http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/ en Thu, 23 May 2013 08:43:29 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/images/misc/rss.png http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/ http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?55410-No-reply-from-tenant-on-gas-saftey-check&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 21:56:45 GMT HI, I have sent my tenant a letter/e-mail/text about the GSC due, I have also left it with the gas engineer to contact her and he has even called around and she has not let him in. I have sent her letter saying the engineer will call at a specific time and day and if she is not in can we use our... HI, I have sent my tenant a letter/e-mail/text about the GSC due, I have also left it with the gas engineer to contact her and he has even called around and she has not let him in. I have sent her letter saying the engineer will call at a specific time and day and if she is not in can we use our keys to let him in. My question is if we don't hear back form her by the time the engineer arrives can I let him in even though I have not heard back from her? would I be breaking the lease agreement because she has not given me permission? ]]> Energy Efficiency/EPC, Design, Repair, Improve tinks http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?55410-No-reply-from-tenant-on-gas-saftey-check http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?55396-Tenant-proofing-a-house-and-I-have-some-questions&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 12:26:46 GMT Hi All, I am working on a new project, and the idea is to try to tenant proof the house as much as possible, avoiding damage to the house due to low quality materials etc and making some sensible decisions as well, for example not installing a cream/white fluffy carpet in a house meant for... Hi All,

I am working on a new project, and the idea is to try to tenant proof the house as much as possible, avoiding damage to the house due to low quality materials etc and making some sensible decisions as well, for example not installing a cream/white fluffy carpet in a house meant for renting.



Laminate flooring all round or make the rooms have carpet, I dont like carpet that much because it can easily stain and needs overhauling etc. Things can pour on it and once it starts to look worn out, then it will need changing.

Free standing gas cooker or in built one, I spoke to a mate and he said one in built will be good since it exposes less areas for T to mess about with. Thoughts please ? I also noticed that most free standing cookers dont come with a hood.

Real wood worktop or laminate one, having used laminate one before, its cheap and cheerful however any knife marks etc are permanent and cannot be repaired, I have seen an offer where the real wood one and laminate one are thesame price, but want to make sure I am not shooting myself in the foot here.

Battery fire alarm or mains, I think i know the answer to that one which is mains operated.


Thanks in advance. ]]> Energy Efficiency/EPC, Design, Repair, Improve platforminc http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?55396-Tenant-proofing-a-house-and-I-have-some-questions http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?55395-cost-of-running-C-H-off-an-electric-immersion-heater-boiler&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 12:26:18 GMT I am considering a BTL flat with radiators that run off a huge (and apparently new) immersion heater in an internal bathroom. I've checked with my plumber (because I didn't know such C/H heating systems existed) and he said it'd be more expensive than a gas boiler, but what I basically want to know is how much roughly per month for a 1-bed flat (heating and hot water) and/or would it be off-puttingly more expensive for a T? ]]> Energy Efficiency/EPC, Design, Repair, Improve westminster http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?55395-cost-of-running-C-H-off-an-electric-immersion-heater-boiler http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?55384-Barbed-Wire&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 07:27:52 GMT I have had a problem with probably the same burglar getting into the garden of one of my lets more than once by climbing over a 6 foot high wall with 2 foot of trellis on top and stealing bicycles etc. The tenant had been negligent in not securing the bikes with a bike lock to the cyclestore.... I have had a problem with probably the same burglar getting into the garden of one of my lets more than once by climbing over a 6 foot high wall with 2 foot of trellis on top and stealing bicycles etc. The tenant had been negligent in not securing the bikes with a bike lock to the cyclestore. Police not interested. Trellis has been broken and repaired twice now. Tenants have vacated and new let in pipeline.

At the weekend I put up barbed wire on one part of the trelis on the wall wall (8 feet up) where I expect the thief climbs up. He/she uses a dwarf wall of an adjacent property to aide himself in this. The span of the wall where the coiled wire sits on the trellis is 2 meters. The stretched coils are no more than 6 inches high.

Yesterday I had a very unhappy dwarf wall owner on the phone complaining that I was attacking his cat by use of the barbed wire (cat likes to sit on my wall) and he was planning taking me to court if I did not take it down telling me that I could be prosecuted for injuring a burglar and he hoped I had suitable legal insurance. He also finds the wire visually unacceptable. It was all very polite.
Later in the conversation he said he thought is was his wall - he is wrong on that one.

I told him of the burglaries and how an elderly resident (not my tenant) in the block felt threatened as they have very old, rotten single glazed windows and I was taking suitable action bearing in mind the police indifference and new vibes from this government on 'reasonable force'.

Does the dwarf wall owner have any point in law? I was a bit bullish yesterday but feel sure he will 'go for it'. ]]> Energy Efficiency/EPC, Design, Repair, Improve Interlaken http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?55384-Barbed-Wire http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?55381-New-boiler-advice&goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 21:41:43 GMT I have today unfortunately had the dreaded news that one of my boilers has gone to boiler heaven... At 30 years old it had a fair innings. Could I get some advice and feedback from fellow landlords, with regards what boilers would you recommend? I am looking at a condensing combi boiler, and... I have today unfortunately had the dreaded news that one of my boilers has gone to boiler heaven... At 30 years old it had a fair innings.

Could I get some advice and feedback from fellow landlords, with regards what boilers would you recommend? I am looking at a condensing combi boiler, and have asked the plumber to quote me for an Ideal Logic+, and then (for comparison) a Worcester Bosch model.

Have you had any particularly bad or good experiences with different boiler brands? I am looking for a decent boiler with a reputation for reliability as a first priority, but (despite asking for the Worcester quote) I don't really want to buy a premium product... Happy to go to a mid range price point.

Thanks in advance. ]]> Energy Efficiency/EPC, Design, Repair, Improve cdub85 http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?55381-New-boiler-advice http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?55259-New-slimline-electric-radiators&goto=newpost Wed, 15 May 2013 19:58:52 GMT Has anyone fitted these in their properties? How efficient are they. I have been looking at the advertisements and promotions for some months now but cannot decide if they are worth changing electric storage heaters for. No sales people need reply thanks. Has anyone fitted these in their properties? How efficient are they.

I have been looking at the advertisements and promotions for some months now but cannot decide if they are worth changing electric storage heaters for.

No sales people need reply thanks. ]]> Energy Efficiency/EPC, Design, Repair, Improve Interlaken http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?55259-New-slimline-electric-radiators http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?54937-replacing-a-kitchen-should-i-fit-gas-or-electric-i-pay-the-utility-bills&goto=newpost Mon, 29 Apr 2013 23:24:56 GMT about to replace a kitchen in a house that is used by 5 tenants should i replace the oven and hob with gas as its cheaper to use? bearing in mind theres five people all cooking at different times or should i just bang an electric one in? any ideas how much the yearly certificate would be for the... about to replace a kitchen in a house that is used by 5 tenants should i replace the oven and hob with gas as its cheaper to use? bearing in mind theres five people all cooking at different times or should i just bang an electric one in? any ideas how much the yearly certificate would be for the gas?

cheers ]]> Energy Efficiency/EPC, Design, Repair, Improve toplad86 http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?54937-replacing-a-kitchen-should-i-fit-gas-or-electric-i-pay-the-utility-bills http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?54810-Gas-V-Electric&goto=newpost Wed, 24 Apr 2013 07:40:49 GMT I'm in the process of purchasing a property that has 4 flats, all with a gas combi. I also own a separate 3 bed which also has a combi.

So my dead money each year will be 5x gas certs + 5 x british gas boiler contracts. Around £1100. This doesn't include any issues with leaks, pipes and rads.

I'm thinking as the tenants move out of disconnecting gas and making everything electric to save the money as it goes straight to the bottom line.

Anyone else done similar ? ]]> Energy Efficiency/EPC, Design, Repair, Improve chloe_1775 http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?54810-Gas-V-Electric http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?54788-Dealing-with-Damp-issues-and-replacing-double-glazing&goto=newpost Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:23:32 GMT Hi All, I would like to know the most cost effective way of dealing with damp, I have just seen a copy of a damp report, some of the things that the damp report highlights are ones that I already know. So for example it talks about dry rot in the bathroom floor, I planned on replacing the... Hi All,


I would like to know the most cost effective way of dealing with damp, I have just seen a copy of a damp report, some of the things that the damp report highlights are ones that I already know.

So for example it talks about dry rot in the bathroom floor, I planned on replacing the entire floor joist, and also using hardie backer board as well. My builder will be doing that, so that can be removed from thier quotation.

Theres also talk of water penetration to some of the wood holding the roof, the builder already told me that the roof was leaking due to bad drains, and he would be changing that. I will also ask him to treat and check the wood in the roof as well, so as to get him to treat the wood with some form of chemical.

The only thing that I need the damp company to do that I'm not sure if my builder can do is injecting DPC into some sections of the wall. This is where the services of the damp company can help, as I prefer the builder to do all the building work.

Lastly, If I need to replace 4 windows, what is the most cost effective way of doing this, the builder said he can fit if the windows are already made and sent or is it just better to contract it out to a company to make and install. I was quoted about £2,500 for 4 windows or so, they are not even big windows just a standard size set of windows.

Thanks in advance. ]]> Energy Efficiency/EPC, Design, Repair, Improve platforminc http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?54788-Dealing-with-Damp-issues-and-replacing-double-glazing