Latest Property News - Homelets & Sales

Details: Published: 28 April 2025; Hits: 66

SHOULD YOU RENT TO FAMILY OR FRIENDS?

Renting out your property to someone close can seem like an easy win. You can dispense with marketing and viewings, and even skip the tiresome paperwork and background checks.

Well, take a moment’s pause. Renting to family or friends does indeed have its upsides, but it also brings its own unique challenges, so it’s wise to weigh up the pros and cons before diving in.

Whoever rents your property — friend, relative, total stranger — has the same rights, and every landlord has the same responsibilities. So it's vital not to put yourself at risk by being overly accommodating.

It’s a bit like having an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other — every advantage has a potential pitfall. And with that in mind, let’s explore:

What could go right?
What could go wrong?
The risks of relaxing your rules
Where boundaries can blur
Saying yes with confidence

Renting to someone close can work out beautifully for everyone, but without the right foundations, even the best relationships can come to blows. So here’s all you need to ensure that never happens.

Details: Published: 17 April 2025; Hits: 70

15 HIDDEN WAYS THEY TRIP LANDLORDS UP

Margins matter when you’re a landlord, and keeping an eye on your costs as well as your income is an essential part of any successful business strategy.

But what about savings that cost you more later on? Just as buying cheap taps or appliances inevitably means paying for replacements or repairs before too long, cheap letting fees can equally backfire.

Cheap fees are never sold as coming with a reduction in service or protection, and many of the hidden costs of bargain rates only reveal themselves when it’s too late. The usual areas are:

Inadequate tenancy setup
Flawed rental contracts
Small print surprises
Lax legal compliance
Substandard communication

Your choice of letting agent affects you and your property’s legal and financial well-being, so read on for tips on spotting these rental red flags before you make any decisions.

Details: Published: 02 April 2025; Hits: 62

HOW MUCH RENT SHOULD YOU SAVE EACH YEAR?

Finding the sweet spot between saving for a rainy day and actually enjoying your rental income is every landlord’s dream for a peaceful and profitable life.

Maintenance and repairs come with the territory of owning a rental home, but a smart approach can really protect your property, maintain a healthy cash flow, and even create happy tenants.

But how much should you set aside each year?

Well, that's the tricky bit, as much depends on a property’s age, type, location and condition. There’s no ‘magic number’, but let’s uncover the right formula for you by delving into the following areas:

Factors that influence your budget.
What exactly are you budgeting for?
Essential protections and costs.
The golden percentage rules.
Building a maintenance plan.

There’s plenty to unpack, so stay right here as we break everything down to keep your rental property profitable, protected, and ready for anything.

Details: Published: 18 March 2025; Hits: 120

HOW TO TRANSITION FROM ACCIDENTAL LANDLORD TO ACTIVE INVESTOR

Many landlords start out accidentally, from inheriting a property to moving in with a partner to having no luck selling their previous home.

Some are happy to stick with just one rental, but for many others, it's the start of something bigger as they recognise the opportunities in renting out multiple properties, not least a financially secure future.

We love nothing more than helping landlords build thriving portfolios, and here in our guide we're sharing our best tips on making the leap from accidental to active investor. So let's explore:

Reframing Your Mindset.
Optimising Your Existing Property.
Professionalising Your Approach.
Setting a Clear Strategy and Goals.
Embracing Continuous Learning.

These are the shifts that give you the tools to build a robust and enduring buy-to-let business that delivers long-term security and prosperity for you, your children, and beyond. Let's begin.

Details: Published: 27 February 2025; Hits: 139

WHY THEY MATTER, WHAT TO CHECK, AND HOW TO GET THEM RIGHT

Do you really need to carry out mid-tenancy inspections? Well, yes you do, and here’s why.

Aside from being an excellent opportunity to nurture the relationship with your tenant, carrying out regular mid-tenancy inspections at least every 6 months means you can:

Check that your property isn't being misused, abused, illegally occupied, home to unauthorised pets, being a nuisance to neighbours, or becoming a health hazard.

Get early notice if your tenant is thinking of moving, so you can plan ahead around making cost-effective upgrades that could get you more rent. HOW TO GET MORE RENT - Homelets & Sales

Spot and solve little issues before they become or cause larger and costlier problems. Every home gets older every year, and things do wear out, break down, or start to look tired.

Show that you are serious as a landlord about your property being properly maintained, by both you and your tenant.

Create a traceable record of checks, observations and instructions that can be used in case of any disputes or, in the worst-case scenario, legal action.

With all these benefits, why do so many landlords not bother with mid-tenancy inspections? We don't know, but we have put together a guide to help you get the most from them, with valuable tips on:

Setting the stage for mid-term inspections; arranging the appointment correctly; a mid-tenancy inspection checklist; preparing and sharing the report; and repairs, breaches and action points.

There’s a lot to cover, and we’ve distilled it into bit-size chunks for effortless consumption and maximum impact. Are you ready to reap the benefits of mid-tenancy inspections? Then let's begin.