Landlords should be 'emotionally detached' - buy to let mortgages

11 September 2008

Landlords should not think of rental properties as their home, an expert has claimed.

Alan Ward from the Residential Landlords Association advised those with buy to let mortgages to keep a professional distance from their investments.

"You cannot be emotionally attached to a property that you are renting out and must be prepared for it not to stay in the same condition," he remarked.

He added that people should be prepared for the effect that "wear and tear of letting" may have on their houses.

With around 80 types of legislation regulating the industry, Mr Ward warned that buy to let investors should be aware of the complications surrounding the market.

However, in July, the rental sector experienced a boom as housing sales fell.

A survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors revealed that instructions to let had risen by the fastest pace in the history of the study.