Problem properties are about to become far more common, leaving many landlords seeking a quick house sale. LandlordBuyer has been closely monitoring the Renters’ Rights Bill and there are two aspects that will prove detrimental to the condition of our current rental stock: pets in lets and the new Decent Homes Standard.
Let’s start with pets in lets. Once the Renters’ Rights Bill becomes law - which is expected in the spring of 2026 – landlords will find it far harder to say no when a tenant requests to keep a cat or dog.
Costly pet damage
A 2024 survey by Novuna questioned more than 2,000 people aged 23 to 50 to find out what kind of pet damage they had experienced and how much it cost to put it right. The most common problem was soiled carpets and flooring, with chewed furniture and electrical damage also making the list. Average repair bills often topped £1,000 – a figure that tallies with the results of another survey.
When Propertymark, the National Residential Landlords Association, LandlordZone and AdvoCATS joined forces to question landlords, they found pets were more likely to cause damage than adult tenants, with damage mounting to more than £1,000. Worryingly, of those landlords who had experienced damage caused by pets, 57% said they were unable to recoup the cost.
Help…sell my house fast
It's not unheard of for landlords with pet damage to contact LandlordBuyer asking us to “sell my house fast”. With profits for many on a knife edge, a urine soaked, flea infested, chewed up buy-to-let that needs costly repairs is the final straw. Other landlords simply don’t like what they’re reading in the Renters’ Rights Bill and want to exit the market before their property investment becomes an untenable asset.
Once perfect, soon legally problematic
The Renters’ Rights Bill will also create a number of problem properties by default. The new Decent Homes Standard for privately rented properties currently lacks detail but if we use what’s already applicable in the social housing sector, many perfectly serviceable rentals will fall foul of the law.
And old kitchen will not make the grade
Many landlords may need a quick house sale because their buy-to-let simply isn’t modern enough. If your rental has a kitchen that’s more than 20 years old or a bathroom that’s more than 30 years old – even if it functions fine – your property may not meet the new Decent Homes Standard.
There will also be strict rules about the condition of fixtures and fittings. You could be banned from renting out a property you own if your kitchen sink, cupboards and worktops are in poor condition, or if a bathroom’s bath and wash basin need replacing.
Soon, thousands of good buy-to-lets will no longer meet minimum standards, earning them the undesirable moniker of ‘problem properties’. Sadly, the type of work needed to upgrade kitchens and bathrooms is costly and won’t always make good business sense. If you’re starting to think “sell my house fast”, we don’t blame you.
LandlordBuyer purchases all types of problem properties from landlords and they don’t need vacant possession. We make cash offers where there are sitting tenants, saving you the time and hassle of giving renters notice.
What types of problem properties does LandlordBuyer purchase?
Got one of these issues? No problem! We’re happy to buy the property from you – no need to repair pet damage or undertake renovations:
- Sitting tenants
- Poor EPC rating
- Outdated fixtures & fittings
- Pet damage
- Subsidence
- Damp/mould
- Japanese knotweed or bamboo
- Short lease (80 years or less)
- Cannabis farm
- Fire or flood damage
- Vandalism
- Single glazing
- Serious dilapidations
LandlordBuyer will deliver a quick house sale when you need it most. You can sell a problem property to us and complete in an average of 42 days. If you find yourself with a problem property, contact us today.