The All Things Property Podcast

Thinking about buying a buy-to-let property? Before you make an offer, these are the 20 questions every landlord should be asking.

This week Simon Bacon of Preferential Properties swaps roles and puts the questions to co-host Ian Sadler, a long-standing buy-to-let landlord. Together they cover location and tenant demand, yield versus capital growth, whether flats and family homes still make sense, refurbishment versus ready to let, the compliance checks to make before you buy, EPC ratings and selective licensing.

You'll also hear how to stress test a deal against rising mortgage rates, how to check whether an advertised rent is realistic and why your exit strategy starts before you buy.

Thinking about getting into buy-to-let or growing your portfolio? Simon is gauging interest in a property investment seminar. Email [email protected] or leave a comment below to register your interest.

Preferential Properties: https://prefprop.com

CHAPTERS
0:00 20 questions before you buy
0:21 Buy-to-let vs buying a home
0:51 Is location more important than the property?
1:25 What makes a good rental location?
1:59 Should I buy for yield or capital growth?
3:00 What kind of tenant should I target?
3:45 What do tenants want from a rental?
4:42 Are family homes a good investment?
5:31 Are flats a good investment?
7:10 Should I buy a property that needs refurbishment?
7:42 Is a ready-to-let property safer?
8:08 How important is the property's condition?
8:45 What compliance checks should I make before buying?
10:30 What EPC rating should I buy?
10:46 Should I worry about EPC C by 2030?
11:00 Do licensing schemes matter when buying?
11:51 How important is local competition?
12:47 How do mortgage rates affect the numbers?
16:18 What maintenance costs should I budget for?
17:21 Is the advertised rent realistic?
18:27 What exit strategy should I have?
19:58 The biggest mistake landlords make
20:48 5 things to know before buying
21:09 Property investment seminar

Listen on Spotify: [INSERT SPOTIFY LINK]
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New landlord and property Q&A every week. Subscribe so you don't miss the next one.

#BuyToLet #PropertyInvestment #UKLandlord

______________________________

Get in touch with Simon for all your property needs. 
www.prefprop.com

E: [email protected]

T: 0121 2402244

Selling your property but not getting any offers? This week on The All Things Property Podcast, we dive headfirst into the top 20 questions every seller asks when their property just won’t budge. 

Join Ian Sadler and Simon Bacon for a refreshingly honest, practical conversation that strips away the corporate jargon and gets right to the heart of what’s blocking your sale, whether it’s price, presentation, strategy, or simply a tough market. From first impressions and curb appeal to dealing with agents and understanding buyer feedback, this episode is packed with real-world advice to help you uncover what’s really stopping your property from selling. 

If you’re ready to stop waiting and start moving, this episode is your essential guide to getting unstuck and ahead in the market.

Chapters

00:00 Discussing why your property isn't selling

05:54 Assessing Agent's Role in Selling

08:57 Mismatch of Buyer Expectations

12:04 Considering a Price Reduction

______________________________

Get in touch with Simon for all your property needs. 
www.prefprop.com

E: [email protected]

T: 0121 2402244

20 Essential Questions Every Seller Must Ask Before Presenting Their Property for Sale.

Buyers aren't just looking at bricks and mortar. They're deciding whether they can see themselves living there, and presentation affects how many enquiries you get, the offers you receive and the price you finally achieve.

Simon Bacon and Ian Sadler work through the 20 questions every seller should ask before putting a property on the market: what buyers notice first, how much kerb appeal matters, whether to declutter and remove personal items, when redecorating is worth it and when it isn't, which small repairs make a difference, whether you need a professional stager, why the kitchen and bathroom carry so much weight, how to prepare for photographs and viewings. 

Plus the single biggest mistake sellers make.The short version: buyers don't expect perfection. They expect a home that looks cared for.

Simon Bacon is the owner of Preferential Properties, a lettings and sales agency serving Sutton Coldfield and North Birmingham with over 30 years in property. For honest, realistic advice on selling your home, get in touch at

[email protected]

CHAPTERS

0:00 Welcome

0:30 Why presentation matters to buyers

1:21 Does presentation affect how quickly a property sells?

1:49 What do buyers notice first?

2:47 How important is kerb appeal?

3:19 Should you declutter before marketing?

3:45 Should you remove personal items?

4:21 Does cleanliness really matter?

4:51 Should you redecorate before selling?

6:21 Are minor repairs worth doing?

6:51 Do buyers notice unfinished jobs?

7:16 How important is lighting?

7:50 Should you stage your property?

9:00 Can a property feel too empty?

10:10 How important is the kitchen?

10:50 What about bathrooms?

11:15 Do you need to do anything with the garden?

11:57 How to prepare for photographs

12:38 Why are photographs so important?

13:09 How to prepare for viewings

14:45 Does the property need to be perfect?

15:05 The biggest mistake sellers make

15:47 The 5 key takeaways

Subscribe for weekly, practical property guidance for landlords, tenants, buyers and sellers.

#SellingYourHome #HouseSale #UKProperty #HomeStaging #KerbAppeal #EstateAgent #PropertyPodcast #PropertyAdvice #SuttonColdfield #Birmingham #SellingProperty #PropertyTips

______________________________

Get in touch with Simon for all your property needs. 
www.prefprop.com

E: [email protected]

T: 0121 2402244

Understanding Damp and Condensation: Practical Tips for Landlords and Tenants.

Is it damp or condensation? It is one of the most misunderstood issues in the private rented sector, and getting the answer wrong means fixing the wrong thing.

In this episode Simon Bacon and Ian Sadler work through 20 questions on damp, condensation and mould: what actually separates the two, what causes condensation, how much moisture an ordinary household puts into the air each day, why trickle vents should stay open, why mould so often appears behind furniture, whether black mould always means a building defect and which signs point to genuine damp, such as leaking gutters, roof defects, failed pointing or plumbing leaks.

It also covers what a tenant should do when mould appears, how a landlord should respond, why painting over mould never solves it and when to bring in an independent damp and mould survey. Simon's central message is simple: investigate the cause before anyone decides whose fault it is. That matters more each year as Awaab's Law moves towards the private rented sector.

Simon Bacon is the owner of Preferential Properties, a lettings and sales agency serving Sutton Coldfield and North Birmingham with over 17 years in property management. Get in touch at [email protected].

Chapters

00:00 Causes of condensation in homes

06:13 Preventing condensation behind furniture

08:24 Tenant and landlord responsibility issues

11:47 Managing condensation and when to consult experts

14:38 5 key points on damp issues

 #DampAndMould #Condensation #UKLandlord #LandlordAdvice #TenantAdvice #BlackMould #AwaabsLaw #RentalProperty #PropertyManagement #PropertyPodcast #SuttonColdfield #Birmingham 

______________________________

Get in touch with Simon for all your property needs. 
www.prefprop.com

E: [email protected]

T: 0121 2402244

Property ownership is not a passive investment. Maintenance spending is not optional, and the only real question is whether it happens on your timetable or on the boiler's.

In this episode Simon Bacon and Ian Sadler work through the 20 questions landlords ask about maintenance: the difference between reactive and planned, which is genuinely cheaper over a full ownership cycle, why reactive is not always the wrong call, which parts of a property should be planned for and which are better handled as they arise, how often a property should be inspected, the costs landlords most consistently underestimate, and how much of your annual rental income to set aside.

Simon gives a working figure for that last one, with the caveat that it moves with the age of the property.

Simon Bacon is the owner of Preferential Properties, a lettings and sales agency serving Sutton Coldfield and North Birmingham with over 17 years in property management. Get in touch at prefprop.com.

CHAPTERS 
0:00 Cold open 
0:22 Welcome 
1:19 What is reactive maintenance? 
1:52 What is planned maintenance? 
2:28 Which approach is cheaper in the long run? 
4:15 Why do landlords tend to favour reactive maintenance? 
5:16 Is reactive maintenance always a bad thing? 
6:17 Is planned maintenance always the best option? 
7:39 What benefits most from planned maintenance? 
9:03 Boilers and heating systems 
9:41 Gutters and roofs 
10:16 Does planned maintenance reduce emergency callouts? 
11:13 How are tenants affected by maintenance? 
11:58 Can good maintenance reduce void periods? 
12:22 The costs landlords most often underestimate 
13:19 How often should a property be inspected? 
13:50 Do inspections actually save money? 
14:16 How does maintenance affect property value? 
15:34 What happens if you don't do the repairs? 
16:05 Maintenance and keeping good tenants 
16:53 How much should you set aside each year? 
18:05 The biggest mistake landlords make with maintenance 
18:59 The 5 key takeaways

#PropertyMaintenance #UKLandlord #BuyToLet #LandlordAdvice #PropertyPodcast #PlannedMaintenance #RentalProperty #PropertyManagement #SuttonColdfield #Birmingham #UKProperty #LandlordTips

______________________________

Get in touch with Simon for all your property needs. 
www.prefprop.com

E: [email protected]

T: 0121 2402244

In this episode Simon Bacon and Ian Sadler work through the 20 questions landlords ask about presenting a property for rent: what tenants notice in the first thirty seconds, whether to redecorate before letting, why neutral decor still wins, whether to furnish (the answer depends more on where the property is than most landlords realise), how much energy efficiency now matters to tenants worried about running costs, what makes photographs work, and what move-in ready actually means in practice.

There is also one small operational habit Simon's agency has adopted that almost nobody talks about, and which quietly prevents a lot of first-week complaints. It is in the move-in ready answer.

Simon Bacon is the owner of Preferential Properties, a lettings and sales agency serving Sutton Coldfield and North Birmingham with over 17 years in property management. Get in touch at prefprop.com.

CHAPTERS 

0:00 Cold open 

0:18 Welcome 

1:30 Does presentation really affect how quickly a property lets? 

2:21 What is the first thing tenants notice? 

2:51 How important is cleanliness? 

4:05 Should the property be redecorated before letting? 

4:57 Is neutral decor still important? 

5:44 How important is the kitchen? 

6:22 How important is the bathroom? 

7:06 Do all fixtures and fittings need to work? 

7:36 Are small repairs worth doing? 

8:07 How important is storage? 

8:41 Should I furnish the property? 

10:11 How important is energy efficiency to tenants? 

12:01 Do tenants pay attention to the EPC rating? 

12:04 Why is professional photography important? 

13:36 How to prepare a property for photographs 

15:07 How important is pricing? 

15:45 What does move-in ready actually mean? 

17:14 What are tenants comparing my property against? 

18:18 The biggest mistake landlords make 

18:43 The 5 key takeaways

Subscribe for weekly, practical property guidance for landlords, tenants, buyers and sellers.

#RentalProperty #UKLandlord #BuyToLet #PropertyPresentation #LandlordAdvice #PropertyPodcast #LettingsAgent #TenantDemand #SuttonColdfield #Birmingham #UKProperty #PropertyPhotography

______________________________

Get in touch with Simon for all your property needs. 
www.prefprop.com

E: [email protected]

T: 0121 2402244

Most landlords choose a letting agent on fee percentage and a gut feeling about the person who turned up to the valuation. Both are the wrong place to start.

In this episode Simon Bacon and Ian Sadler work through the 20 questions landlords should be asking before they hand over their property: what a letting agent actually does day to day, the real difference between let-only and fully managed, why the quickest tenant is rarely the right tenant, what a proper referencing process includes, how to judge fees against value, and the one warning sign that should end a conversation with an agent early.

Simon runs a lettings agency, so he has an obvious interest in this topic and says so on air. The answers are given straight anyway, including an honest take on whether agency fees are worth paying and why letting agent reviews are often read the wrong way round.

Simon Bacon is the owner of Preferential Properties, a lettings and sales agency serving Sutton Coldfield and North Birmingham with over 17 years in property management. Get in touch at prefprop.com.

CHAPTERS 

0:00 Cold open 

0:24 Welcome 

1:31 What does a letting agent actually do? 

2:44 Let-only versus fully managed 

4:47 Why accurate pricing matters 

5:26 How to tell if an agent understands tenant demand 

6:11 How important is communication? 

6:48 What to expect from a good agent when problems arise 

7:47 Why compliance knowledge matters 

8:22 Can compliance mistakes really be that serious? 

9:17 Is finding a tenant quickly the most important thing? 

10:03 What a good referencing process includes 

11:04 How maintenance issues should be handled 

12:55 Why systems and processes matter 

13:33 Should I choose the cheapest agent? 

16:04 How important are reviews and reputation? 

17:48 What to ask about property inspections 

18:11 How rent arrears should be dealt with 

18:47 How do I know if I'm getting value for money? 

19:13 The biggest warning sign when choosing an agent 

19:53 The most important quality in a letting agent 

20:35 The 5 things every landlord needs to know

Subscribe for weekly, practical property guidance for landlords, tenants, buyers and sellers across North Birmingham.

#LettingAgent #UKLandlord #BuyToLet #PropertyManagement #LandlordAdvice #PropertyPodcast #TenantReferencing #RentersRightsAct #SuttonColdfield #Birmingham #UKProperty #LettingsAgent

______________________________

Get in touch with Simon for all your property needs. 
www.prefprop.com

E: [email protected]

T: 0121 2402244

Every privately rented home in England and Wales needs to reach EPC Band C by 1 October 2030, with a cost cap of £10,000 per property. If you own one rental or a portfolio, the planning window is open now.

In this episode Simon Bacon and Ian Sadler take 20 questions on EPCs and answer them in plain English: what the minimum standard is today, what to do if your property is rated D, E, F or G, how the cost cap and exemptions work, which improvements actually move a rating, whether a tenant can refuse access for works, and the timing question most landlords miss, which is whether to renew your EPC early and lock in a C before the assessment methodology changes.

Simon Bacon is the owner of Preferential Properties, a lettings and sales agency serving Sutton Coldfield and North Birmingham with over 17 years in property management. If you want to talk through what EPC C means for your property, get in touch at prefprop.com.

CHAPTERS 

0:00 Cold open 

0:24 Welcome 

1:45 The minimum EPC rating to let a property today 

2:12 Can I let a property rated F or G? 

2:40 Do I need an EPC to market my property? 

3:17 How long does an EPC last? 

3:42 Do I need a C rating right now? 

4:18 Has the government confirmed EPC C for rentals? 

5:24 Should I start improving my properties now? 

6:28 Is EPC C already law, and when does it take effect? 

7:48 My property is rated D: what now? 

8:47 What if it's rated E? 

9:18 Rated F or G: the urgent cases 

10:01 The current cost cap 

10:34 The £10,000 cost cap explained 

12:06 Which improvements raise an EPC rating most? 

13:20 Already a C: do I need to do anything? 

14:55 Should I renew my EPC early? 

16:35 Access, tenants and improvement works 

17:37 Exemptions under the new regime 

19:00 EPC C is coming: the summary

______________________________

Get in touch with Simon for all your property needs. 
www.prefprop.com

E: [email protected]

T: 0121 2402244

Can your landlord still evict you? Does your tenancy have an end date any more? And what actually happens if you challenge a rent increase?

Last week Simon Bacon and Ian Sadler answered the 20 questions landlords are asking about the Renters' Rights Act. This week the microphone flips: the 20 questions tenants are asking, answered calmly and in plain English. How rent increases now work and the £47 route to challenge one, the new rules on pets and inspections, what notice you give when you want to leave, and the 5 things every tenant needs to know under the new rules. Whether you rent your home or rent one out, this is the other half of the conversation.

Simon Bacon is the owner of Preferential Properties, a lettings and sales agency serving Sutton Coldfield and North Birmingham with over 17 years in property management. Landlords and tenants alike can get in touch at prefprop.com.

CHAPTERS 

0:00 Cold open 

0:21 Welcome 

1:06 Can my landlord still evict me? 

1:48 Does my tenancy still have an end date? 

2:39 What notice do I give if I want to leave? 

3:21 Can my landlord increase my rent? 

3:47 How often can the rent go up? 

5:32 Challenging a rent increase: the tribunal and the £47 fee 

7:10 Can I request permission to keep a pet? 

9:58 How does a pet have a rental history? 

10:12 Can my landlord still inspect the property? 

12:43 What happens if I pay my rent late? 

13:55 Can my landlord sell up or move back in? 

14:37 Can the rent rise because the landlord's mortgage went up? 

15:03 The biggest change for tenants 

16:08 The 5 things every tenant needs to know

Subscribe for weekly, practical property guidance for landlords, tenants, buyers and sellers across North Birmingham.

#RentersRightsAct #TenantRights #Renting #UKLandlord #PropertyPodcast #RentIncrease #TenancyLaw #Section21 #PetsInRentals #SuttonColdfield #Birmingham #UKProperty #RentersRights

______________________________

Get in touch with Simon for all your property needs. 
www.prefprop.com

E: [email protected]

T: 0121 2402244

Section 21 has gone, fixed-term tenancies have been abolished and the rules on rent increases have completely changed. So what does that actually mean for your rental property?

Since the Renters' Rights Act went live, the same questions keep landing with us. In this episode Simon Bacon and Ian Sadler answer the 20 questions landlords are asking most, in plain English: what happened to existing tenancies, how Section 13 rent increases work, which possession grounds you will actually use, whether you can still refuse pets or take a guarantor, and the one habit that protects you more than anything else under the new regime.

Simon Bacon is the owner of Preferential Properties, a lettings and sales agency serving Sutton Coldfield and North Birmingham. If any of these questions apply to your property, get in touch at prefprop.com for a no-obligation conversation.

Chapters

0:22 Welcome: the 20 Questions mini-series 

1:11 Can I still ask for a 12-month fixed term? 

1:40 What happened to my existing AST? 

3:06 Do I need a new tenancy agreement? 

3:17 How do I increase the rent now? 

5:32 Challenging a rent increase: the tribunal and the fee 

7:14 Selling up: ground 1A and notice periods 

8:20 Moving back in: ground 1 

8:52 Has Section 21 definitely gone? 

9:27 Rent arrears and persistent late payment 

11:33 Guarantors and pets 

12:28 The National Landlord Register: has it started? 

14:40 The biggest risk for landlords under the Act 

15:16 The biggest misconception about the Act 

16:41 Other grounds and their timescales 

20:50 The 5 grounds that will matter most 

 RentersRightsAct #Section21 #UKLandlord #BuyToLet #PropertyPodcast #LandlordAdvice #LettingsAgent #PropertyInvestment #SuttonColdfield #Birmingham #TenancyLaw #PropertyManagement #UKProperty 

______________________________

Get in touch with Simon for all your property needs. 
www.prefprop.com

E: [email protected]

T: 0121 2402244