Since 2015 every landlord in the UK has faced change. No other way of looking at it. The Gov’t, and I know as I was on the BoE’s agent panel, was terrified that BTL lending was going to cause another financial meltdown. Been reading too many Daily Mail headlines I reckon, we know the majority of landlords own less than three properties and own them for all sorts of reasons – and given the paucity of saving options elsewhere why not.
Back in 2015, it all seemed rather a long way away but suddenly the reality is biting and unprecedented numbers of you are ditching your agents to maintain yields. Quite rightly you don’t want to be bullied into selling just to flatter the Government’s vanity.
But ditching agents and saving your 10-12% comes with issues.
There’s no reason most of you need to have heard of Viewber, it’s grown under the radar over the last 18 months and now gives landlords access to 3500 [growing at c. 50/week] on demand vetted local people able to carry out simple low complex tasks on your behalf via a simple piece of software at www.viewber.co.uk. The business was founded to help people just like you – I’ve been part of an agency that managed c. 3000 let properties so know what’s required, from fitting a key safe
[Bluetooth if required] to allow access for contractors, doing mid-term inspections,on-demand viewings or open house appointments to re-let a property….any of the above and more can now simply be booked as and when you need them. It’s been designed to be the perfect adjunct for any self-managing landlords.
For many of you, having an agent involved is a necessity, but Viewber may make many of you think again. Most services you require can be cleverly solved with software and outsourced services, but this last mile solution, a world’s first use of the sharing/gig economy and an army of sensible locals able to help out, must make sense to any of you needing to manage/maintain your investments. It will help you keep your investment that, until now, the Government might have succeeded in pushing you into selling.
Give it a try, it’s easy and is a genuine solution to a problem you didn’t want and can all be done online.
Ed Mead, Co-Founder of Viewber
