depends on how much of the work you can do yourself. How much the property costs and whether you can fund the mortgage payments whilst the property is empty.
A low risk easy investment is something all ready and done and ready to rent out from day one.
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No matter how nice the property looks make sure you have £5,000 contingency just in case when the furniture has been removed there is nothing that needs attention that you haven’t seen. If you don’t need it you don’t need to spend it but it’s there if needed.
There isn’t any one place that is the best place to invest it depends on your personal needs and your experience.
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Do your homework on the areas around and of course ask us. We specialise in letting properties. We aren’t going to give you false information to get a sale. Building a trusted relationship with a letting agent will stand you in good stead for the long term.
Understanding how to prepare your property for rent is an important part of the process for landlords. Getting the preparation right can make all the different if you want to find a tenant quickly.
This sounds basic, but you need to give your property a good clean. From the carpets to the kitchen cupboards, and from the oven to the bathroom, go through the property and make sure the standards are high. You want the place looked after so you need to get it right at the start so that you attract the right type of tenant.
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You could do the work yourself and save money, but you might want to get the professionals in, particularly if the place is really in need of a deep clean.
As a landlord, you have legal responsibilities to the tenant. You will need to make sure the property has:
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
A Gas Safety Certificate
An Electrical Installation Condition Report
These tests must be done by proficient professionals, registered with the regulatory bodies – failure to get these certificates means you could be fined.
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Ask around to see which qualified plumbers and electricians are recommended. They must be competent of course, but you also want tradespeople who will do an efficient job at the right price (particularly if they have to make necessary repairs).
You are more likely to get a better rent if you have a great property and tenants. But can you be a great landlord?
Do you add quality fittings?
Do you respond quickly to issues and get repairs fixed promptly?
By being a great landlord, you’re more likely to attract great tenants and keep them longer. The longer a tenant stays the more money it makes you.
Being a great landlord isn’t rocket science. You need to allow your tenants to live in the property as they see fit. Breathing down their neck every 5 minutes does not make you a great landlord. Tenants have a responsibility to live in the property, look after it keep it clean and treat it as if it was their own. Inspection visits are a big part of the management process to ensure the property is being looked after.
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Don’t expect your tenants to live in a show house 24/7. They need to be able to enjoy their time in your property it is their home after all!
When you find a tenant, you hope they will stay in your property for a while.
Complete all Repairs.
Carry out all repairs before a tenant moves in. Get the place decorated if need be. It will be someone else’s home, but it’s your asset, so look after it.
Put Insurance in Place
When letting your property in South Cheshire, make sure it is insured properly. Cover the rebuild, and the contents if you are letting the property furnished. Speak with an insurance broker who specialises in landlords’ insurance. If your property has been empty, notify the insurer that someone is moving in as your policy may need to be changed.
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Getting the paperwork in order is absolutely essential to the successful running of a property, whether it is a buy-to-let or a home you’ve inherited. Be organised and diarise when insurance needs to be renewed.
You’ll need to choose a letting agent, but first, you need to decide what you want them to do for you. Is it just to market the property and find a new tenant? Or do you want them to deal with right to rent, financial checks and manage the property for you?
Here at Bespoke we work hard to make the letting process as straight forward as possible.
We offer a Let Only and a Standard Management Service. Please click below to see exactly what we offer in each service and which would be best for you.
OUR SERVICESThe simple process of letting your home is highlighted below
One
Complete the enquiry form online or call
01270 250200
Two
A representative will be in touch to carry out a market appraisal for rent purposes
Three
If you are happy to proceed with Bespoke Lettings, we will arrange to get photos, prepare the marketing materials and begin with our marketing processes
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We will then carry out viewings and collect applications from interested parties
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You will decide which application to progress to move in
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We will ensure we have all the safety certificates, carry out references, complete the right to rent checks and start to produce the tenancy paperwork.
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The final stage is for us to prepare an inventory and schedule of condition and then for you to sign the tenancy paperwork and closely following by receiving a rent payment. We will take care of everything in between