One of the biggest current problems in the private rental market is “absentee” landlords. When a landlord or the managing agent is not proactive and involved it can lead to big problems for tenants. For example the lack of attention could allow the condition and standards to drop to the point where the property is unsanitary or unsafe to inhabit. This could lead to all kinds of penalties.

Local authorities across London are working to try to curb the absenteeism. Redbridge Council is the latest, launching a compulsory licensing scheme in two wards in the Borough in the middle of July. The scheme will help to tackle anti-social behaviour and encourage landlords in the area to take more care in regards to the quality of the housing they offer.

As part of the scheme Redbridge Council is also developing a register that makes it clear who the landlord or managing agent is for each property. This will be a useful resource for many stakeholders, including residents in blocks and estates who don’t know the real owners of neighbouring properties. With the information concerned parties will know exactly who to contact if there are any problems.

A major cause of issues is understanding who is responsible for shared areas in blocks and on estates. The lack of clarity could lead to stairwells, hallways, foyers, car parks, and even access roads being neglected and deteriorating. With the register tenants will be able to contact the council to find out who all of the landlord and managing agents are so they can pursue improvements.

At Finefair we have grown to become the leading provider of block management Redbridge has because we understand what it takes to keep properties in the best condition. We are proactive with managing and maintaining assets, taking the time to look after every single aspect of each property. We scale our services to suit the size of the estate or block.

If you would like to find out more about our services and how we maintain standards when managing blocks please get in touch.