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w w w .c l lth e ro e a d v e r t ls e r . c o .u k . C l i th e ro e A d v e r t is e r & T lm e s ,T h u r s d a y , J u ly 2 2 ,2 0 1 0 Think again on pet lets ___________________ by Duncan Smith


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[ IF the thought o f moulting Mastiffs, clawed carpets and i smelly settees put you off ever renting your property to pet ' owners; then a new pet-friendly lettings partnership may , make you think again.


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^ The country’s leading lettings specialist Belvoir, which has an i office on The Sidings, Whalley, has teamed up with the UK’s j largest dog welfare charity. Dogs Trust, to support its “Lets with ' j Pets”.campaign. It promotes responsible pet ownership for ten- I ants and advises landlords and letting agencies on the financial I benefits of a favourable pet-ownership policy,


i Belvoir Chief Executive Mike Goddard fully supports the cam- I paign. He explained: “Landlords who exclude pet owners from


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j their properties are missing out on a large chunk of the rental i market as 47% of the population currently own a pet. It makes no I business sense for landlords or agencies to reject this large sec- [ tor. By adopting a pet-friendly approach, they can easily increase [ demand for their properties and attract long-term, responsible ’ tenants.” Belvoir is the UK’s leading lettings specialist and has a network ■ I of more than.140 franchises that stretches across the whole of


I the UK, looking after a property portfolio valued at more than f £1 billion.


I has observed an alarming increase in pet owners forced to give up t their pets and move into rented accommodation.


I Clare Kivlehan, Dogs Trust Lets with Pets Campaign Manag- I er, said: “Since the recession hit, Dogs Trust has seen a consider- t able rise in the number of pet owners experiencing difficulties I finding privately rented accommodation. Our subsequent online I survey revealed that 78% of pet owners had experienced difficul- I ties finding rental properties, and over 50% never found suitable I accommodation.


. • ■ .


! “In the past, pet-owners would be forced into home-owning [ but, in the current economic climate, many can’t afford to buy so we’re seeing an increase in owners reluctantly handing over their dogstous.”:


I To address this issue, the partnership is aiming to dramatically [ increase the number of rental solutions that satisfy landlords, 1 tenants and their animals, and to that end it has compiled the j following tips for landlords and pet owning tenants, f , Landlords can increase the likelihood of securing a responsible i pet owning tenant by:


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IN THE DOG HOUSE: Landlords who allow pets will greatly increase their potential lettings market.


• Treating each case on its merits. Every pet is different so


speak to prospective tenants about their pet before you decide what to do. You may also wish to meet it first. • Asking for a reference from a previous landlord or veterinar­


ian. This can reassure you that a pet is well behaved. An example reference can be found at: www.letswithpets.org.uk


I :• Its decision to support the “Lets with Pets” campaign couldn’t I have come at a better time for Dogs Trust, which in recent months


• Checking if you own a leasehold property. If so, you need to


check that your lease allows pets in the property. • Establishing a pet policy. If pet permission is granted you


need to include a clause in your standard tenancy agreement that refers to the keeping of pets. A sample clause can be found at www.letswithpets.org.uk • Covering against damage - If you are concerned about pet


damage to furniture request a higher deposit or a specific pet pay­ ment to clean the property once the tenant and pet have moved out.


Meanwhile, tenants can increase their chances of finding the


perfect rental solution for themselves and their pet by: • Writing a pet CV. Include your pet’s breed, size, age and ac­


tivity level. Highlight your pet’s histoiy of good behaviour, house training, training classes completed and if your pet is neutered. . • • Obtaining a reference from your previous landlord, letting


agent or your vet to show your pet is well behaved and capable of living in rented accommodation.


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' : • Offering to pay a larger deposit to cover any potential dam­ age.


• Cleaning - Offer to get the property professionally cleaned when you move out.


• Being flexible on location and property type. • Starting to search early at least six to eight weeks before you need to move out;


• • Introducing your pet to your landlord to put their mind at


ease and make sure you get the permission put m writing. ■ • Being honest. Don’t sneak your pet in without permission as


you could both find yourselves homeless. • Telling your landlord how often your pet will be left alone. •


State whether your pet will join you at work, receive day care or mainly be at home with you.


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• Stressing that pets can be effective burglar deterrents! Clare Kivlehan adds: “With over half of pet owners unable to


find any suitable rented accommodation they’re forced to either give up their pets, live.in unsuitable properties or even keep their pets without their landlord’s consent.


'■ “This clearly is not an ideal situation for either party so we


launched our Lets with Pets campaign to help both tenants and landlords work towards a mutually beneficial, practical resolu-


Mike Goddard adds: “The pet ownership issue has long been


swept under the carpet by lettings agents and landlords alike but with a growing number of homeless animals, now is the right time to act. Whilst it won’t solve the problem entirely. I’m confident that Belvoir’s partnership with Lets with Pets is a huge step in the right direction for landlords and pet-owning tenants.”


Free guide to auctions Leave gas to the experts


A CLEAR and impartial guide to help you successfully buy and sell a home at auction has been launched by Tlie Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).


■ . Entitled simply “Property Auctions”, the


guide can be downloaded from the RICS website and explains the best way.to make the most o f auctions, which have become an increasingly popular way. to buy and sell in recent years. Jennifer Welch, RICS Operations Direc­


'■■s'- ' . . V - - P r * '


tor for the North West, said: “While auc­ tions boomed along with the property mar­ ket in the years running up to the banking crisis, they have continued to do relatively well in the recession. ' ' ■ : “The reduction in lending by our financial


institutions has decreased demand, result­ ing in auctions presenting the ideal oppor­ tunity to buy a house at a bargain price with the very real likelihood of long-term capital growth. Those looking to sell their homes quickly will also benefit from an auction as an immediate deposit is required from the buyer and completion of any sale must hap­ pen within 28 days. - _ - “The RICS Property Auctions guide is\ invaluable for anyone thinking of buying or selling a home at auction as it explains the , entire auction process from both a buyer andseller’s point of view.’’ . The 12-page document offers key tips for ; buyers and sellers at auction. ^ s 'jKify tips for buyers:


• Before you bid,-request the legal pack' and any special conditions of the sale. Get a valuation and an appropriate survey to make sure the info you’ve received is correct. , v: ; ^.


';: • Obtain a copy of the catalogue of “lots”; (properties) to be auctioned and always deal i with the a"uetioneer direct to be sure to have t the most up-to-date information. • 5;


; • Check with the auctioneer ahead of the


auction that the property you want hasn’t been withdrawn and that there haven’t been any changes to the guide price or amend­ ments since the catalogue was printed. • Read the Important Notice to Bidders,


the Memorandum of Sale and the General Conditions of Sale - all contain essential in­ formation which you need before bidding. Key tips for sellers:


• Ask the auctioneers’ advice about the


saleability of your property and what they recommend as guide and reserve prices. . • Liaise with your solicitor to make sure


you’ve revealed anything that could affect the sale of the property to the auctioneer - for instance, public health notices, local land charges or disputes.. • Ask the auctioneer for details of the


Terms of Appointment, which will include the auctioneer’s rights to act on your behalf and the commission they get if the property does or does not sell at auction, plus any ex- tra charges you may face. . .


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• You must agree procedures for the fol- ■ lowing with the auctioneer; amendments to


. the reserve and guide price, exclusive ad-i vertising, inspections by potential buyers, ; identifying the successful bidder, getting the; deposit cheque and signing the Memoran­ dum of Sale. - Jennifer concluded: “If you want to buy '


. or sell a house at auction the RICS Property - Auctions guide is the perfect tool. However, ;, we do recommend you also gain additional .;


■ advice from an independent; qualified pro-. fessional with good local knowledge.


I '" For more information or to download the> RICS Property Auctions guide visit: www.< : rics.org/propertyauctions or for details of-, chartered surveyors in your area, visit www.'-i ricsfirms.com


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RECESSION-HIT Brits in the North West could be putting their lives and homes at risk by carrying out dangerous DIY to save money, warns Gas Safe Register.


; - New research has found that 30% of people in


the North West would fit a gas appliance or play with their.electrics in the hope of saving as little as £60.


‘ This is a real concern for Gas Safe Register, the


official list of gas engineers. According to the re­ search, 65% of people in the North West admit they would rather DIY than leave it to the profes­ sionals, but worryingly only 20% said they were any good at it. Gas Safe Register advises that even if you think


you are good at DIY, you should never work on gas. Only Gas Safe registered engineers can work on gas ' in your home - it’s the law and will keep you safe.-; ■ DIY on gas appliances is not the only concern.' Other DIY activities could also have a dangerous affect on gas in your home. Wallpapering over air vents, covering up gas pipes or accidentally ham­ mering into one while laying a carpet, for example,; could result in a1 build up c


up of deadly carbon monox- ide, gas leaks, fires and explosions^


, Jamie Cooper from Gas Safe Register, well known for his work with BBC’s “Rogue Traders” and “Cowboy Trap”, warns people about danger-- ous DIY gas work: “While the most capable of? do-it-yourselfers might like to tackle things such as? plumbing and tiling, when it comes to gas it’s not^' worth taking the risk.


. : ,: “I ’ve seen the aftermath of gas jobs;that have;, gone wrong and it’s frightening what can happen. ' And it’s not just DIY gas work that is dangerous; Accidentally covering or blocking up air vents, or , drilling into gas pipes by mistake can have serious? consequences for you and your family.”


■ “For most gas jobs, the costs to call in a legal gas


; engineer.are very modest. On average Gas Safe , registered engineers in the North West charge £98 - for fitting a new gas fire and £67 for a gas'cooker;:?


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DIY DON’T: Only Gas Safe registered engineers I can work on gas in your home - . keep you and your family safe.


So why take the risk, it will cost you more money to put a DIY job right. •


• “But more frightening is the fact that badly fit­ ted gas appliances can lead to fires, explosions, gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning. These inci­ dents killed 18 people in the UK last year and hos­ pitalised a further 310.1 would urge anyone consid­ ering gas DIY to leave it to the professionals.” ;; ' , Jamie added: “During these hard economic


times money is a big factor in household decisions, but when it comes to the safety of your family and


: home you can’t put a price on that by risking DIY on gas.”


For further information go to www.GasSafeReg-' ister.co.uk/DrYorcall0800408 5500.? . "


it’s the law and will


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