Mrs Bear Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 The whole front page of the property section has a photo of the LL (female, sorry, not a Wilson) and underneath it says, 'A landlord's tale of woe - and low returns - pages 10-11. Haven't even read it yet but thought it would brighten up your mornings. Bit of a turn-up to see any such thing in the Times property section! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LC1 Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Knimbies who say No Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 (edited) The lady's name is Julia Stephenson and the tone (from the free snippet on the Times website) is very negative in its portrayal of tenants. Dunno what the rest of it is like as I do not have a login. The landlord complains about a tenant working as a 'witch'. Three flats and three rented rooms in a big house to finance a dog rehoming enterprise. Edited October 2, 2015 by Cry and Regret Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Knimbies who say No Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Oh look, she's a hack. Used to write a column in the Indy: http://www.crownhouse.co.uk/author/author.php?author=208 Mentions 2 flats, although 1 as sold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venger Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Article was choppy and not easy to read. Lot of whine that tenants are human beings, imo, and the hassle involved in being a landlord, even though she claims been one for 30 years. She bought a studio in Chelsea in 2012 to add to 'the portfolio' for £475K. Agent fees, service charge, mortgage repayments. Got it on market for £600K and it's been under offer for 4 months to a Russian buyer (a friend of her EA), 'struggling to get a mortgage'. She claims she stupidly allowed the letting agent talk her into renting the studio while she (buyer?) sorts out her mortgage. 'I have now given her two weeks to complete on the sale or she will have to vacate the studio.' The last budget outlined tax changes that will slash the amount of tax that can be offset against mortgage interest, making being a landlord even less appealing. Is this her too in DM in 2011 on some non-story about spending passion and plugging a Chelsea Sloneranger type book. I don't trust media limelighters that much. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-1348927/Julia-Stephenson-quest-inner-peace.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venger Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Link to Times story. http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/life/property/prices-investment/article4573277.ece Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest_growlers_* Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 (edited) Seems she values animals more than people. "Three flats and three rented rooms in a big house to finance a dog rehoming enterprise." I've wondered before if BTLers are a large circle within a larger Venn diagram of risks. Are they up to their neck in other moronic investments? Edited October 2, 2015 by growlers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si1 Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 I've wondered before if BTLers are a large circle within a larger Venn diagram of risks. Are they up to their neck in other moronic investments? It's been noted anecdotally on hpc that many are Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si1 Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 (edited) Dup Edited October 2, 2015 by Si1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pokercola Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Usual mememe bleating, this was standout: Only two weeks ago I was woken by bailiffs who insisted I pay £6,000. Well, this was news to me but I soon discovered a tenant had been throwing away all the service-charge bills that I had forgotten to redirect to my home address. Consequently I was in severe arrears on an unpaid bill that I had not received. So after 30 years experience you were unaware that these bills need paying? I think more likely she hoped the tenant would just pay up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darwin Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Usual mememe bleating, this was standout: Only two weeks ago I was woken by bailiffs who insisted I pay £6,000. Well, this was news to me but I soon discovered a tenant had been throwing away all the service-charge bills that I had forgotten to redirect to my home address. Consequently I was in severe arrears on an unpaid bill that I had not received. So after 30 years experience you were unaware that these bills need paying? I think more likely she hoped the tenant would just pay up. 2 simple words : Standing Order Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Knimbies who say No Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Not a great deal of digging is required to find out she inherited the pile she now runs the dog business in, and that she was a Green Party candidate at the election. She sounds like a nightmare landlord. Good riddance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si1 Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 "Bill I had not received". Err. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porca misèria Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Moral seems to be, if you're an idiot you'll have trouble with a BTL empire. Doesn't say anything about how you'll fare if you take it seriously and run it as a business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thombleached Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Seems she values animals more than people. "Three flats and three rented rooms in a big house to finance a dog rehoming enterprise." I've wondered before if BTLers are a large circle within a larger Venn diagram of risks. Are they up to their neck in other moronic investments? So, back in 2009 I hated my job and was looking for something new. Received a linkedin message from someone offering a sales position, all seemed good from his message and I went to an 'interview' in a pub (alarm bells should have been ringing). Instead of asking me questions about my previous roles, the gentlemen (and his wife - again alarm bells should have rung) started telling me about his 'unique' opportunity to join a growing business he'd developed selling health products. It was herbalife (or something similar) but I recognised it for what it was immediately and stopped him there and then with a "I'm only interested in an actual job" type response. Once he realised I wasn't a pyramid sucka he told he it had been extremely tough trying to recruit (no shit!) and that he'd gone into it to try and subsidise his pension, which hadn't returned what he was expecting. Anyway, point is he also had 3or4 BTLs (one of which had a non-paying tenant and another recently void). He seemed genuinly desperate, but when I suggested just getting rid of them and cutting your losses he issued the archetypal Fergus finger pointing to the sky to indicate if he got out now he'd never be a pwoperty millionaire! So there you go, yes I firmly believe there's a certain type of 'person', the optimist, the dreamer, the gambler, meaning BTL is just one of many crackpot ventures in their lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattyboy1973 Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Usual mememe bleating, this was standout: Only two weeks ago I was woken by bailiffs who insisted I pay £6,000. Well, this was news to me but I soon discovered a tenant had been throwing away all the service-charge bills that I had forgotten to redirect to my home address. Consequently I was in severe arrears on an unpaid bill that I had not received. So after 30 years experience you were unaware that these bills need paying? I think more likely she hoped the tenant would just pay up. The usual reasons to have bills sent to your letting property are 1. not to raise suspicion if the property is purchased using a cheaper OO mortgage and 2. provide "evidence" to HMRC that you were living in the property when it comes time to sell (CGT avoidance). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thombleached Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 And he's probably doing ok now having been bailed out by the Tories and all their schemes to help the rich. Who knows. Maybe he used all those props to buy some off-plan Bulgarian flats, or spunked it all away on Tesco shares. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porca misèria Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 So there you go, yes I firmly believe there's a certain type of 'person', the optimist, the dreamer, the gambler, meaning BTL is just one of many crackpot ventures in their lives. Isn't he personified as Arfur Daley? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thombleached Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Isn't he personified as Arfur Daley? That's him. Have you met him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest_growlers_* Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Very sad article in telegraph today about landlord who committed suicide because investments went bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rollover Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Clearly there is a market deficiency if bad landlords can still be in business. Perhaps the authorities should conduct one of their "super investigations". (or perhaps it is not a real business at all) Property tycoon takes his own life after amassing debts of £5 millionA property tycoon who had amassed debts of £5 million is believed to have killed himself at his country manor house. The father-of-four ran a tourism business from his 214-acre property in Poughill near Crediton, Devon, and owned a portfolio of properties around the country. He bought his first investment property in Yorkshire in 2000 and by 2003 had a portfolio of 84 buy-to-let properties across the county, generating £250,000 a year. But a doomed attempt to join a Romanian property scheme in 2007 left the family "virtually penniless". There was no money for Christmas presents, their clothes came from charity shops and food from cheap supermarkets. "You have in the back of your head a little dream that is there all through your life," he said. Mr Cole's body was found on September 22. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LC1 Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 The usual reasons to have bills sent to your letting property are 1. not to raise suspicion if the property is purchased using a cheaper OO mortgage and 2. provide "evidence" to HMRC that you were living in the property when it comes time to sell (CGT avoidance). This was my first thought as well. Lets hope she "remembers" to pay capital gains tax once the flat is sold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Executive Sadman Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Seems she values animals more than people. "Three flats and three rented rooms in a big house to finance a dog rehoming enterprise." I've wondered before if BTLers are a large circle within a larger Venn diagram of risks. Are they up to their neck in other moronic investments? not surprisingly, doesnt have kids (guessed as much) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/11182115/Can-a-woman-be-happy-without-having-kids.html dogs are likely the replacement. Has maternal instincts (she even says as much), but doesnt want a selfish baby ruining her figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spyguy Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 not surprisingly, doesnt have kids (guessed as much) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/11182115/Can-a-woman-be-happy-without-having-kids.html dogs are likely the replacement. Has maternal instincts (she even says as much), but doesnt want a selfish baby ruining her figure. Only person more mad than a 30-40 yo woman with kids is a 40-50 yo woman without them. Her article claims 19% of women do not have kids. Is that true? Hows that changed over the years? Problem for Ms Trout Pout (looking at some of piccies, she's had some work done ... cheaply) is when you get older you realise there comes a point where you need your kids for help - you invest time in your kids when they are young so they can invest in you when you need them. Fast forward 30-40 year, headline: 'Old lady eaten by dogs. Neighbours did not notice. Body has lain, undisturbed for months' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dryrot Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Well, I learned from the article that The Times' Bricks and Mortar is "the property supplement of the year". just think how dreadful that award ceremony must have been, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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