What happens to the income that the portfolio currently generates? How easily can that income be replaced with the same level of reliability?

Is borrowing still being viewed purely as a cost, or also as a strategic tool? Does the portfolio’s existing equity create options that were not available during the early years?

How does the portfolio actually function as a single business? How clearly does the structure reflect the landlord’s current priorities?

Is the portfolio organised in the most effective way for the future? How easily could the business adapt if priorities changed?

How did the portfolio gradually evolve into its current structure? Which earlier decisions quietly shaped the way the business now operates?

Does the structure surrounding the portfolio still reflect the environment in which it now operates? If circumstances changed unexpectedly, how easily could the portfolio adapt?

How much time should the portfolio require in the years ahead? What happens if the owner wishes to step back from day-to-day involvement?

How easily could someone else understand how the portfolio works? If the owner eventually steps back, who carries the knowledge that keeps the business running smoothly?

Does the original plan still reflect the current scale of the portfolio? How easily could the portfolio adapt to future changes in priorities?

How should the portfolio behave as the owner’s role gradually changes? What will the portfolio look like when active management eventually becomes less appealing?

How easily can the portfolio be understood as a single business? Would someone else be able to step in and understand how the portfolio works?

Will the portfolio continue in its current form for the long term? Will the level of involvement required from the owner change over time?

How easily could liquidity be created if circumstances changed? What role should that equity play in the next stage of the landlord’s financial life?

Does the portfolio need to keep growing, or is its role beginning to change? Is the current structure designed for the next twenty years, or mainly for the previous twenty?

If income needs change, how easily can the portfolio adapt? If control needs to be shared or transferred, how straightforward would that be?

Is the current structure still the right one for the next twenty or thirty years? Should some equity remain where it is, or should it start serving a different purpose?

Should the portfolio remain exactly as it is? How should the business be managed if the original owner eventually wishes to step back?

It’s hard to fathom that there’s a sector of the property market that’s actually doing better this year than last year when it comes to landlord portfolios, but that’s exactly the case for landlords who have been looking to sell their properties in what’s been dubbed the “prime areas.” As landlords yourselves, you’ve no doubt […]

Landlords in Manchester will be able to access grants of up to £30,000 to improve EPC ratings.  Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham claims he wants to support responsible landlords and offer incentives to improve EPC standards through his Good Landlord Charter. Launched in April last year, the initiative is a cornerstone of Mayor Andy Burnham’s […]

The Times would like to hear from landlords who are concerned about the introduction of Making Tax Digital rules from April. I’m keen to talk to landlords who will have to comply with Making Tax Digital rules from April and may have to file a number of different returns. Is the extra red tape (along […]

A tenant group has put forward so-called “common sense proposals” that would allow renters to reclaim rent if their landlord fails to meet EPC standards. Generation Rent’s Raising Standards, Not Rents report sets out a number of policy recommendations to the government, claiming “landlord lobbyists” have consistently opposed meeting energy-efficiency targets. The news comes as […]