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NLA Representatives

Angus Ryan
Local Representative for Devon & South Somerset

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Region: South West

A former accountant who left the accountancy profession to become a professional landlord, Angus' main aim in his role as NLA Local Representative is to promote the professional side of the privaterented sector.

He represents the views of landlords in meetings with local government and at landlord forums in Devon and South Somerset, and keeps open channels of communication with councils and city councils to discuss the impact of any new developments or rules affecting the private-rented sector.

Tenancy Deposit Protection schemes have been taking up a lot of Angus' time recently. Although, like many landlords, he questions whether any scheme needed to be implemented in the first place, now that the rules are mandatory he is glad that the NLA is operating the insurance-based scheme. He is also consulted on council-run schemes, most of which rely on bond guarantees. He tries to make sure that landlords are offered similar or consistent conditions to the NLA scheme so that renting to council tenants remains attractive to the private rented sector. For example, he is clear that there needs to be a 2-month bond which should cover any misuse of the property as well as rent arrears.

Angus has just over 20 rental properties, some in the North of England and the rest in Yeovil, Somerset, near where he lives.

The half a dozen properties he owns in the North are managed by agents, while he and his wife manage the local properties. His experience of managing agents is mixed - he is not happy with one agent who had recently gone ahead with expensive repairs that have been charged to him even though the damage may have been created by the tenant.

Many of Angus' properties are HMOs or separate flats within houses. "A lot of landlords need to bite the bullet now about HMO licensing," he says. "We need to get properties up to scratch and there are so many incentives to do this, like grants for fire alarms and emergency systems. In my experience, the council is flexible about how to implement the rules, and ready to listen to my views." With its relatively warm climate and minimal traffic congestion, the South West has a steadily increasing property market and a buoyant property rental market, which is particularly strong around Exeter and Plymouth. If you are able to provide accommodation that is in good decorative condition, is clean and has a parking space, Angus says average yields can be around 6 per cent.

Angus and his wife set up a company to manage their property portfolio. "We are in this for the capital growth, which is why I recommend building up strong and close relationships with tenants. If your tenants feel comfortable with you, they will tell you about water leaks or tiles falling off the roof. "