My Property Box

Dear Sir,

After reading your front page article ‘Safety concerns for hundreds of homes’ (Echo 4/11/23) it is worth understanding that the rules in question are important and necessary.

However, the rules that landlords must follow are complicated and it is wise to use an agent that can administer them if you decide to rent out a property to multiple occupiers. These properties – called homes of multiple occupation (HMOs) – are popular as student lets but are also emerging as a first choice of accommodation for young professional people. I have recently invested in such a property in Victoria Road Darlington. It is fully equipped, high quality and convenient for its tenants, as they only pay one bill and have access to all the services they need.

Using an agency that can deploy proper systems to keep the inspection the paperwork and the relevant license up to date is vital. If more landlords took this approach the data rightly exposed in the Echo would not be as alarming.

Ben Quaintrell

My Property Box