We’ve all had some DIY decorating disasters… probably because people assume decorating is easy… until they try! There are all sorts of do’s and don’ts and DIY stores appear to sell a different type of paint for every room but here are some easy tips that can help you on your way.
1. First things first… get permission! Whilst most Landlords are happy that tenants want to care and look after their home, you do need their agreement to do so.
2. Plan ahead. Paint by its very nature is designed to be durable… so if you get it on to a surface you shouldn’t it won’t come off easily. Use masking tape and dust sheets to protect surfaces and to get nice straight lines at the junctions with other surfaces.
3. Preparation is key. If there are any holes in the walls use a filler material to fill. Allow this to dry and then rub the surface with sandpaper so it is flush with the surrounding area.
4. Use the right material for the job.
a. Internal Walls and ceilings – generally emulsion paint. This can be Vinyl Silk (shiny appearance but easy to wipe clean) or Vinyl Matt (looks good but expect to have to re-paint fairly often to get rid of marks). All brands will have more expensive versions of this paint ‘Diamond Matt’, ‘Endurance Matt’, ‘Super Durable Matt’ etc and the have additives in them which make them longer lasting and claim to be a bit easier to clean. In honesty I’m not sure if the premium paid is proportionate to the extra durability.
b. Kitchens and bathrooms – in areas where there is more moisture the paint will often flake if you use a Vinyl Matt type paint. DIY stores sell a Kitchen and Bathroom paint which is an Eggshell paint (very slight sheen level) which can deal with the additional humidity but Vinyl Silk is a more cost effective option.
c. Trims – anything painted in gloss. Spindles, handrails, skirting boards, window cills etc etc. These often won’t need redecorating when you complete the painting in a room as they will normally be remaining white. If you do need to paint them… rub them down with sandpaper. This removes the sheen and allows the subsequent coat of paint to key to the surface. Apply at least one undercoat and allow to properly dry, then one coat of gloss. Gloss shows any imperfections really easily so you should make sure there is no dust around before starting the gloss coat.
d. Plastic surfaces, Radiators, Tiles etc – normal paints will not adhere to these surfaces without specialist primers. If you need to paint these surfaces do some research before you paint… if you don’t do it properly it will peel in a patchy fashion and will be time consuming and costly to rectify.
5. Wallpaper – don’t do it!! Whilst wallpaper can provide a real impact in a room it is difficult to hang properly, and expensive to change at the end of its life. Often when removing wallpaper from a wall it damages the surface of the wall and you are then restricted to re-papering it. Some people try painting over the paper but this will often cause the paper to lift from the wall.

Top Tip
– Wrap brushes and rollers in cling film overnight or if you want to take a break

Got  Court Catastrophe?

We have all been there, there is a lot riding on it.  The decision to issue court proceedings is never taken lightly and by the time you have made that decision you may have a rent account thousands in arrears, have a sale date agreed or escalating complaints as ASB becomes unmanageable.   With many landlords trying to balance the escalating costs of property management  and increasing regulation and exposure to taxation it can be easy to think that self-management could tip the scale and save on management fees charged by agents.   It’s a good idea but many of the landlords we speak with have had a bad experience with self-management with it becoming increasingly difficult to manage those out of hours calls, family time and keeping up to date with all the techy legal bits and bobs that can land even the best landlord in deep water if things go wrong.

We are frequently asked what do I get for my management fee…. Here’s some of what we CanDo and Do Do every day!

Keeping that Income Flowing.

We have super low arrears figures, consistently below 2%.  How we do that?  By being experts in welfare and benefit advice, working with partners, ensuring tenants have regular contact and acting swiftly to make sure any stops in benefit are short and sweet.  There is still a common misconception that those claiming welfare benefits are more likely to fall into arrears, that why we have rigorous process and experienced benefit staff to make sure that the right claims are made and assistance given to support tenants to ensure they have the best chance of sustaining a tenancy.

Responsive Repairs

We have a pool of experienced and trusted expert contractors we can call on for advice, guidance and quotes who are competitive in their pricing so we know you are getting quality work at best values.  Unlike some agents we can give you what you need, and are happy to co-ordinate access for your own contractors or use our own dependent upon what your preferences are.  We can co-ordinate the whole process and take some of the mystery out of technical jargon and deal with the messy logistics to take the hassle out of missed appointments, conflicting dates and arranging access.

Inspections

Our inspections ensure any routine maintenance issues are picked up so as to avoid expensive and inconvenient emergency repairs further down the line.   It also gives us the opportunity to make sure that tenants are managing their tenancy appropriately and we schedule more frequent inspections for those needing more support.

Court Advocacy

Its an expensive and procedural process littered with technicalities which can lead to delays and further costs if negotiated blindly.  Our Staff complete all the paperwork, ensuring notices are valid and enforceable and attending court on your behalf.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Our officers are experienced in dealing with noise nuisance complaints, neighbour disputes and anti-social behaviour.  We also use our knowledge and links in the housing sector to gain assistance from the local authority, police and support providers to help us help tenants.  Our Officers work on educating tenants on their responsibilities but also about building relationships with neighbours so that the chances of escalating complaints are minimised.

Keeping Compliant

It is a wide ranging responsibility being a landlord! We ensure you are compliant, checking validity of certificates and making sure your property is and stays compliant with all the safety requirements under the most up to date regulations whether that be for Gas, electric, energy performance, fire safety or asbestos.  We also make sure that you know of impending expiry dates as well as co-coordinating work if those certificates don’t go as well as planned and use our bank of trusted trades people if you need them.

Administration makes the world go round

The most important bit, making sure you have the right information, reports, payments and evidence you need to take the hassle out of being a landlord.  We do everything we can to make it easier and so can tailor our payment dates to suit you, ensure your preferences are followed and do our utmost to make the experience of letting your property a positive one.

So if your eyes are not too tired after reading all of that, and you are interested in knowing more, give us a call and see what we CanDo for you!