Dear all,
What an exciting week the world has had from – never ending fireworks, those with dogs, and pets in general, have my sympathies it has been constant and I know they will still be going off until into the New Year – to the change of a new President Elect in America with the first woman in the white house.
As a child of the 80s and growing up in the United Kingdom – females in power have always been part of the Government in my mind and in honesty and ignorance I did not realise what a huge change this will be for our neighbours over the water.
I think 2021 is going to be a very different and progressive year, but compared to 2020 getting further than 5 miles from home is massive geographical progress so I may have very realistic expectations. 🙂
There was a great meme that I will attach if I can find it that read “2020 – the year the bin went out more than you did”
Coronavirus tiers guidance
Now that Scotland has moved to a tiered framework of local protection levels, the government has updated its guidance on home moves. This can be found online here.
The updated guidance makes it clear that home moves will continue to be permitted, provided they can be carried out safely. People can move home in all protection levels, and to and from areas with different levels. People may wish to consider whether they can postpone a move and related activities in areas subject to level 4 protections.
We are still awaiting the government amending their coronavirus guidance for landlords and letting agents to reflect the new tiered framework. We will notify members as soon as this is updated.
A list of which tier each local authority area is in can be found here.
Legionella Risk Assessment
A compliance issue that has changed if that the legionella risk assessment has to be carried out AT LEAST ONCE a year. This means that it will be a yearly check not and if a property is vacant for a couple of months it will need to be carried out. Legionella presents with flu like symptoms and is especially dangerous for the old, while the young may shake it off as a heavy cold. Obviously we have heard this being used to describe the corona virus as well and as the virus habits in water are not clear yet ( remember this virus has only been with us for a year) there is extra precautions in place, the frequency of the legionella checks being one of them. We are working our way through the legionella with additional contractors to carry these out.
Factors
Your place Property management have now become Lowther, talk@lowther-owner.com. Factors do change and merge with other companies. You can check your property factor on the Scottish Factor Register, at the moment some factors are giving discounts for direct debit payments which we can not do. If Glasgow property letting currently pay the factors fees from the rent on your behalf and you wish to change this to direct debit with the factor, if you can advise so there is not a double payment going out.
Landlord Focus: autumn magazine out now
With rapid changes to current Covid-19 information, please always take care to refer to the Government Website and for the most up to date news on the coronavirus situation.
You can read Landlord Focus online via this link .
Landlord Focus is the leading publication for all involved in private sector letting in Scotland. All content is written from a Scottish perspective making this specialist journal unique.
Under one roof was a website I was introduced to on a course last year and use it frequently as it can be very useful to trouble shoot repairs if it is not obvious where or why there is a problem. It is a site designed in Scotland and deals with all the strange little buildings we have and the different types of roofs, lay outs and oddities that make each property unique. Also, it gives guidance when it comes to communal repairs and where the responsibilities lies. As a letting agent we cannot get involved in a communal repair, we are not allowed it would either be a factor issue or a private issue which we could provide contact details for contractors for an insurance provider to deal with the repair. Of course, I talk generally, every situation is a different as the property.
The website can give an idea of the title deeds rules which may be missed when purchasing the property or like those who bought at the Riverside development did not read and were responsible for part of the wall at the River Clyde!
I know that there are countless stories with the stipulations in title deeds and it is one of the odd little things that I find fascinating. Similar to strange laws around the world the why that rule is in place is sometimes as fascinating as the actual condition, although the no chewing gum in Singapore is one I fully agree with. My mum always hated Chewing gum, and it is something that I have inherited to the point that when we were in the office the contractors knew to loose the gum before coming in!
The office is still closed, if you can direct emails to admin@glasgowpropertyletting.com as opposed to the personal inboxes it means that all staff will know the situation and although we have daily team catch ups some information may not be relayed.
I am thinking about opening a weekly zoom room from 10am to 3pm for landlord to drop into and have a chat about any concerns of issues that they may have, but I will need to work out the practicalities of it, one thing my son is brilliant at is explaining very slowly to me how to do things. He must have told be 3 times how to upload the viewing videos onto YouTube and the little lamb doesn’t loose patience with me, well not yet.
I have copied the invitation below for you to click onto and I suppose like most things during this time we will see how it goes!
Kindest Regards
Michelle O’Donnell
Branch Manager
17 Elmbank Street
Glasgow
G2 4PB
0141 221 3990
Registration number LARN1903009
VAT : 174415411
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