HIGHLAND LANDLORDS’ NEWSLETTER – July 2017

Private Landlords Support Project

Highland Landlord’s Free Information Event
Date: Thursday 24th August 2017
Time: 6.00pm – 9.00pm
Venue: Tulloch Caledonian Stadium, Inverness.
Shelter Scotland is bringing landlords and sector experts together for an evening to address the key issues facing the PRS in the coming year.
John Blackwood
John Blackwood is the Chief Executive of the Scottish Association of Landlord. John will be speaking on the new Private Residential Tenancy and the significant changes this will bring to the private rented sector.
Jackie Fraser
Jackie Fraser, Director of Private Client and Business Tax, joined Chiene and Tait (C+T) after a decade-long spell in a senior role within a global firm. Jackie heads up the operation of C+T’s new Inverness office which supports its base of SMEs and individuals in the Scottish Highlands. Jackie Fraser will address taxation of landlords as individuals and the differences of holding properties as an individual or through a corporate entity
Charlotte McHaffie
Charlotte is a policy manager within the Scottish Government’s private rented sector policy team. Charlotte is speaking on the Housing (Scotland) Act 2014 which introduces a new framework for the regulation of letting agents in Scotland. Once implemented, this will include a compulsory Register of Letting Agents and a statutory Letting Agent Code of Practice. This includes a means of resolving complaints from both landlords and tenants where the Code has been breached through a new specialist Housing Tribunal.
To book your place please click this link: Inverness event booking
Private Landlord Support Project Update
The Private Landlord Support Project has been running for eighteen months’ now and has been developing ways to work with landlords to improve both standards of property and tenancy management. Landlords are often very busy often managing one or a small number of properties in between work, family and other commitments. There have been many legislative changes over the last decade including the introduction of Landlord Registration and the Repairing Standard which regularly changes to reflect the standards of a new build and take account of Scottish Government guidance. The project provides a single point of contact for landlords who want to ask questions and receive guidance and good quality information. The project aims to demonstrate the value of this in terms of raising standards in the sector and reducing need for expensive enforcement action.
Since the start of the project 311 landlord enquiries have been answered. A popular tool often requested has been the Private Landlord Checklist covering the basic legal requirements. Trending issues have been fire detection, electrical safety checks, legionella risk assessments, Energy Performance Certificates and Deposit schemes. Landlords have also been in touch to discuss how to deal with rent arrears and antisocial behavior and serve the correct notices to tenants.
The project has contacted 488 landlords who have posted non-compliant adverts on-line for property for rent. Landlords have amended or removed their advert as a result of the approach and many have taken to opportunity to find out more information about regulations by asking questions or coming along to an event. Monitoring has shown that advert compliance has risen from 30% to 55%.
The project has hosted eight Lochaber Landlord Forums addressing a wide range of subjects through presentations by guest speaker and the Private Landlord Support Officer. Due to popular demand a much bigger event will be held in Inverness in August.
The project has attended private rented sector events to promote its work through presentations and facilitated discussion. Work continues with both Local and Scottish Government to demonstrate the need and value to offer this service to landlords.
I have immensely enjoyed my role as Private Landlord Support Officer but it is time for me to move on to pastures new. I am returning to managing regulated support services for vulnerable people, a role I performed for 13 years prior to coming into this post. I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in this project from the landlords who have got in touch to the agencies and individuals who have given their time and expertise to help make this service happen here in Highland.
Shelter Scotland will be recruiting for the post and my replacement will continue the important work of the project. In the mean time I am here until the beginning of August so please feel free to get in touch with any questions or requests for information.
Time is running out for the mixed Residential and Holiday Let model
The Highlands has a long history of tourism which a whole industry has developed around. A popular model for landlords across the area is to let a property as a holiday let during the tourist season and offer it for a residential let over the winter on a Short Assured Tenancy. Time, however, is running out for this common place practice. The Private Residential Tenancy is due to be introduced in December this year after which Short Assured Tenancies can no longer be created. The Private Residential Tenancy will offer a greater security of tenure with no initial period, “No fault” ground or “Off season holiday let” ground for eviction. This means it will no longer be possible to swop between the two after the tourist season next year. Landlords will have to choose.
Holiday lets are undoubtedly more lucrative over the busy season but comes with the weekly grind of the change-over or wondering if the cleaner has gone in as arranged. Holiday Lets will be more likely to be void over the winter months, a concern for maintaining the standard of the property longer term with the harsh weather the Highlands often experience.
Residential lets attract a lesser monthly rental income but are far less likely to have long void periods especially in an area such as Highlands were housing is in short supply. Careful review of the figures could determine a greater potential rental income over the longer term. Residential lets also require much less hands on management than holiday lets which can be further reduced if a Letting Agent is engaged.
Some will favor one tenure type whilst some will elect for the other. I urge all landlords to carefully consider their options and in doing so think about the impact both will have here in the Highland. It’s great that people want to come here to visit and spend their money and that’s good for the economy and that means jobs. However, people also need a home from which to work. Keeping a property in consistent occupation by providing a long term home will ensure a capital and social return in the future.
To learn more about the Private Residential Tenancy why not book onto the free event in Inverness on the 24.08.2017: Inverness event booking
Shelter Scotland Training Opportunity for Landlords
Shelter Scotland has developed a new e-learning course for landlords to help you navigate the maze of information on private tenancies.
The course will guide you through private rented sector legislation and fully understand your responsibilities as a landlord as well as the responsibilities of your tenants. The course will also guide you to further advice and support.
For more information, call 0344 515 2477 or email
Please get in touch with any questions about renting private property:
Email: Tel: 01397 709230