Council offers advice to Reading landlords

A total of 80 landlords attended a free landlord information evening hosted by Reading Borough Council.

There was an open invitation for all property landlords to go along to the annual event in the Civic Offices on Thursday, October 19.

They were given the opportunity to attend talks, take part in workshops, speak to a range of teams from the council and to network.

Landlords were also invited to find out more about the council’s rent guarantee scheme. The service matches people who need homes with landlords who have properties to let.

Landlords benefit from a wide range of measures including; rent paid directly to them in advance, up to six weeks deposit, reference-checked tenants and rent paid during void periods.

Attendees at the evening received an update on news from the sector in a talk from the National Landlords Association (NLA) and were able to join workshops on the topics of fire safety, tax, HMO regulations and preventing homelessness.

Cllr John Ennis, lead councillor for housing, who attended the event, said: “It was great to see so many of Reading’s landlords attend the information evening and the feedback we received from them has been very positive.

“The landlords particularly liked the networking opportunity, the update from the NLA and the workshops.

“I hope it also persuades more landlords to sign up to the Rent Guarantee Scheme which plays an important role in providing accommodation for families in need of a home.”

Any landlords interested in finding out more about the rent guarantee scheme can visit: http://www.reading.gov.uk/rgs, email rgs@reading.gov.uk or call (0118) 937 2233.