Good morning, fellow Landladies ...
Well, I've just taken five minutes to sit down for a cuppa and a Krispy Creme doughnut, so I thought I would take a few moments to share some more valuable information with you .... well, us ladies have to
stick together and support one another, don't we .... ?!
I thought I would share a sad little tale that I heard the other evening at a local landlord’s meeting …. one of the landlord’s there had just been fined £1000 for not having a TV licence. "So what?" you might well say. Well the story is that he had not ensured that in the AST that had been drawn up by a new letting agent, that it was the tenant’s responsibility to have a TV licence – thereby alleviating all legal responsibility of the TV licence on the landlord.
Just the simple checking of a new AST cost this man a grand – it’s an easy mistake that any of us can make, but an expensive one.
I am all for sharing this kind of intellgience because, as I keep re-iterating, your investment property is YOUR responsiblity. If something goes wrong, YOU are the only person to blame. SO BE RESPONSIBLE. A quick call to the TV licencing authority will let them know that it is a buy-to-let property, and you can give them the tenant's name for future reference. Then it becomes the tenant's legal obligation to pay for the TV licence.
And staying with the subject of TV ... did you know that landlord's with properties in blocks of flats tht have a communal TV system must ensure that their flat has access to digital TV before the analogue signal is switched off in 2012?
According to the National Landlord's Association, a third of its members are unaware that it is their
responsibility to take care of this. "We are concerned how few landlords appear to be aware of their responsibilities relating to digital TV switchover," commented David Salusbury, NLA chairman.
"Any landlord who rents out a property which relies on a communal television system must ensure that the necessary steps are taken to make the switch to digital.
Letting properties professionally is a serious responsibility. With so many legal obligations to the tenant, the business of letting can be a minefield of regulation," he concluded.
On November 14th of this year, Whitehaven became the first UK town to have its analogue TV signal switched off.
If you own an apartment in a block with a management company in place, it will be worth checking with them what provision will be made for digital TV in that building.
Remember, education and knowledge is key to being a successful Landlady, so always keep yourself up to date with the latest government legislation. That way, you won't be caught out in the future ....
Until next time, toodle pip.
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