Landlords 'asking for advice' ?

24 February 2009

Thousands of landlords have been contacting a helpline to gain advice on topics such as buy to let mortgages, new figures have revealed.

Over the past 12 months, around 30,000 such calls have been received by the National Landlords Association (NLA), meaning that there was an average of 2,500 calls per month.

The organisation noted that the economic downturn has had an effect on the sector, with many buy to let investors seeking guidance on mortgages and the eviction process.

Around 74 per cent of the enquiries were from landlords who needed help on how to cope when rental arrears begin to build up.

"No landlord wants to serve notice on a tenant, but the reality is landlords are forced to do this when rental arrears becomes serious," commented director of operations for the NLA Richard Price.

Recently, the NLA produced an online fire safety logbook for landlords that enables them to keep a record of safety precautions and ensure their properties meet standards.