Fancy a £30k fine? Watch Out for EICR!

With gas safety regulations, EPCs, legionella risk assessments, HMO licensing and other paperwork we need to make sure we're on top of, the government has pulled another one out of their pocket for us to deal with! Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR) are the latest hoop we need to jump through to keep your investment (and tenants) safe! You'll need an EICR for every property let after the 1st July 2020 and has to be performed at least once every five years. If you don't, you're facing fines of up to £30'000! An eye-watering amount that makes the cost of [...]

By Andrew Hill|2020-05-29T19:53:48+01:0029th May, 2020|Free Landlord advice, Landlord Law, Landlords|1 Comment

How the General Election 2019 Result Affects your Property Portfolio

Last night, the UK general election result demonstrated a massive, landslide victory for the Conservative party and Boris Johnson. The tories delivered a huge blow to Labour who suffered a devastating loss, the worse loss in over fifty years! And, at Harry Albert Lettings & Estates, we couldn't be happier with the result. Can you imagine a Corbyn government on your investment portfolio? How does Boris Johnson affect7 Money Saving Tax Tips for Landlords house prices? House prices typically demonstrate modest growth in the run-up to and after general elections and are largely down to how the current prime minister [...]

By Andrew Hill|2019-12-13T17:36:57+00:0013th December, 2019|General, House Prices, Leicester, Private Rented Sector|0 Comments

FREE Post-BREXIT Property Market Report

Brexit, we've heard enough about it now, haven't we? But what about its impacts on the Leicester property market? Is it all doom and gloom? With predictions saying we can expect a significant fall in house prices (up to 30%) after we leave the EU, it's no wonder buyer uncertainty in the property market is at an all-time high. This report looks at the property market before and since we voted to leave the EU and analyses the market the accurately predict what we can expect once we leave the EU if we ever leave the EU... Just complete [...]

By Andrew Hill|2019-11-22T11:55:59+00:0022nd November, 2019|Downloads|0 Comments

FREE Landlord Anti-Social Behaviour Guide 2020

With the introduction of Selective Licensing across many cities and towns in the UK, dealing with anti-social behaviour in your properties is more important now than it ever has been! This guide will show you how to handle tenants who are being antisocial and how to mediate effectively if you own an HMO in Leicester where your tenants are falling out with each other. Just complete the form below and your guide will be emailed to you immediately!

By Andrew Hill|2019-11-20T13:13:15+00:0020th November, 2019|Downloads|0 Comments

FREE Landlord Guide: Understanding the True Cost of Being a Landlord

Understanding the cost of being a landlord is key to maximising your return on property investment and retaining more profits! In Leicester, the costs of being a landlord are easily managed with all things considered and this guide is FREE for landlords with rented properties in Leicester. You might be asking: What expenses can I deduct from tax? What's my personal allowance this year? What's happening to mortgage interest rate relief? What are the changes to stamp duty land tax? What happens if I don't pay my buy to let mortgage? What costs are involved if my tenant moves out? [...]

By Andrew Hill|2019-11-18T14:11:10+00:0018th November, 2019|Downloads|1 Comment

How High Rental Yields Can Leave A Hole In Your Pocket

Is rental yield really that important? This is a question I've found myself asking time and time again lately as I talk to property investors and landlords with properties to rent or let out in Leicester. The conversation usually goes along the lines of an investor saying to me "the yield is too low, the numbers don't stack up. Up North, I can get double the yield!" I argue this isn't a great measure of investment potential. Let me explain; A straight buy to let in Leicester will get you anywhere between 3-6% gross at average sales value, depending on [...]

By Andrew Hill|2019-10-17T11:58:51+01:0017th October, 2019|Free Landlord advice, General, Landlords, Leicester, Letting Agency, Private Rented Sector|0 Comments

FREE Leicester Minimum Energy Efficiency Factsheet

Energy efficiency has become a buzzword in the private rented sector today since the minimum energy efficiency standards came into force last year. If you own a property to rent in Leicester, you will have obligations to meet minimum energy efficiency standards, also known as MEES, or apply for an exemption that could last up to five years. Properties rated E or below on the energy performance certificate (EPC) will no longer be compliant from Spring 2019. Download your free Leicester MEES Fact sheet by completing the form below. Your factsheet will be emailed to you so you can download [...]

By Andrew Hill|2019-10-12T21:05:15+01:0012th October, 2019|Downloads|0 Comments

What do letting agents do when looking for tenants?

When you invest in property, it isn't always feasible to let your property and manage it yourself, especially when you live far away from your properties which is why finding a good letting agent is key to effectively managing and letting your properties. When Harry Albert Lettings & Estates are instructed to let a property, we look for tenants in a unique way by targeting them where they're not actively searching for properties. This means your property isn't competing with thousands of others on Rightmove and Zoopla or On The Market or other portals, including The House Shop and Gumtree, [...]

By Andrew Hill|2019-09-16T01:28:55+01:0016th September, 2019|Leicester, Landlords, Letting Agency, Private Rented Sector|0 Comments

8 Reasons As To Why Use An Agent To Let Your Property

Letting a property is a daunting task. From initially finding tenants to collecting rent and organising property maintenance, there's a lot of work involved in being a landlord. Luckily, letting agents like Harry Albert Lettings & Estates exist to help take the load off, and relieve some of the pressure involved in letting a property. If you're a first-time landlord or a seasoned expert, here are 8 reasons why you should use an agent to let your property. 1. A letting agent can find you a tenant Lettings agents go through the process of advertising your property and finding [...]

By Andrew Hill|2019-09-11T16:01:41+01:0011th September, 2019|Free Landlord advice, Landlords, Leicester, Letting Agency|0 Comments

Photo Competition: Culture & Landmarks of Leicester

We love great photos, especially of our glorious city of Leicester and we love taking 'em but this time, we want to see what you can do with a camera (or smartphone) in this Leicester photo competition! The days are long, hot and sunny and there are perfect conditions to snap the perfect shot! There is no limit to what you can send in. The only requirements are: Your entries MUST be taken within the Leicester boundary (this excludes Leicestershire on this occasion). They MUST have been taken within the last two years. Your images MUST capture the landmarks or culture of Leicester. [...]

By Andrew Hill|2019-10-02T22:44:21+01:0027th August, 2019|Competitions, General|0 Comments

Leicester Letting Agent and Property Management

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