9 Crown Row, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 0TH
Liam McDonnell
Lettings Valuer
Liam attended school locally in Ascot and began his career in estate agency aged 18 in the Bracknell area. He has gone on to gain experience within the Maidenhead, Reading and Wokingham markets too. Building relationships is what Liam enjoys the most in his role, which gives him the opportunity to meet and help all kinds of people. Away from work, Liam enjoys playing football throughout the week and for a local Bracknell team on a Sunday (some say the next Sunday League Pirlo).
The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is…
The way to get started is to quit talking and start doing.
Top of my bucket list is…
To travel around America and Australia.
On Sunday mornings, you can usually find me…
On a football pitch in all weathers – potentially a little jaded from the night before.
My guilty pleasures are…
Watching Super Sunday and the F1 whilst devouring a takeaway. Highly recommended.
The thing I like best about my job…
Helping and advising landlords on how to make the process of letting their property as stress-free as possible, and assuring tenants throughout the process so that it becomes an enjoyable and exciting experience.
The person I’d most like to go for a drink with is…
Sir Alex Ferguson.
22 Sep 2020
When officials announced last month that the UK had entered recession, lots of economic experts came out of the woodwork. Some predicted things would get much worse; others suggested the downturn may be less severe than first predicted.
The truth is this year has been so unprecedented, it’s difficult to forecast the road ahead precisely. With so much uncertainty landlords may feel a little wobbly, but the good news is that there are steps you can take to ride out the recession.
The key is to understand that it’s not about doing one single thing right, it’s about doing several things well.
Here are the key things on which to focus:
Tenant selection
Get off to a good start by selecting a good quality tenant. Ask lots of questions and carry out thorough credit and reference checks. It may be tempting to cut corners at this stage to save time, but you could come to regret it.
Mortgage deal
It’s surprising how many landlords lose money because they are not on the most competitive mortgage deal. As interest rates are so low at the moment, many people are locking themselves into three or five-year deals so they have certainty.
Be a people person
You need to foster a good relationship with your tenants. Never assume that because you haven’t heard from them that everything is hunky-dory. Keep in regular contact so that if their circumstances change, you know as early as possible. The last thing you want is your property sitting empty because the tenant has had to vacate at short notice.
Keep calm
If your tenant’s situation changes, don’t make any rash decisions. If a reliable, trustworthy tenant finds themselves in difficulty, is it worth cutting them some slack? Every landlord has to make decisions based on their individual circumstances. But before you rush in, consider all your options and seek advice from experts on the local property market who can update you on rental prices and demand.
Maintenance
A top cyclist would never compete on a bike with tyres that need inflating or a chain that needs lubricating. Take a similar approach to property maintenance. It may seem appealing to save a little cash by delaying maintenance work, but it always costs you in the long run. Neglecting your property can breed animosity with tenants and lead to small DIY issues becoming major building works.
Use a letting agent
The best pro riders have a strong support team behind them. This allows them to focus on what they do best and stops them from getting bogged down with admin and paperwork.
Here at Duncan Yeardley, we’re highly experienced at managing tenant relationships and properties in the Bracknell area. Please get in touch for any advice – we’d love to help.
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