“Rent arrears across our current portfolio of 220 properties is at less than 1% because we're vigilant in selecting quality tenants,” says Russ Blockley, Managing Director at Gold Key Lettings. “Once we're conducting a viewing for the applicant, we know that 80% of the vetting has been performed on that applicant during our pre-viewing protocol, for example.”

In 2019, the UK became the first major economy to pass laws to end its contribution to global warming by 2050, while 2020 saw calls for tackling climate change to be included in planning for a post-pandemic future. Energy in housing accounts for 14% of total UK emissions, according to the Committee on Climate Change - which means there’ll likely be a strong knock-on effect for rental energy standards to meet net zero goals, with the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards just the beginning. Going green may require investment but there are opportunities to be had.

How can you differentiate yourself when starting an agency? That’s the question Catrina Merrigan asked herself when setting out to create Cloverhill Properties. With 10 years' experience in the lettings industry, she’s seen what works and what doesn’t. In her new business, she’s applied the best bits.

The impact of the stamp duty holiday, the supply of landlords, and the continued strength of the lettings market are just some of the topics raised when predicting what 2021 may bring for the property sector, for these industry experts and Goodlord customers: Michael Jones & Company, Andrews, LiFE Residential, and Martin & Co Chelmsford - as well as Goodlord's CEO William Reeve.

From a consultation on the abolition of Section 21 and the introduction of the new Electrical Safety Standards Regulations to the Renter’s Reform Bill, many new regulations were passed or announced in recent times to pave the way for a “fairer and more affordable private rented sector that provides security and stability for both tenants and landlords.”

Rent Protection Insurance has never been a more crucial component of a letting agency's landlord proposition than it has been this year, providing landlords with the security of income in an environment of uncertainty. Now, it’s more important than ever that letting agents are offering their landlords this protection as part of a comprehensive proposition. Goodlord’s Head of Insurance, Oli Sherlock, answers questions about how the market has changed in 2020 and how Rent Protection Insurance can help you strengthen your offering to landlords in 2021.

“Being part of a corporate network as well as having independence as a branch is the best of all worlds,” says John Frost of Martin & Co Chelmsford, a franchisee operating its agency independently while under the branding of the extended Martin & Co network.

Covid-19 completely disrupted the plans of many businesses this year and will continue to have an impact on the global economy until the vaccine is rolled out. At the same time, an uncertain Brexit remains just around the corner. Ellie Donaghy, Head of Lettings at Andrews, and Jonathan Werth, Managing Director at LiFE Residential, joined Goodlord to discuss a challenging year and how they're preparing for 2021.🎧

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Tenant referencing is hugely important in the pre-tenancy process for landlords and letting agents - at any time and not just in the current uncertain circumstances. However, it’s come to the fore now for a number of reasons.

“We have been in business since 1933 and like to think of ourselves as the local property experts,” says Sara Grey, Lettings Manager at the Ripley and Horsley-based Wills & Smerdon.