UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi, I'm looking to give an incentive to try and get my property let sooner (one reason is because it was suggested here). I'm looking at offering a bundle package: phone line, digital and broadband. It's not a lot more than broadband and you never know, it could be very attractive. But I'm not sure whose name it should be under etc

• Should it be set up under the tenant's name and the bill payer is the landlord?
• Or should it all be set up under my name? Then if they want an extra TV service they ask me and I charge them more through their rent?
• But then how do I handle landline phone calls? Only weekend calls are included in the package. How do Landlords usually manage the cost of calls made outside of this time? This would usually be the same issue if people were just offering broadband (usually comes with phone)
• And then if it's all under my name (the landlord) then how do landlords handle the issue of the internet or digital TV playing up etc which may simply be down to some issue with the router needing to be restarted or some issue with their computer/firewall etc.

All of the above leads me to think that I should register the bundle with the provider under the name of the tenant? And register myself as the bill payer? One issue then would be (as mentioned above), these bundle packages can cost a different amount each month if the phone is being used, or if tenants add TV services. How do other landlords handle these issues?

Don't do it.

It's a minefield of complications, as you are discovering... also, people should be free to choose their own communications provider, not have one chosen for them by a [well-meaning] Landlord. The reason there is choice out there is that what's good for the goose isn't necessarily good for the gander and you might well select something like a 30GB limited broadband package, with free evening and weekend calls and a TV package that doesn't include sports... and what the Tenant wants is an unlimited broadband package with no 'free' calls and all the sports they can consume. You may elect to go with Sky and someone may hate Sky (the company) and it could put them off! People are funny.

So, why even go there?

There must be other things you can do to your property that are easier, can be done in isolation probably as a one-time cost to you and would benefit all Tenants... without getting into all this. The article you link to is not very imaginative - to be fair - in this regard.

Time to get your thinking cap on.

You would be making a rod for your own back.  You might have a wonderful start to a tenancy but this tack will inevitably lead to disputes and will likely lead to a messy tenancy ending.

It is one thing getting the same payment each month from a tenant, but once you start to vary it, I am convinced you will make it easy for them to fall behind.

Thanks both of you. I thought more and more landlords are at least offering free broadband though?

Possibly but I have only heard of this once in a HMO. No where else.

Bathrooms and kitchens 'sell' places. I always focus efforts there. Free broadband feels like a gimmick to me, but it might appeal to a certain type of Tenant I've not yet dealt with? The main reason that I'm saying don't do it is because I have no easy answers to all the questions you're now thinking about. I like easy, I'm a Landlord.

Thanks a lot for your feedback guys, valuable. You think you're onto a winner until you talk to experienced landlords! It sounded like the author of the post had done it, but maybe not. Thanks for the kitchens/bathroom reminder. The property doesn't actually come with any parking, a permit could be bought for approx £25per month (if paying for 12 months at once) - is this another thing I shouldn't offer? The only downside being if they disappear with it!

Parking permit is a better idea than Broadband if you want to spend something extra in an attempt to differentiate your property. The parking permit is just that... a parking permit, it's not a limited or unlimited parking permit with a certain throughout with various adds-ons, or not, it won't need to be restarted or diagnosed remotely. It's simple. If parking is expected in the area, then it's a better idea.

Good idea Hyppogriff.

And, whose costs are clearly understood at the outset by both tenant and landlord.

Ok well that sounds like a possibility then, good. I guess I add it to the inventory and if they do run off with it then I'll have to take the appropriate amount from the deposit?

I don't have experience of how parking permits work, but if it's a physical thing that has a value then, yes, that should work quite well.

Get your advert changed now... "parking permit included"... get 'em rolling-up to 'see' your USP.

Also... cool, probably chrome, fangled mixer taps for sinks with shower attachment for doing dishes - you know, those that are a nightmare to actually use as they're badly designed and totally impractical... people seem to love those when viewing! Granite worktops... people swoon! In one property I have there is a bright red Corian worktop with sparkly bits in it, sat atop white gloss units... it never fails.