Blog

Insights for modern property reporting

Explore practical articles, product updates, industry guidance and expert commentary for inventory providers, letting agents, property managers and residential property teams.

Stay informed on property inventories, inspections, compliance workflows, reporting best practice, AI-powered reporting and the future of residential lettings operations.

Explore Latest Articles View Guides Visit Compliance Hub
All Blog Academy Press Landlords Announcements Covid-19 Guides

Latest from the blog

1083 articles
Blog

Renters carry on breaking the rules

Despite having contracts, inventories, inspections and contact numbers for landlords or property management agents, tenants are still breaking the rules – with failing to pay their rent on time, smoking and smuggling in pets being the most common problems, according to new research. The Direct Line Landlord Insurance study shows that, although 65 per cent […]

S Sarah Marshall October 11, 2016 3 min
Blog

Landlords form companies ahead of tax changes

Landlords are setting up limited companies ahead of the 2017 tax changes, which will see buy-to-let tax relief being phased out. Although the costs of setting up a company are steep, landlords will pay less tax in the long run, so it makes sense for larger buy-to-let investors to make this move now. They set […]

S Sarah Marshall October 11, 2016 3 min
Blog

Quality Counts When it Comes to Tenants

Although rents have been increasing, landlords indicate that they would rather have good tenants who pay on time than receive higher rental income. A new survey by Hunters estate agents says that the top priority is to find tenants who pass all the necessary reference checks. Other priorities are to quickly re-let properties with 41 […]

S Sarah Marshall October 10, 2016 3 min
Blog

Cleanliness is a bone of contention for landlords

The state of a property is by far the most common problem for landlords when conducting checking-out inspections. It seems as though tenants have a different view as to what constitutes cleanliness than their landlords or property managers. Fair wear and tear remains a grey area and is a major reason for disputes at the […]

S Sarah Marshall October 7, 2016 3 min
Announcements

FixFlo integrates with Inventory Base

FixFlo has become popular amongst letting agents for keeping track of issues raised by tenants. It makes reporting issues easy for tenants so that letting agents can respond with the appropriate action. InventoryBase launched back in 2012 with a way of flagging issues for cleaning, maintenance and replacement when documenting the condition of a property. With […]

I Inventory Base October 7, 2016 1 min
Announcements

New App Update v4.5 Release Notes

Announcing the latest update to our Mobile and Tablet App for iOS and Android. v4.5 is now live on the App Store and Google Play, if automatic updates are turned off visit the Updates tab on your device to download manually. What’s New: ‘Pending Signatures’ now appear in-app and can be re-signed Confirmation now shown once a […]

S Steve Rad October 5, 2016 2 min
Blog

High demand for buy-to-let loans

Despite uncertainty in the market, buy-to-lets continue to be an attractive investment for many. OneSavings Bank has posted above-forecast profits in August, thanks to high demand for buy-to-let mortgages. The specialist lender, based in Kent, moved its focus to professional landlords after the EU referendum because it forecasts such investors are in a good position […]

S Sarah Marshall October 3, 2016 2 min
Blog

Opportunity to get involved in debate over Client Money Protection

A review is taking place in a bid to further safeguard the money of private landlords and their tenants from fraud or bankruptcy. Letting agents are estimated to be holding as much as £2.7 billion in tenants’ deposits, rents and money for repairs. So it is little wonder that the Government is rightly concerned that […]

S Sarah Marshall October 3, 2016 3 min
Blog

Luxury buy-to-lets are a sound investment

Affluent business people are turning to renting rather than buying, with several factors such as Brexit, stamp duty and contract work being cited as reasons not to buy, according to reports. Knight Frank estate agency said viewings on luxury London homes, which command rents of between £500 and £5,000 a week are up by almost […]

S Sarah Marshall September 30, 2016 3 min
Blog

Landlords face fines for failing to deal promptly with problems

Failing to deal with problems in rental properties such as damp and mould can lead to hefty fines as well as put the long-term condition of the buy-to-let investment at risk. Landlords who do not act quickly could put their tenants at risk too, says the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks. Failure to deal with […]

S Sarah Marshall September 29, 2016 3 min
Blog

Why it pays to study the student accommodation market

With record numbers of students going to UK universities with high expectations about their careers, and their accommodation, it could be wise to target this sector as potential tenants. Students are no longer expected to live in dingy bedsits or overcrowded houses. They expect all the comforts of home or a hotel, with high-speed wifi […]

S Steve Rad September 25, 2016 3 min
Blog

Property damage and unpaid rent costs billions

Whilst most buy-to-lets go smoothly, with tenants abiding by the contracts and paying on time, it can be extremely costly when things do go wrong. A survey by Access Legal showed that landlords in the UK lose more than £5 billion each year due to unpaid rent or damage to their property. Rent arrears account […]

S Sarah Marshall September 23, 2016 3 min
Blog

Are longer leases the answer?

Changes could be on the cards for tenants in the private sector in taking out longer leases. New Housing Minister Gavin Barwell says that he supports the concept and that the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has set up a model tenancy agreement for the private rented sector which encourages longer tenancies for […]

S Sarah Marshall September 20, 2016 3 min
Blog

Secure your home during the holiday season

If you rent your properties to students or families with children, the chances are that they will be enjoying a summer break. Students may go home or work abroad during the summer whilst families with school-aged children are also more likely to book their breaks in August. If this is the case, it is wise […]

S Sarah Marshall September 18, 2016 3 min
Blog

Can landlords help to ease the housing crisis?

As predicted for some time, the housing crisis is worsening with fewer people able to get on the property ladder in many parts of the UK, not just London. Home ownership in England has fallen and is now at its lowest level for thirty years as a result of the growing disparity between incomes and […]

S Sarah Marshall September 14, 2016 3 min
Blog

Growing market in rental properties for retired people

A new investment market is emerging in the rental property sector as more retired people are looking to sell their homes and become tenants. British pensioners are believed to own about £1 trillion worth of property between them but many are struggling to pay the bills. Although they could look at equity release from their […]

S Sarah Marshall September 13, 2016 3 min
Blog

UK continues to attract corporate tenants

Corporate and business tenants are continuing to be attracted to the UK, particularly in London. Research by London letting agents JLL and W.A.Ellis shows a surge in top-quality tenants, including business people who work for blue chip companies. Their needs vary from a studio apartment to a spacious family property. Corporate tenants may be working […]

S Sarah Marshall September 12, 2016 3 min
Blog

Smart ways to save energy

Tenants living in private rented housing in the UK are keen to go green but, obviously, need the co-operation of their landlord to invest in such measures. One key area in which tenants would like to see improvements is that of heating control systems. There is high demand for green measures, according to research by […]

S Sarah Marshall September 9, 2016 3 min
Blog

Keeping on top of the paperwork

Landlords may sometimes feel as though they are drowning in paperwork, which is certainly the message that the Residential Landlords Association’s advice team is receiving. These documents include right to rent identification forms, initial holding deposit forms, application forms for tenants, property inspection certificates, references, itineraries, and a tenant’s form for reporting repairs – to […]

S Sarah Marshall September 8, 2016 3 min
Blog

Regular property inspections can save money

Although the saying goes ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ perhaps ‘prevention is better than cure’ is more apt for the work of landlords in the context of property inspections. You may think it is good news not to hear from tenants because it suggests that everything is fine but, in fact, there could […]

S Sarah Marshall September 6, 2016 2 min
Blog

Proptech start-up makes life simpler for students

A new property tech start-up is changing the way in which university students search for lettings. University Cribs, based in Cardiff, is an online media platform linking letting agents and other providers of student accommodation with the student market. The company has already been valued at £1.1 million after attracting investment from backers including some […]

S Sarah Marshall September 6, 2016 3 min
New features for Enterprise users released
Blog

New features for Enterprise users released

Bookings Availability Our new Bookings Availability calendar makes it easy to set and forget your regular working hours to restrict what your clients can select when booking appointments directly within your InventoryBase system. See how it works Customisable Actions With the expansion across various types of property inspections and visits, we’ve answered the call for customising […]

S Steve Rad August 1, 2016 1 min
Blog

Landlords may be forced to increase rents

Many landlords are likely to have to put up rents because of the Chancellor George Osborne’s decision to withdraw tax relief on buy-to-rent properties. Many landlords feel that the increase is necessary if they want to break even. A survey by the Residential Landlords Association has revealed that 84 per cent of landlords are considering […]

S Sarah Marshall July 27, 2016 3 min
Blog

UK tenancy: changing demographics

The number of over-50s who are living in private rented accommodation has risen steadily over the past five years. Thirty two per cent of people aged 50 or more are now tenants, which is up from 26 per cent in 2011, according to research. Saga Home Insurance, which carried out the study, suggests that divorce […]

S Sarah Marshall July 25, 2016 3 min
Compliance & legislation

Compliance and legislation updates

Follow practical updates and explainers on legislation, housing standards and compliance-related inspection workflows.

Renters' Rights Act Damp and mould Awaab's Law HHSRS Building Safety Act Legionella Fire safety Deposit evidence Fair wear and tear
Visit Compliance Hub

Get property reporting insights in your inbox

Receive practical guidance, product updates and industry insights for residential property reporting and compliance workflows.

Ready to improve property reporting?

Explore InventoryBase to see how modern inspection workflows, professional reports, BaseAI and connected evidence records help residential property teams work faster and more consistently.

Start Free Trial Book a Demo View Platform