Peace of mind for tenants and landlords

Peace of mind for tenants and landlords, from Joanne Darroch, Leaders Hove Branch Manager

The past few months have been very busy for the rental market in Hove and Brighton, with a steady stream of applicants and plenty of rental properties for them to choose from. Despite schemes such as the government’s Help to Buy initiative, allowing first-time buyers to purchase with just a 5% deposit, the high purchase prices in the area mean even the 5% is still a hefty deposit to raise. As an example, a two bedroom flat in Brunswick Square, Hove, will cost around £500,000 to buy, meaning even with the Help to Buy scheme buyers need a £25,000 deposit plus £15,000 for stamp duty, followed by monthly mortgage repayments of around £2,880. In comparison, a similar property on the rental market will be around £1,800pcm with a deposit of £2,700. So it’s
easy to see why for some renting is the preferred and more affordable option.


This means that many tenants now view their rented accommodation as their ‘home’, rather than just a stepping stone. With this in mind, at Leaders we’re proud of the fact that we always strive to make sure the properties we take on are of the highest standard.

In an industry that is still unregulated, for some unfortunate tenants it may mean having to put up with unfair fees and poor service, and in many cases, a badly maintained property that jeopardises their safety and does not comply with gas, fire and electrical regulations.

As members of ARLA (the Association or Residential Letting Agents), SAFEagent and The Property Ombudsman, Leaders tenants can rest assured that our experienced rent assessors have thoroughly inspected the properties on our books to ensure they comply with the most stringent safety regulations.

We often see examples of properties we judge to be unsafe appearing on the market with other agents, potentially leading to legal repercussions for those landlords. As part of a larger agency, our experienced in-branch staff combined with a central legal and compliance department can ensure that all our landlord’s properties comply with the law while also protecting their interests, offering complete peace of mind.

For advice you can trust on all aspects of letting, renting or buy-to-let please contact your local Leaders branch:
Brighton Central: 01273 720714
Fiveways: 01273 561534
Hove: 01273 321721
North Laine: 01273 675571
Or visit www.leaders.co.uk