Social Housing FAQs
Blog By:
Emma Wilson
Investment Specialist Northern Property Partners
Introduction:
Welcome to our comprehensive blog series dedicated to demystifying the world of social housing investing. If you’ve ever been intrigued by the idea of investing in social housing but found yourself overwhelmed by questions, you’ve come to the right place. In this blog, we aim to address the most frequently asked questions that arise when considering social housing as a viable investment opportunity.
What if the tenant damages the property?
The housing association will repair all tenant damage, social housing has no management fees and as a landlord you are only responsible for the external structures of the property, the boiler and electrics.
What happens at the end of the social housing contract?
The housing association will most likely renew the contract, with the opportunity to renegotiate rents in line with current rates. If you decide that you don’t want to renew, there is opportunities to let the property as a residential, or sell the property on as a cash flowing asset.
Who pays for the bills?
When the housing association take over, they will pay all the bills, gas, electricity and council tax. Insurances will be the responsibility of the landlord.
Is the social housing contract guaranteed after the works been done?
Before packaging a deal, the housing associations have pre agreed to take the property once it meets social housing requirements.
Can the housing association lower the rental rates throughout the contract?
The contract is for a fixed term, meaning no changes to rental rates can be made throughout. There will be the opportunity to renegotiate rental rates at the end of the contract.
Is It difficult to mortgage these properties?
Our brokers are experienced with mortgaging these properties, they understand the social housing strategy and the types of mortgages required. We have a full power team to ensure lending on our investments.
Which providers do you work with?
All the housing associations we work with are well established and government backed. We have built our relationships with these providers over many year.
Does the rent get paid to me directly?
Yes, the housing association will pay the rent each month directly into your bank account for the length of the contract. They will pay you the agreed amount regardless of how many tenants are in the property. There are no void periods at all.
Do I need to pay the housing association anything?
No, there is no fee to pay to enter into the agreement with the housing association and no ongoing management fees. The housing association will also cover tenant damage and day to day maintenance.
Conclusion
Northern Property Partners have helped hundreds of investors beat inflation and grow their wealth with social housing properties. Hopefully we have answered all your questions, if you have any further queries or would like to learn more, then book a call below.
