Covid 19 what this means to you as a landlord

Covid 19 what this means to you as a landlord -FAQ’s

Q: My tenant has been laid off/made redundant and cannot pay the rent.  What should I do?

A: Firstly discuss the options available.  Encourage your tenants to apply for universal credit.  Although it won’t cover all your rent it will make a contribution.  It is important that your tenants do this immediately as there is currently a massive backlog

You may wish to offer a rental holiday.  It is however vital that you explain that a rental holiday is not a RENT FREE PERIOD.  There seems to be a misapprehension going around that tenants don’t have to pay the rent back.  Explain to your tenants what a rent holiday entails and encourage them to make a regular payment however small

What you must not do is threaten the tenants with eviction or issue a Section 21 or Section 8 notice to quit.  The government have banned evictions for 3 months and if this goes on for longer will extend that period.  The relevant information can be found here  https://www.gov.uk/government/news/complete-ban-on-evictions-and-additional-protection-for-renters

Once this is over agree a payment plan with your tenant that is realistic and affordable

Q:  My tenant gave notice before this all started and we have new tenants lined up.  Can they still move in

A: Yes although you need to be very careful.  We have two move in’s next week.  This is what we are doing

1. We will send the tenancy agreement to the new tenants electronically using Docusign
2.  One the agreement is signed and the funds for rent and deposit are in our client account we will place the keys in our external key safe.  The tenant will be given a unique code to access the safe
3. The inventory clerk will have prepared an inventory emailed it to the tenant before moving in and then “walk through” the inventory with the tenants vis Facetime Skype or other similar video applications

Thus the tenant can move in to their new property whilst still complying with social distancing

Q: My tenant is supposed to be leaving next week but is now self-isolating.  What do I tell the new tenant

A: If a tenant is self-isolating they must stay in their home until they are given the all clear.  You must explain to your new tenant that they cannot move in for the time being and explain why.  Once the all clear is given the tenant can move in.  Between tenancies you should deep clean the property.  You should not charge this against the outgoing tenant’s deposit

Q: My tenant has reported a maintenance issue, what should I do?

A: This is a grey area.  Discuss this with the individual contractor, if they are happy to attend and the tenant is happy for them to be in the property then there is no reason why maintenance cannot be done.  But I cannot stress enough that this must be done safely and the tenant and contractor must adhere to the 2m rule at all times.

We have taken the stance that unless this is a genuine emergency that could pose a threat to life or the fabric of the property then we will not send out a contractor.  However other agents are carrying on as normal.  We will of course discuss any maintenance issue with you and your tenant

Q: My property is empty.  Can you show it?

A: Yes and no.  We are not allowed to show prospective tenants property face to face.  However we can and have conducted viewings by video call and will continue to do so.