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Tenants, Edinburgh, HMO Properties, Landlords, Student Accommodation
Renting an HMO in Edinburgh: Advice for Landlords & Students
Renting an HMO in Edinburgh: Advice for Landlords & Students Interested in renting an HMO in Edinburgh? Read on for some important advice. An HMO (House in Multiple Occupation) is any residential property rented by at least 3 people who aren’t from the same household (for example, a family). In doing so, they also share key communal facilities such as a toilet, bathroom, and kitchen. Renting an HMO in Edinburgh comes with plenty of benefits for both landlords and students: Firstly, for landlords, HMOs can provide higher rental yields than one or two-bedroom properties. They also help to spread risk across multiple occupants. Meanwhile, for students, they offer a chance to comfortably live with 3, 4, 5 or more friends. This means you can easily split bills and other living expenses. However, if you’re interested in renting out (or living in) an HMO, there are a few important things you need to keep in mind. HMO in Edinburgh: What Do Landlords Need to Know? As a landlord of an HMO, it’s your responsibility to get an HMO licence and to manage and maintain the property to a high standard. This means you need to: Be a registered landlord Keep important certificates up-to-date Undertake quarterly inspections and fire training Fit smoke alarms on every level Keep fire escapes clear from obstruction Ensure upkeep of communal areas Make sure waste disposal facilities are in place Are you a landlord interested in letting an HMO property? Here at Cairn, we offer a variety of HMO Development and HMO Property Management services. Get in touch to find out more. What About Students Renting an HMO? As a student living in a house share, it’s helpful to understand the rules around HMO properties. Presuming your property has an HMO licence (you can check by emailing hmo.licensing@edinburgh.gov.uk), your landlord is legally-bound to meet certain safety and cleanliness standards. If you feel as though these standards have slipped, and your landlord isn’t responding, you can flag this to Edinburgh city council. They’re responsible for enforcing these standards and can compel your landlord to take the appropriate action. Are you a student interested in renting an HMO in Edinburgh? We manage several licenced HMO properties in the city. Get in touch to learn more.
Tenants, Glasgow, Landlords, Letting, Services
Switching Letting Agents in Glasgow: Advice for Landlords
Switching Letting Agents in Glasgow: Advice for Landlords Are you a landlord thinking of switching letting agents in Glasgow? Read on for some advice from Cairn. Expensive maintenance charges. Substandard repairs. Poor communication. Late rent payments. And every time you call, it’s someone different on the other end of the line — and they don’t know you or your property. As a landlord, the last thing you need is a letting agent mismanaging your property. If the above sounds familiar, it could be time for a change. And despite some common misconceptions, switching letting agents is easier than you think. Moving Letting Agents in Glasgow: Common Misconceptions Many landlords see changing letting agents as a hassle they can live without, so they stay loyal to an agency, even if they’re not meeting expectations. Others think they need to wait until the property is empty before switching, while some simply don’t see the point in moving. After all, a letting agent is a letting agent, right? Wrong. Let’s deal with these misconceptions, one by one: 1. “I have to wait until the end of the tenancy before changing agents.” This isn’t true. The Tenancy Agreement is between you (the landlord) and your tenant. The agency has been hired to manage your property — switching agents won’t impact the agreement. In fact, it’s often easier to change agents with a tenant in place, as it means the new agent can take over the management of the property without the additional need to advertise and place a new tenant. 2. “Every Glasgow letting agent is the same; there’s no point in switching.” Most letting agents provide similar services. However, the way in which these services are delivered can vary from one agent to the next. Think of it like having a favourite coffee shop, even though you can get a coffee almost anywhere. There’s more to it than simply getting what you asked for. Likewise, the very best letting agents in Glasgow are doing more than making sure rent is collected on time. They’re fully regulated, understand the legislation involved, prioritise quality customer service, and offer professional and reliable communication at all times. 3. “Moving to a new letting agent is more fuss than it’s worth.” Switching from an underperforming agent to one who values a strong working relationship and cares for your property and its tenants is absolutely worth the fuss — if it can even be considered “fuss” in the first place! In reality, there’s little you need to do in order to switch. Beyond giving your current agent written notice that you plan to leave, your new agent will handle everything on your behalf. Case in point… Switching Letting Agents in Glasgow (It’s Easier Than You Think) At Cairn, we make switching simple. From liaising with your current agent to communicating with your tenant(s), we take care of every last detail, including: The acquisition of a detailed handover from your current agent. This will include information related to rent arrears, payment plans, planned maintenance, and outstanding tenant requests; The transfer and recording of the latest safety certificates; The transfer of all keys, up-to-date inventory, and the current lease agreement (if applicable); And the provision of a new point of contact and updated bank details for rent payments to your tenant(s). You are appointed a property manager so you are dealing with one point of contact. Our qualified and experienced property managers conduct audits on documents sent to us to ensure that all legal responsibilities are met and the landlords interests are protected. If you’re interested in changing letting agents in Glasgow, visit our Getting Started page or contact our friendly team for more information.
Tenants, Hints & Tips, Landlords, Student Accommodation
How to manage your inventory effectively
How to manage your inventory effectively You will probably be faced with a lot of different documentation relating to your rental property- some of which you may be more familiar with than others. Included with your “move in pack” will be your property’s inventory. An inventory is a written document which provides an accurate description […]
Tenants, Hints & Tips
How to reduce the amount of plastic you are using in your home?
How to reduce the amount of plastic you are using in your home? It has been reported that there is between 4.7 and 12.8 million metric tons of plastic floating around in the ocean currently. This is an astonishing amount of waste which is impacting our climate hugely just now. We have outlined some […]
Tenants, Landlords, Legislation
Legislation affecting BOTH Tenant and Landlord
Legislation affecting BOTH Tenant and Landlord It’s no surprise that the rental market has undergone yet MORE changes to legislation from 2017-2019 than ever before. If you don’t already know, The Private Residential Tenancy came into force on the 1st December 2017 and has brought about some big changes. The tenancy system establishes the […]
Tenants, Letting
How To Spot A Good Letting Agent – For Tenants and Landlords
How To Spot A Good Letting Agent When you are looking to rent out your own property or sign a lease for one it can a very overwhelming process. With so many letting agents in the market, how do you know who to go with and who to avoid? Personal recommendations and the internet can […]
Tenants, Hints & Tips
Quick Guide To Common Tenant Issues
Quick Guide To Common Tenant Issues Water Leaking Into Your Property If you have a leak in your property and it is affecting the property below, you must make sure to isolate the leak to avoid any further damage. If unable to isolate issue, water should be turned off at the stop cock which is […]
Tenants
10 Ways to Make Sure You Get Your Deposit Back After Your Tenancy is Over
10 Ways to Make Sure You Get Your Deposit Back After Your Tenancy is Over At the start of your tenancy, you’ll have been asked to leave a deposit with your landlord – who would then have put it within a Secure Tenancy Deposit Scheme as they are legally obliged to do (we use MyDepositScotland) […]
Tenants
Christmas is coming! Our top tips.
Christmas is coming! Our top tips. It’s the third week of December which can only mean one thing – Christmas is coming! Excitement is in the air and there’s Christmas fun, gifts and time with family and friends to look forward to. Before you travel home for Christmas though, there are a few things to […]
