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James's  Personal Profile View my company profile

James Scollard
James Scollard
Owner
5501  Profile Views

About Me

Agency Owner | Property Investor | Landlord

my expertise in the industry

* 25 yrs + Experience in Agency
* NFOPP Qualified
* NAEA Domestic Energy Assessor
* Member of The Property Ombudsman

James's Recent Activity

James Scollard
I’ve found tenants are not moving due to the higher rents in the marketplace, choosing to only move if they really have too. There is only one solution, the planning system is dire, extremely slow, wrapped in consultants & reports with slow decision making. It needs a complete overhaul so we can build more homes.

From: James Scollard 05 April 2024 06:51 AM

James Scollard
The cost of living has increased 30% over the same time period, so looks like rents have remained the same in real terms.

From: James Scollard 05 April 2024 06:44 AM

James Scollard
Property development firm pulling out of building new homes, decreasing supply. Why do MPs do the exact opposite of what is actually needed?

From: James Scollard 28 March 2024 08:20 AM

James Scollard
Maybe they should put price controls on food, cars, clothes, wood & every other industry. Turn Scotland into a real communist state. Price cap the cost of a lettuce I hear you say? Well it’s free to grow a lettuce, it grows on its own.

From: James Scollard 28 March 2024 08:15 AM

James Scollard
Rather than just introduce the EPC, an EU requirement, they wrap this up with improving the home buying process with ‘Home Information Packs’, ignoring the professionals in the housing market & consequently fail. Don’t over complicate it, keep it simple.

From: James Scollard 08 March 2024 08:04 AM

James Scollard
This is nothing to do with improving the rental sector & all political. Improve Section 8 & scrap Section 21. Job done. No need to over complicate, changing other things that don’t need to be changed.

From: James Scollard 08 March 2024 07:55 AM

James Scollard
I’d also add, I do holiday lettings / short lets as well as the thousands of long term tenants I’ve dealt with - as the rental reform bill makes it periodic, the short stay accommodation & long term will mix. This means even less long term rental properties

From: James Scollard 08 March 2024 07:52 AM

James Scollard
I have a tenant that has moved 4 times in the past 3 yrs. it’s not fair, they want a long term home.

From: James Scollard 08 March 2024 07:23 AM

James Scollard
That might be the case, I have tenant that want a 2 month tenancy between houses. Equally, a family with a child in school wants security for 5 years, staying in catchment & having a family life.

From: James Scollard 08 March 2024 07:21 AM

James Scollard
I agree having periodic, month by month tenancies is a ridiculous idea. How about ban fixed rate mortgages, force everyone on standard variable rate mortgages. There would be uproar. Tenants would prefer a 3 yr fixed term, with a fixed rent, …. or 5 yr fixed rent - giving security in their home, with affordable rent. It’s a stupid idea. Scrap S21 fine. But why introduce other policies that no one wants?

From: James Scollard 07 March 2024 21:20 PM

James Scollard
That’s outrageous, tax payer money to Muslim memorial, who came up with that one? …. A million quid ! Why so much? … Maybe £20k for a stone perhaps.

From: James Scollard 06 March 2024 18:29 PM

James Scollard
Why don’t they learn from other councils? They set this up, take on 2 properties a month, pay 5 staff, running at a massive loss. Then the scheme closes.

From: James Scollard 26 October 2023 13:51 PM

James Scollard
I’m also concerned about the removal of fixed term tenancies for students. A student needs security of tenure for a fixed period, studying for their degree, not moving home spending their time searching for new student properties because they had a party. A student landlord needs to cover a mortgage for 12 months. Many students will want 9 months, so either landlords will come out of this market, or increase rents to compensate. Over 50% of students are in PRS. Specialist colleges have zero purpose built student accommodation (that are proposed to be except from the periodic tenancies). As an agent of 25 years, tenants want security, 3 yr or 5 yr tenancies with fixed rents. Instead, the proposals are yearly changes in rent in month by month contracts. It’s the direct opposite want tenants want & need.

From: James Scollard 23 October 2023 07:27 AM

James Scollard
It’s about 6 years too late! Lloyds forced thousands of letting agents to close their client accounts. I had 400+, it would be impossible to manage over 400 separate back accounts & log in details. Jokers.

From: James Scollard 20 October 2023 10:32 AM

James Scollard
Sigh, who comes up with this dribble?

From: James Scollard 06 October 2023 07:45 AM

James Scollard
Why do they call it ‘no fault’ eviction. There is always a reason. If a landlord has good tenants, they want to keep them, most landlords don’t increase rents with good tenants, like they should. Tenants that don’t pay the rent or look after the property, get served. Guest what lesson is learnt here? Or, landlords that want to sell their property (which will still be in a section 8 notice anyway) … Pointless lobbying making it worse for tenants #shelter

From: James Scollard 11 May 2023 07:42 AM

James Scollard
Eg a missed opportunity to bring in longer fixed terms 24 or 36 months where tenants have secure tenure & fixed rent. Instead, this white paper suggests the opposite with periodic tenancies. Increase rent at any time (with notice), evict at any time (with valid reason). Or, Students take an 11 month fixed term , good for tenant & landlord, but now it will be periodic & the landlord evicts after 2 months. The students will be homeless. Or, How strong is the eviction process going to be, when tenants are anti-social behaviour, rude& aggressive to neighbours say, who give up phoning the police The main issue is many pro-tenant policies end up being anti-tenant as the market shifts to these changes

From: James Scollard 16 June 2022 10:54 AM

James Scollard
We need a white paper, on why a white paper doesn’t work. It feels like it was given to a secretary at 4pm on a Friday to type something up.

From: James Scollard 16 June 2022 01:00 AM

James Scollard
Putting homeless people in a landlords property & only guarantee the first 3 months, the risk is too high for landlords. Or, a private landlord can go to a letting agent who will get a guarantor for the whole tenancy with tenants that have good history, credit & references? Ummm …

From: James Scollard 04 September 2021 19:37 PM

James Scollard
A bit like Purple Bricks, they charge £300 for viewings.

From: James Scollard 29 November 2018 07:53 AM

James Scollard
FAKE NEWS Due to the number of laws created since joining the EU, the Government have already passed an Act to incorporate past & current EU law into UK law. Under the 2014 Immigration Act all EU nationals automatically have the right to rent property in the UK. Whether Brexit happens or not, this will not affect EU nationals right to rent in the UK. The story is unhelpful scare mongering and EU Nationals are already worried without this type of rubbish in the headlines.

From: James Scollard 10 August 2018 09:29 AM

James Scollard
As a letting Agent, I transfer all tenants deposits to the DPS - Deposit Protection Service, who hold all tenants deposits and a provide a free breakdown to the penny of deposits. This is a very easy, safe, secure and transparent service for all parties.

From: James Scollard 17 October 2016 11:58 AM

James Scollard
From an agents point of view, we operate in a highly competitive environment and look to win business from landlords. In the area I operate, for Tenant Find, we used to charge Landlords £800+Vat and Tenants £30+vat. Today, we charge Landlords £300+vat and charge tenants £300+vat. Overall, its cheaper (this mainly to do with the two industries, Letting Agents & Estate agents merging) so costs have come now. To win business, if a Landlord advertises a rental property at £800pcm and if we cant charge tenant fees, we would only be able to win the business by saying to the Landlord, we will advertise your property at £900pcm and therefore pay for ourselves. Due to having hundreds of applicants and more exposure will let at the higher rental. So is it better for tenants? or will they pay a higher rent to cover the fees and certainly long term Tenants will be worse off. Be careful what you wish for.

From: James Scollard 18 April 2016 10:08 AM

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