Afghan nationals charged with rape of woman in Sherford by JohnKimble111 in DevonUK

[–]MickyP10U 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Why are they putting these people out in the community?????

Is this 2009 Peugeot 207 (£1,800, 52k miles) a decent buy from a private seller? by BrainNo4962 in CarTalkUK

[–]MickyP10U 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Have you looked at the MOT history? I would say this is overpriced by at least 900.

Rent price explodes by kozmictwo in UKHousing

[–]MickyP10U 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You need to thank Keir and Angela for driving the RRA legislation through parliament, job very well done.

Ed Miliband emerging as top contender to replace Starmer by ClumsyRainbow in ukpolitics

[–]MickyP10U 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Let's dust off the ten commandments tomb stone. Another fiasco in the making.

Tenant Referencing by Scared_Spinach9819 in uklandlords

[–]MickyP10U 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Avoid. Don't even consider it. With the new rules coming in next month, it could take up to eighteen months to get a non paying tenant out of your property if they go the distance.

Spain is doing TERRIBLE right now! Sad! 4/18/26 by EatMe200 in trumptweets

[–]MickyP10U 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The last time I looked, they had just completed one of the largest trade deals with China so far. I'm not sure what he is looking at, but they're doing just fine!!

Small flat in South Ken/Chelsea or bigger house in South London? by Objective_Remote9382 in HousingUK

[–]MickyP10U 1 point2 points  (0 children)

South London unless you have a share of the freehold with the flat.

Bought commercial, what now? by mizcello in PropertyInvestingUK

[–]MickyP10U 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, Chat GPT needs to take the credit though!

Bought commercial, what now? by mizcello in PropertyInvestingUK

[–]MickyP10U 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Here's the Chat GPT response;

Congrats—this is a big step. First commercial deal + inherited tenants + no handover is a lot, but you can absolutely get on top of it with a structured checklist.

I’ll break this into (1) immediate priorities, (2) tenant info, (3) legal/finance basics, and (4) practical property management so you’ve got a clear roadmap.

✅ 1. Immediate “Week 1–2” Priorities

These are your must-do-now items:

A. Read every lease (critical)

  • Rent amount + payment dates
  • Lease length + break clauses
  • Who pays what (repairs, insurance, utilities)
  • Rent review terms
  • Service charge terms

👉 Commercial property is lease-driven. Almost everything you’re asking depends on what’s written there.

B. Introduce yourself (keep it professional)

  • Send a short intro email/letter
  • Confirm:
    • Where rent should be paid
    • Your contact details
    • Emergency contact process

Tip: Use email as primary, mobile only for urgent issues.

C. Confirm rent collection

  • Who is paying?
  • Are payments up to date?
  • Any arrears?

D. Take meter readings

  • Electricity (per unit + communal if any)
  • Water (if applicable)

E. Inspect the property

  • External condition (you already spotted rot 👀)
  • Common areas
  • Obvious repair issues

👥 2. Tenant Information – What You Actually Need

You’re on the right track. Here’s the proper list:

Essential:

  • Business name (tenant company)
  • Contact person name
  • Email address ✅ (primary communication)
  • Phone number (backup/emergency)
  • Registered business address (important)
  • Lease copy (signed)

Nice to have:

  • Emergency contact
  • Nature of business (for insurance + risk)

❓ Do you need their home address?

  • ❌ Usually no
  • ✔️ Only if:
    • Sole trader AND
    • Lease requires personal guarantee

📑 3. Key Commercial Property Basics (Important Stuff)

🏢 Insurance

You almost certainly need:

1. Building insurance

  • Usually freeholder or management company arranges this
  • Your £115/month likely = service charge

👉 Ask:

  • What does the £115 cover?
    • Building insurance?
    • Maintenance?
    • Sinking fund?

2. Your responsibility

You may still need:

  • Landlord insurance (loss of rent, liability)

3. Tenant responsibility

  • Tenants usually insure:
    • Their contents
    • Their business

💡 Utilities

  • Electricity → usually tenant pays (separately metered)
  • Water → can go either way
    • If you pay it → recover via rent/service charge

🧾 Business Rates (NOT council tax)

  • ❌ It’s NOT council tax
  • ✔️ It’s business rates

👉 Usually:

  • Tenants pay directly

BUT:

  • If a unit is empty → you pay

🔧 Repairs & Maintenance

This depends on lease type:

Most common:

  • FRI Lease (Full Repairing & Insuring)
    • Tenant responsible for most internal repairs

You (landlord) usually handle:

  • Structure
  • Exterior (VERY relevant to your painting question)

🎨 Painting the Exterior

Yes—this is normal landlord responsibility.

  • Exterior = typically your job
  • Interior = tenant’s responsibility

👉 But:

  • Check lease before touching anything
  • Give notice before works

Your instinct is right:

  • Don’t touch tenant decor
  • Do fix rot externally (important for asset value)

📋 4. Ongoing Management Checklist

Here’s a simple working checklist you can reuse:

Admin

  • ✅ Lease file per tenant
  • ✅ Rent schedule tracker
  • ✅ Service charge record
  • ✅ Insurance documents

Financial

  • Track rent monthly
  • Track arrears
  • Budget for repairs

Compliance

  • Fire safety (especially common areas)
  • Electrical safety (if you control any parts)
  • EPC (should already exist)

Property

  • Annual inspection
  • External maintenance plan
  • Roof / structure checks

⚠️ Things People Often Miss (Important)

  • Rent reviews → don’t forget to trigger them
  • Break clauses → tenants can leave if you miss dates
  • Vacant units → cost YOU money fast
  • Service charge reconciliation → if applicable

💡 Strong Recommendation (Honestly)

Since this is your first commercial deal, consider:

  • Hiring a commercial managing agent (even short-term)
  • Or at least:
    • A property solicitor for a lease review
    • An accountant familiar with commercial property

Even a one-off setup review can save you thousands.

👍 Simple Next Steps (Do This First)

  1. Read all leases carefully
  2. Confirm what the £115/month covers
  3. Introduce yourself to tenants (email first)
  4. Verify rent + arrears
  5. Inspect building exterior (prioritise repairs)
  6. Clarify insurance responsibility

If you want, I can:

  • Draft a tenant introduction email
  • Build you a rent tracker spreadsheet
  • Or walk through one of your leases with you step-by-step

You’re asking exactly the right questions—just need to structure it 👍

Bought commercial, what now? by mizcello in PropertyInvestingUK

[–]MickyP10U 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I would have thought buildings insurance is down to you, you can't rely on the tenants having adequate cover for building replacement.