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Published: 05 April 2022

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When is Probate Required?

If you’ve inherited a property that you want to sell, you’ll usually need to undergo probate before you can progress. The process can be complex, but working with the right estate agent and solicitor can make the sale as smooth and painless as possible.

In this article, we’ll explain what probate is, when it’s required and how to sell a property when probate is required.  

What is Probate?

Probate is the legal and financial process that deals with any assets (including money, properties or possessions) of a person who has passed away. The process involves proving that the will is valid and confirming the executors of the will have the authority to administer the estate of the person who has died – which includes whether you can sell the property.

What is Grant of Probate?

If you are selling a property you have inherited due to someone passing away, you will need to apply for grant of probate before you can proceed with the sale. This is a legal document that confirms the executors of the will can start the sale of the property and deal with any other assets of the deceased person.

When is Probate Required?

In England and Wales, probate is usually needed when:

A person has died and owned property

A bank or other financial institution asks for grant of probate

How to Sell a House When Probate is Required

1. Arrange a Valuation

Knowing the value of the property is important when selling a home during probate. The property value will help determine the overall value of the deceased person’s estate. It’s also used to calculate how much inheritance tax must be paid.

When selling a house during probate, make sure you choose a reputable estate agent with good reviews to evaluate the property.

2. Speak to a Solicitor

A solicitor will need to apply for a grant of probate before you can sell the property. This process involves identifying all the deceased person’s assets, confirming who will inherit the assets in the will, arranging payments of inheritance tax, and granting probate ready for you to sell the property.

Many solicitors can also help progress the sale to a buyer after granting probate. If you can’t find a good solicitor, ask an estate agent for a recommendation.

3. Work With an Estate Agent

Once probate has been granted and you have the go-ahead from the solicitor, you can work with an estate agent to sell the property. When choosing an estate agent, consider how much involvement you need and what qualities you’d prefer.

Expert communication and good availability may be particularly important qualities to consider when choosing an estate agent to progress a probate sale. This is especially the case if multiple people are inheriting the property and/or you cannot be available often to help with viewings.

Are You Selling a House With Probate?

Selling a house with probate can be an emotional period. Choosing the right estate agent to help progress the sale is important to make the situation as painless as possible.

If you’re selling a house with probate, Warren Powell-Richards are your local property experts and we’re here to help.

Give us a call today or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for a chat with our friendly and compassionate team about how we can help.

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Published: 01 April 2022

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3 Things To Know About Landlord Insurance.

Are you thinking about investing in landlord insurance? While it may not be a legal requirement, you’re leaving yourself open to a huge amount of risk without it.

Here are the most important things you should know about landlord insurance, including what it is and what type of insurance you should get.

What Is Landlord Insurance?

Landlord insurance provides you with protection against the risks associated with renting to tenants. Usually, landlord insurance includes protection against things like damages to the building or contents. But there are other optional policies you can take out, like cover for boiler breakages or missed rent payments.

What Type of Landlord Insurance Should You Get?

There are many different types of landlord insurance available. Each one will cover you for different circumstances. The main types of cover available include:

Building – Covers the repair of structural damage, plus fixtures and fittings, in the event of a fire, storm, flood or other accident.

Contents – Covers damage or theft of furnishings, including things like curtains, carpets, and white goods. This doesn’t include items the tenant owns, as they should have their own tenant’s insurance.

Liability – Covers the costs if you or your tenant is injured on your property.

Rent guarantee – Recovers any missed rent payments by the tenant and any legal fees should you take a tenant to court.

Home emergency – Protects in the event of an emergency, like a boiler, plumbing, security, or pest issue.

Key care – Covers the cost of providing new locks or keys to tenants.

If you’re not sure which type of cover you need, speak to your letting agent for advice or check with your lender.

3 Things To Know About Landlord Insurance

1. It’s Different To Home Insurance

Landlord insurance is very different to regular home insurance. If you have home insurance on a property, but you’re renting the space to a tenant, your policy will automatically be void. If you’re not living in the property, basic home insurance won’t provide you with the cover you need as a landlord.

2. Some Lenders Mandate It

It’s not a legal requirement to have landlord insurance. But most mortgage lenders will make it mandatory before entering into an agreement with you. If you don’t comply, you could be breaking the terms of your mortgage.

3. It’s Tax-Deductible

Just like most landlord expenses, you can usually claim back on the costs of your landlord insurance. Make sure you keep records of payment and notify your accountant (if you have one) about the costs.

4. Bulk Discounts Apply

If you rent more than one property, you could get a discount on your landlord insurance. Many providers will offer you a discount if you choose to arrange your insurance for all buildings on a bulk policy.

Rent With Confidence

At Warren Powell-Richards, we can help you rent with the confidence and security you need.

For more advice on landlord insurance and property management services, get in touch with us today or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Published: 29 March 2022

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Are Your Tenants Going On Holiday? Here Are 4 Ways to Protect Your Property

Getting a text from your tenant saying, ‘I’m going on holiday!’, can fill many landlords with a sense of dread.

Almost half of all UK burglaries happen when a property is empty. If your tenant is going on holiday, whatever time of year it is, and particularly on a long trip, here are four ways to protect your property while it’s empty.

1. Check the Locks

Of course, your tenants will know they need to lock the front door before they go on holiday. But since a worrying number of break-ins happen via an unlocked door, it’s a good idea to remind your tenants before they leave or even check yourself that the doors are locked.

Since it’s also common for a burglar to break in via an unlocked window, make sure your tenants have the keys for everything, including all windows, side gates and sheds. Ask them to lock everything that needs locking before they go on holiday and to let you know if a lock isn’t in a good condition.

2. Review Your Insurance

Having landlord insurance is a great way to protect yourself against many different rent-related issues, including break-ins. But some insurers won’t cover you if the property is empty for a long period (which is usually considered more than 14 days). Plus, some companies require you to notify them whenever your tenants go on holiday.

Make sure you check your policy before your tenants go on their trip and consider upgrading if you’re not insured for the duration they’re away.

3. Increase Security

A property with good security is well known for being more attractive to tenants. If you’re worried about break-ins, consider ramping up your security measures.

Outdoor security lights, visual burglar alarms and smart home cameras are all great deterrents that can help protect your property while your tenant is on holiday. They can sometimes even decrease your insurance premiums, which is a bonus!

4. Provide a Checklist

One of the best things you can do to help your tenants prepare for their trip is to provide them with a pre-holiday checklist. Include everything you need them to do before they leave, like locking all windows and notifying you of any faulty locks.

More often than not, your tenants will find a checklist of must-do’s helpful. Plus, it can give you the peace of mind that everything’s been done.

Are You a Landlord That Needs More Renting Advice?

Protecting yourself as a landlord is always important, especially when your tenants go on holiday and the property is left empty.

For more advice on how to protect your property, Warren Powell-Richards are your local experts in the rental market. If you want to make renting easier, give us a call or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for a chat with our friendly team.

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Published: 25 March 2022

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Landlords: Should You Let Tenants Decorate? 5 Things to Consider

Since the number of people renting long-term is growing, more tenants are finding themselves wanting to ditch the plain décor and make a rental feel more like home. But letting your tenants decorate a rental property is a relatively new concept for many landlords.

As a landlord, knowing how to respond to the decorating trend is tricky. There are downsides to letting your tenants decorate, but there are many benefits, too.

If you are considering whether you should let your tenants decorate, here is our advice on what the benefits are and how you can safely allow decorating.

Benefits of Letting Your Tenants Decorate

Letting your tenants decorate shouldn’t always be met with a feeling of fear and dread. At Warren Powell-Richards, we find that allowing your tenants to decorate can have its benefits, including in terms of:

1. Marketability

The number of people renting long-term is growing, so more and more tenants are looking for somewhere they can make a home. Depending on who your target market is, allowing your tenants to decorate a rental can easily make it more attractive to long-term renters. And long-term renters are the goal for many landlords.

2. Return on Investment

Decorating costs money. Even if your tenants are only buying a tin of paint or a few rolls of wallpaper, that can still be a few hundred pounds they’re spending on your property. Not only can this mean your property stays looking fresh, but you could even see a better return on investment for it.

Plus, if your tenants want to spend money on your property, it’s a good sign. It means they take pride in living in your rental and want to look after it as best they can.

How to Safely Let Tenants Decorate

1. Set Boundaries

Stipulate very clearly in the tenancy agreements what you will and won’t allow. For example, you’re happy for them to paint, but they can’t rip down any walls. Or they can put up shelves and units as long as they fill in the holes afterwards.

Setting boundaries around letting your tenants decorate means you can retain a level of control over what happens with the property. This puts you in a better position if you need to re-market it in the future.

2. Discuss Plans Before Moving In

If you have a new tenant moving into your property, it doesn’t do any harm to ask them if they have plans to decorate.

Getting a feel for their style and what your tenant wants to do to the property can help reassure you that you’re not going to end up with a bad paint job or something you’d consider distasteful. It can also help you make up your mind about whether you want to let them decorate or not.

3. Take Pictures

Taking pictures of the property and undertaking an inventory before a new tenant moves in is an essential part of the onboarding process – whether you plan on letting tenants decorate or not.

If you’re allowing tenants to decorate, taking pictures is especially important. Not only will you have a record of how the property used to look (in case you want to change it back to how it was afterwards), but you can also check during inspections that the tenants haven’t renovated outside of the boundaries you set.

Need More Landlord Advice?

Warren Powell-Richards are your local property experts. If you want more advice on how to manage your property, give our friendly team of letting agents a call today or send us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to learn more about what tenants want from you.