Jill Lucas
Jill Lucas
Registered with Property118.com
19th July 2014
Total Posts
0
Total Comments
42
Bio
I am an established (female) landlord and property developer on the south coast having established a business (initially as a hobby) after being made redundant as a senior manager in a major corporate in 2010. I started off by buying up small plots of land to redevelop and moved into buying re-possessions and executor sale properties that needed updating in the Eastbourne and Brighton areas. Rather than sell the properties on I renovated and rented them out. Some properties were leasehold which enabled me to enfranchise and purchase freeholds building up considerable legal knowledge in particular with RTM. I have also helped others purchase freeholds. I have only purchased properties that I could live in and market equally to young professionals to retired people - this strategy has been very successful. The market on the south coast is very dynamic now as the direction of travel after covid has been to move out of London etc, and WFH is a big thing, and doubt going forward that this will change.
It is harder to start a BTL business now with the size of deposits and mortgage constraints but it is still feasible and easier if you can manage your own portfolio, i.e. with properties relatively close! I have a lot of experience and am happy to provide advice to anyone on this site.
26th July 2025, 9 months ago
What about Landlords rights we seem to have been dismissed altogether! The changes are more focused on social housing benefits tenants than professional tenants. Our portfolio is based on the south coast and we purchased the worst properties in the...
Read More →10th May 2023, 3 years ago
Hi Ricky Yes we have the same problem i.e. being ripped off under Settlers Court and it appears that the Freeholders believe they can bully us into paying fees without being challenged. This is where they are wrong and you...
Read More →4th February 2023, 3 years ago
This is very unfortunate and you may need to go back to the drawing board and start the notice again unless the paperwork is 100% accurate! You do need to see all the documentation and who served it together with...
Read More →10th December 2022, 3 years ago
Hi Mervin OK apologies for my misinterpretation. We also respect the law but it is a gift to managing agents and freeholders and unfair for leaseholders to pay double for the same provision of service as previously! so this legislation...
Read More →10th December 2022, 3 years ago
Hi Mervin Thank you for your response and respect your knowledge as you sit on the other side of the fence! Right to Manage is what it says on the tin and enables leaseholders to have control. This judgement has...
Read More →10th December 2022, 3 years ago
Hi Marvin Thanks for your comments good to talk to someone in the know! The law is the law - although RTM is all about control - and whilst Settlers Court has reversed the original judgement it has in my...
Read More →10th December 2022, 3 years ago
Hi Mervin Thanks for your comments and our agreement was not adhoc and registered with the land registry. I already manage 4 properties with no issues. Going back to Settlers Court this judgement was more geared to mega blocks but...
Read More →10th December 2022, 3 years ago
Hi Mervin - yes I have read the judgement line by line! we accept the decision the big but is that Settlers Court RTM did not agree areas of responsibility from the start and ended up with a dispute from...
Read More →Reply to comment left by Mervin SX at 10/12/2022 - 10:34
Reply to the comment left by Mervin SX at 10/12/2022 - 10:34Thank you for your response. Our beef is that we already have an agreed area of responsibility with no issues for the past few years. There are no other...
Read More →Reply to comment left by Yasin Leysan at 07/12/2022 - 13:52
Reply to the comment left by eagle view at 07/12/2022 - 13:52We fully understand the changes. However we dont have a large estate to be managed. Settlers Court comprised 800 units with walkways, gardens etc. We are 14 flats with...
Read More →7th December 2022, 3 years ago
RTM is working for us and we already own and manage other blocks with no issues whatsoever! We own a share in the freehold. We are constantly challenging the managing agent who do not respond communicate or provide detail on...
Read More →Reply to comment left by Yasin Leysan at 06/12/2022 - 14:23
Reply to the comment left by eagle view at 06/12/2022 - 14:23We need to clarify 'estate' in our case it's two blocks of flats a block of 4 units and a block of 10 units with a steep garden and...
Read More →Reply to comment left by Laura Delow at 06/12/2022 - 13:01
Reply to the comment left by Laura Delow at 06/12/2022 - 13:01Yes but every situation is different and this takes away RTM right to manage and puts the control into the hands of freeholders and managing agents who will use...
Read More →28th November 2022, 3 years ago
Having been thru the process recently it is likely your tenant will ignore this. You need to ensure the notice is served by hand, email and recorded delivery. You need to ensure that you supply all the legal compliance documentation...
Read More →Reply to comment left by Judith Wordsworth at 18/11/2022 - 11:11
Reply to the comment left by Judith Wordsworth at 18/11/2022 - 11:11We have had issues with black mould and one tenant called the housing department to report it! They advised it was the lifestyle of the tenant who was drying...
Read More →Reply to comment left by terry sullivan at 10/05/2021 - 11:06
Reply to the comment left by terry sullivan at 10/05/2021 - 11:06We had the same issue with a block of 8 flats! Firstly as already commented on the Fire Risk, secondly it is likely to require planning permission which takes...
Read More →12th April 2018, 8 years ago
Hi Yes this is very expensive! We pay £30 per flat for our gas safety checks in one area and at different locations. I think you need to shop around.
Read More →19th October 2016, 9 years ago
Hi Andy Thanks for your kind response! I am an experienced landlord with a healthy portfolio! and what with the extra tax burden and the law being weighted against landlords now more than ever do we all have to endeavour...
Read More →19th October 2016, 9 years ago
Yes I am going thru this process at present. Section 21 accelerated possession - the tenant who is receiving housing benefit has stopped paying rent and knows every legal trick in the book. He is going for eviction so he...
Read More →10th October 2016, 10 years ago
Very grateful for the comments however I am dealing with a very cunning tenant who knows the law inside out! His total objective is to be re-housed by the council and has expressed his wish to be evicted by the...
Read More →Showing 20 of 42 comments