Posts with tag: private rental accommodation

How to Fall in Love with Your Rental Home

Published On: February 13, 2016 at 2:27 pm

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Categories: Tenant News

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It’s unlikely that many of us will find our dream home in the private rental sector, but that doesn’t mean we can’t fall in love with a rental property.

If you don’t own a house, you don’t have free reign to decorate the place exactly as you’d like it and you’ll probably be moving on at some point in the near-ish future. So what can you do to give your rental property a personal touch?

Bring your things

How to Fall in Love with Your Rental Home

How to Fall in Love with Your Rental Home

First thing’s first, bring all of your furniture and ornaments with you. You may not think a vintage armchair will fit in in a modern flat, but having your favourite things around you will inject your personality into any property. Don’t buy new things simply to suit the place you’re renting – your home should reflect you. Being surrounded with some special possessions will help you feel more comfortable in a new environment.

Display your memories

Putting things up in your home isn’t restricted to hanging a few photos on the walls… Print out some special pictures of family and friends and buy new frames to display your loved ones. Do you have any cute cards that you’ve been sent recently? Put these out to cheer you up when you need it. And don’t leave keepsakes hidden away – any reminders of holidays you’ve been on or special occasions will keep a smile on your face.

Accessorise

You probably won’t be able to change the fixtures and fittings in your rental property, but don’t let this stop you; think about what you can alter. Choose a theme for each area of the home and find new items that will make the place feel like it’s been freshly decorated – this could be a new set of towels for the bathroom or some pretty candles to transform the atmosphere.

Make the most of the space

Your furniture will make all the difference in rental accommodation – they’re usually decorated with neutral colours, so some standout items will add interest and difference. Remember to consider the size of the rooms and choose appropriately sized pieces; you don’t want to feel crammed in if your furniture is too big. Making the most of the space you have will create a clear, calm feel throughout the property.

Don’t get in trouble

Fancy making a photo wall but don’t want to get in trouble with your landlord? You need to get your hands on Command Strips – they affix pretty much anything to the wall and don’t leave any residue when you leave the property. Perfect for tenants!

If you’re living in a private rental property, follow these tips to create a home you can really fall in love with.

Just 2% of Landlord Licenses Issued in Liverpool

Published On: February 8, 2016 at 12:15 pm

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Categories: Landlord News

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Liverpool City Council has issued just 2% of license applications since it launched its compulsory landlord licensing scheme in April 2015.

This news arrives after a Freedom of Information Request from the National Landlords Association (NLA).

Comparatively, the London Borough of Newham has issued 74% of its applications over the same period. Its licensing scheme has resulted in over 600 prosecutions,

Just 2% of Landlord Licenses Issued in Liverpool

Just 2% of Landlord Licenses Issued in Liverpool

more than 500 arrests, over 100 rent repayment orders and 26 banning orders since its launch in January 2013.

Recently, Liverpool City Council announced its co-regulation partners for administering the scheme. Find out who they are here: /liverpool-city-council-partners-with-arla-nals-and-the-rla/

It is obligatory for all private landlords in Liverpool to apply for a license. The scheme was introduced to ensure a level of quality and proper practice in the private rental sector.

In order to be issued with a license, landlords must declare any convictions and their rental properties must meet fire, electric and gas safety standards and be in a good state of repair.

Licenses cost £400 for the first property and £350 for any additional properties. Landlords that are members of the city’s accreditation scheme, CLASS, or members of the council’s co-regulation partner groups receive a 50% discount on licenses.

The Chairman of the NLA, Carolyn Uphill, comments on the shocking statistic: “These findings show that Liverpool City Council can’t cope with this scheme, which is precisely what we said would happen when they proposed it almost two years ago.

“Quite frankly, it’s embarrassing. If the council can’t process applications or inspect properties, then how can it improve property standards for tenants?

“At this rate, it will take 13 years to inspect the city’s private rented housing and 38 years to license them all, so the scheme’s co-regulation partners have got their work cut out.”

She insists: “The NLA has opposed this scheme from the very start. We do not regulate our members, so it would be inappropriate for us to play any part in a scheme that effectively polices landlords on the council’s behalf.”1 

Landlords in Liverpool are reminded that they must apply for a license.

1 http://www.landlords.org.uk/news-campaigns/news/embarrassing-two-cent-landlord-licenses-issued-liverpool-council

 

 

One in Five Tenants Struggle to Pay the Rent

Published On: October 21, 2015 at 1:07 pm

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Categories: Finance News

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New research has revealed that millions of workers are struggling to cope with living costs due to spiralling rent prices.

According to the study by the New Policy Institute, one in five Britons live below the poverty line once housing costs are taken into account.

The issue is affecting Londoners the most, with one in four tenants in the capital hit by sky-high rents.

One in Five Tenants Struggle to Pay the Rent

One in Five Tenants Struggle to Pay the Rent

This includes 1.2m who live in working households, a huge rise over the last ten years.

One renter finding life in the capital too difficult is primary school teacher Anna Evans. The 25-year-old pays £720 per month for a house in Balham, south London, which she shares with five other tenants.

A graduate of law from the University of Birmingham, Anna says she may have to move out of London, as living costs are so high.

“I pay more than half my salary in rent,” she explains. “I just don’t have a chance to save any money.”1

Her flatmate, Joanne Wheildon is also 25 and a trainee trader. She adds: “I won’t be able to buy a house until someone I’m related to dies.”1

Rents around the UK have risen by 11% in the last five years, reaching an average of £770 a month, found the study funded by anti-poverty charity Trust For London.

Over the same period, wages have only increased by 4%. In the last decade, this has caused a 30% rise in the amount of working-age people in poverty.

In London, the average rent price has grown by 19% in the last five years, hitting £1,600 a month.

Around 860,000 private tenants in the capital are believed to be living in poverty, including 260,000 children – twice the number recorded ten years ago.

The amount of low-paid jobs has increased for the fifth consecutive year, with one in five members of staff earning less than the London living wage of £9.15 an hour.

Another worker hit by high rents is Marianna Long, an executive assistant earning £21,000 per year.

The 23-year-old pays £500 a month for a room she shares with her boyfriend in Brixton, south London.

She comments: “The rent means I absolutely cannot save. Everything goes on living expenses and paying off an overdraft from being at university in London.”1 

Chelsea Wood, a forensic scientist, also earns £21,000. She pays £700 in rent for a flatshare in Clapham, southwest London.

The 24-year-old says: “I spend so much on rent that I feel as if I am living in poverty. A lot of my friends feel the same.”1

The researchers define poverty as having a household income that is under 60% of the national median.

1 Radnedge, A. (2015) ‘Workers caught in poverty trap by soaring rent’, Metro, 21 October, p.1-6