Coronavirus – How it affects HMO Landlords

Coronavirus – How it affects HMO Landlords

9:48 AM, 14th March 2020, About 4 years ago 4

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Coronavirus COVID-19 will affect HMO Property Landlords, buy to let property investors and the property market in the UK.

In the video below, Ranjan considers how HMO Property investors and the HMO Property Investment Market in the UK is going to be impacted by the onset of Coronaviris COVID-19.

Ranjan hosts the Baker Street Property Meet, the UK’s largest property investors networking event. For details of the next event click here.

Cleaning investment property:

Consider wearing gloves and masks during cleaning and wash your hands every hour. It has been recommended to use a disinfectant commercial grade cleaner (as used at hospitals) and to make sure all areas where people touch such as switches, door knobs and all handles etc are disinfected.


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Comments

Rob Crawford

11:59 AM, 14th March 2020, About 4 years ago

Whilst landlords with HMO bedsits have overall responsibility for keeping communal areas clean, tenants need to respect others and take responsibility for cleaning their own mess. Landlords cannot be expected to follow tenants around wiping their backsides! We probably need to remind them of this. My biggest concern is the potential for loss of rent. Particularly tenants on hourly rates who will not qualify for employers sick pay. How will rent protection insurers respond? Is it too late to get rent protection cover now?

Simon Williams

11:02 AM, 15th March 2020, About 4 years ago

In my HMOs I am largely leaving it to the tenants to decide how to manage the situation as regards infection control. They have sensibly decided that if someone becomes infected, the nearest bathroom will be designated exclusively for that person (and any other infected persons) and that the infected person shall not use the kitchen. Others will ensure they have food and supplies while isolating in their rooms and we will give them a microwave in their room to heat soup etc. All my tenants are young and face little serious risk and they seem quite relaxed on the whole. (For now).
But, economically, it is already starting to bite. One room is vacant and would normally be filled very quickly but it's proving very difficult (partly because I will only take someone who has a "virus-proof" income source). Another tenant has to return to Spain as their zero hours contract in the catering industry has gone from 40-50 hours per week to, well, zero.
Still - chin up - it's far worse if you have a hotel and I am told even holiday lets are seeing mass cancellations.

Tony Hodge

16:02 PM, 16th March 2020, About 4 years ago

As a student HMO landlord I have a responsibility to provide a safe and secure environment for my tenants to live. How they live in my property is up to them so long as they return it in the same condition as I let it.
I have had tenants who left a chicken breast on the worktop for 4 days to defrost. It's their choice to do that not mine. I did however advise them to bin it, clean the work top and pointed out the health implictions. Don't know whether they did as I'm not in the property all the time as I am obliged for the tenant to have 'peaceful enjoyment' of the property.

Paul Shears

16:09 PM, 16th March 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Tony Hodge at 16/03/2020 - 16:02
Perhaps these people should have their own Darwin award.

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