Our HMO

23/10/2025

A much-needed innovation.

Too many renters pay their landlord’s interest-only mortgage every month — yet can’t access one of their own.

Allowing a blend of interest-only and repayment up to 95% LTV could genuinely open doors for working households who’ve done everything right but remain priced out.

Smart, balanced lending that reflects how people actually live and pay today.

Gen H has launched a part capital repayment and part

21/10/2025

⚖️ Awaab’s Law – What Every Landlord Needs to Know

Awaab Ishak’s tragic story led to a new law in July 2023 that forces landlords to act quickly on damp and mould hazards.

It started with social housing — but it’s already shaping how councils inspect private and HMO properties.

Here’s what it means for you 👇

🕒 Repairs must now be started within strict timelines.
🧾 Councils are using this law to judge your property standards.
🏠 HMO landlords are under pressure to prove ventilation, inspections and records.

The message is clear: Don’t wait for enforcement — prove prevention.

👉 Swipe through the full post for our practical checklist.

14/10/2025

“Planning permission granted.”

It’s the message every landlord or developer wants to see — but under the Town & Country Planning Act 1990, that’s not the end of the story.

Every approval comes with planning conditions — legal obligations you must satisfy before, during and after development.
Miss one, especially a pre-commencement condition, and your project can be deemed unlawful.

In our latest carousel we explain:
➡️ The 3 types of planning conditions
➡️ What TCPA Sections 70–75 and NPPF 2021 actually require
➡️ How to vary or remove a condition under Section 73
➡️ What investors should always check before joining a project

If you want your next HMO or conversion to run smoothly, take 2 minutes to swipe through — and stay compliant from day one.

👉 Swipe the carousel to see the full breakdown.

07/10/2025

💡 Bills Inclusive vs Capped Bills – The Great HMO Debate

Energy prices might calm down, but managing utilities in HMOs is still one of the hardest balancing acts for landlords.

👉 Bills Inclusive – easier to market, faster lets, but higher risk.
👉 Capped – fairer and more controlled, but needs clear legal wording.

With the Tenant Fees Act and OFGEM rules tightening, landlords must stay transparent — no hidden surcharges, no coin meters, no “guess caps.”

We’ve broken down both sides of the argument so you can decide what fits your property strategy.

👇 Comment below: Do you include bills or cap them? What’s worked best for your HMO portfolio?

01/10/2025

📊 Hometrack’s September HPI shows the split widening:
• +1.4% overall
• –11% demand for £1m+ homes
• +2.8% growth under £200k

Affordability is driving the market. The question now: will the lower tiers keep moving, or will caution at the top start to filter down?

29/09/2025

⚠️ One missing HMO compliance document can cost you thousands — even up to £30,000.

Here are the 5 most common mistakes we see landlords make:
⛔️ Deposits not registered → penalty up to 3x the deposit.
⛔️ No waste contract → domestic bins are non-compliant, fines £1k–£5k.
⛔️ Missing fire logs → one landlord was fined £20k in Waltham Forest.
⛔️ No right-to-rent checks → up to £20k per tenant.
⛔️ No compliance pack → councils can issue £30k fines per offence.

As managers, we see landlords tripped up by these again and again.
Councils don’t just want the property safe — they want proof you’re doing everything right.

25/09/2025

Deposit Mistakes Landlords Still Make:

❌ Late registration – must be done within 30 days. Miss it, and tenants can claim up to 3x the deposit in compensation.
❌ Wrong prescribed info – tenants must receive the scheme’s official docs within the same 30 days. Without it, Section 21 notices can be invalid.
❌ Wrong scheme – custodial vs. insurance. Pick the wrong one or fail to understand the rules, and you risk non-compliance.

These aren’t small errors — they cost landlords £1,000s and can stall evictions.

👉 Which is most confusing: custodial, insurance, or the paperwork?

23/09/2025

Most landlord headaches start with one thing: poor tenant vetting.

Here’s our 6-step flow that filters out 80% of potential issues:
✔ Pre-screen with questions before viewings.
✔ Check affordability (rent ≤ 35% of income).
✔ Verify employment with HR.
✔ Call previous landlords.
✔ Complete Right-to-Rent checks.
✔ Always look for red flags (rushed moves, vague answers).

Missing even one step can mean months of arrears, damage, or compliance fines.

👉 Save this checklist. Which step do you struggle with most?

18/09/2025

When repairs slip, complaints rise — and so do council inspections.

A simple SLA framework can protect you and keep tenants happy:
- Triage within 4 hours (acknowledge the issue fast).
- Fix urgent repairs in 24 hours (heating, leaks, hot water, locks).
- Resolve non-urgent repairs in 72 hours (drips, handles, cosmetic issues).
- Always get photo proof — protects you against disputes.
- Most importantly, make contractors agree to these same timescales in writing.

Why it matters: If tenants complain about delays, inspectors don’t care whose fault it was. They hold you, the landlord, accountable — which can mean new license conditions or even fines.

👉 How do you manage repair timescales in your HMOs?

16/09/2025

Should you take deposits in 2025?

✔ Taking deposits = extra protection, but you must register them within 30 days (DPS, TDS, or MyDeposits). Miss a step and you risk fines of up to 3x the deposit.

✔ No deposit schemes (Zero Deposit, Reposit, Flatfair) = quicker lets and lower move-in costs for tenants, but the landlord relies on the scheme provider and may have less direct control.

Either way, compliance is non-negotiable. Registration, prescribed information, and clear tenancy agreements are essential.

👉 How do you balance speed vs risk in your HMOs?

14/09/2025

Got a licence? Great. But planning is separate.

Licensing = management & safety.
Planning = land use.

⚠️ Article 4 removes permitted development rights — so you can’t assume one covers the other.

One landlord in Acton learned this the hard way after buying a licensed HMO that had no planning use confirmed.

👉 What’s one surprise you’ve had because licence & planning got mixed up?