With most of us having spent at least some part of our adult lives in rented accommodation, it’s fairly common knowledge that landlords come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes, ranging from the “bit of a legend” types through those truly dislikeable, draconian monsters. If you’re a landlord, you may or may not be concerned with what your tenants think of you, but it certainly doesn’t do any harm to have them onside. After all, when it comes to timely rent payments, keeping properties in good condition and generally being well behaved, your tenants are much more likely to do all three if they think you’re a decent and fair character.
In the modern game, one of the most prominent distinctions between landlord types is that of the hands-on versus hands-off landlord. Being one over the other doesn’t necessarily make you a better or worse landlord, but one would suggest a hands-on approach will keep you immersed in your properties, engaged with what’s going on and more accessible to tenants, all of which are good things, generally speaking.
But what does a hands-on approach consist of, why might it benefit you and how can you enact it?
Defining hands-on versus hands-off
Your typical hands-on landlord makes a full-time job of their investment. Using this approach, you’ll generally want to be involved in every aspect of your property and wider investment, doing things like finding new properties, sourcing tenants, conducting viewings, collecting rent, dealing with property admin and being the point of contact for tenants. Naturally, a hands-on approach makes property investing and letting your 24/7 (not 9-5) job rather than just a side hustle, so it demands a significant commitment from you.
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Hands-off landlords, meanwhile, are more looking to reap the financial rewards of property ownership without dealing with the aggro of the administration behind it. This means handing the management of your properties over to a letting agent or property manager that’ll do all the hard stuff for you. It’s the route a lot of wealthier investors who use property investment as a side-project take, and for those without the time and energy to burn, it’s a pretty ideal solution.
The benefits of being a hands-on landlord
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So, why would you want those stresses and administrative duties on your plate if you can just palm them off onto someone else? A fair question, but one that has plenty of attractive answers:
Maximise profits: by handing over administrative duties to a letting agent or property manager, you will have to pay your dues. Doing all the graft yourself might make being a landlord your job rather than something on the side, but it does mean your margins will be much healthier for it.
Control and visibility: a lot can go on behind the curtain in property letting. Your tenants might be hiding damage from you, for example, or there might be a project or repair that your letting agent isn’t as proactive on as you’d like them to be. By taking a DIY approach, you’ll know exactly what’s going on in your properties at all times and be able to respond promptly and effectively without having to worry about any nasty surprises.
Enjoy a better relationship with your tenants: A hands-on approach means you are the point of contact for you tenants. That gives them a face to your name to work with and a more human approach that cuts out the middle man. Better communication between you and your tenants can only be a positive thing, and you might see they treat the property, and you, better for it.
Make it your passion: if you enjoy being a landlord over your current role, why not make it your job and your passion project? It’s a demanding line of work, but if you enjoy it, then taking it on full time, along with all the other benefits that come with it, is a sound move.
What you’ll need
If you’ve bought into the hands-on sell, the next step is to think about what you need to effectively carry out the role. That includes:
Being able to fully commit to the role and efficiently carry out your duties.
The desire and understanding to deliver a reliable, respectful and business minded service to your tenants.
A full understanding of your responsibilities in absence of a letting partner.
A full understanding of the legalities attached to property management.
An appropriate skillset to carry out maintenance tasks within your properties – and knowing when to call for professional help.
If all of the above hasn’t put you off the idea of becoming more involved with your property portfolio, then a hands-on approach might well be for you. If not, the hands-off, stress-free approach is always there. Just remember, whatever path you choose – it’s always better to be legendary than loathsome.
Business
Manchester United named Premier League’s ‘most valuable’ club in Forbes’ 2023 ranking
Emily Sergeant
Manchester United has been named the most valuable club in the Premier League for 2023, according to an annual ranking by Forbes.
Every year, the business magazine is known for publishing a list of clubs within each sport that are considered to be of the most value, and ranks them from highest to lowest based off how much they’re worth – and, as you can imagine, the top 10 is usually made up of some of the most famous and well-known global franchises.
When it comes to football in 2023 though, according to Forbes, the “soccer pitch is filled with more green than ever”.
The world’s top 20 most valuable football teams have an average value of $2.89 billion in 2023, which is 14% higher than the year previous.
The soccer pitch is filled with more green than ever. Check out the methodology behind this year's list of the World's Most Valuable Soccer Teams: https://t.co/flo7x6Drx3pic.twitter.com/LXyc6UNBA5
With a current value of $6 billion, Manchester United has taken the number two spot on the global 2023 rankings, just behind Spanish superclub Real Madrid at $6.07 billion – making the Red Devils the most valuable club in the Premier League.
The rest of the top five is made up of Catalan giants Barcelona in third place with a value of $5.51 billion, fellow North West club Liverpool at number four with a value $5.29 billion, and rounded out by cross-town rivals Manchester City.
The Sky Blues have a current value of $4.99 billion, according to Forbes.
Top 10 Most Valuable Football Clubs 2023
Real Madrid – $6.07bn
Manchester United – $6bn
Barcelona – $5.51bn
Liverpool – $5.29bn
Manchester City – $4.99bn
Bayern Munich – $4.86bn
Paris St-Germain – $4.21bn
Chelsea – $3.1bn
Tottenham Hotspur – $2.8bn
Arsenal – $2.26bn
Manchester United named Premier League’s ‘most valuable’ club in Forbes’ 2023 ranking / Credit: Manchester United (via Facebook)
Other Premier League teams featuring in Forbes’ top 30 list of the most valuable for 2023 include London clubs West Ham and Crystal Palace, the North East’s Newcastle United, Midlands-based Aston Villa, rival Liverpool club Everton, and the recently-relegated Leicester City.
Manchester United has been named as the second most valuable football team in the world, despite what Forbes has called the ongoing “sale saga with seemingly no end in sight”.
United fans will know that the club’s controversial current owners, The Glazer family – who have owned the club since 2005 – are apparently asking for a world-record price to buy the team, which would mean a higher figure than the $6.05 billion that the US-based NFL team, Washington Commanders, sold for this past April.
The club has a current value of $6 billion / Credit: Manchester United (via Facebook)
At the moment, it’s thought that only two bidders – Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar, and Sir Jim Radcliffe’s Ineos Group – submitted final bids to buy Manchester United before the club’s dealine on 28 April.
However, Finnish businessman Thomas Zilliacus notably tweeted that his bid for the club was still on the table.
So, long story short, who knows? It still all remains to be seen.
Featured Image – Ash Donelon & Manchester United (via Facebook)
Business
Nespresso opens new ‘experiential’ Trafford Centre store with free tastings, masterclasses, and more
Emily Sergeant
Nespresso has opened a brand-new “experiential boutique” store inside the Trafford Centre, and it all looks very fancy.
Designed to engage both existing and new Nespresso customers through a range of “unique and personalised experiences”, the new Trafford Centre store means Greater Manchester‘s community of coffee lovers now get an unrivalled access to the beloved brand’s wide range of blends, machines, and accessories.
Shoppers will get to “immerse themselves in the world of Nespresso” through a sophisticated ‘Coffee as an Art’ tasting and masterclass area – with state-of-the-art coffee machines, and customised latte art workshops.
You can also create your own coffee recipes using digital tutorials and Nespresso machines at the interactive ‘Taste & Discover’ area, where specialists will be on hand to help you explore the full Nespresso range, and offer one-on-one coffee learning, tasting, and machine demonstrations so you can better understand your taste preferences.
There’s even a ‘Nespresso & You’ personalisation area so you can get your own travel mugs engraved with a name or personal message.
Nespresso opens new ‘experiential’ Trafford Centre store / Credit: Supplied
The new Trafford Centre store is also big on sustainability.
As Nespresso capsules are made of 80% recycled aluminium, making them infinitely recyclable, and the company co-founded the UK’s first industry-wide coffee capsule recycling scheme back in 2021, the brand’s sustainable ethics have been continued with throughout the design new store.
Not only is the new store run on 100% renewable energy and features a dedicated customer capsule return and recycling area, but tabletops are also made with used coffee grounds and 100% Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wood, and there’s also an AR-powered ‘Circularity’ area showing how capsules are recycled and given a second life.
“Our boutiques are designed to encourage and support coffee exploration, creating an elevated experience for customers [and] the brand-new opening of our latest boutique at the Trafford Centre creates a new and innovative way for shoppers to enjoy and understand more about their coffee,” explained Luke Horwath – Head of Retail at Nespresso UK & ROI.
“The digital resources as well as our expertly trained staff will enable customers to learn about Nespresso blends, recipes, brewing methods, and our commitment to sustainability.”
Shoppers can experience free coffee tastings, masterclasses, and so much more / Credit: Supplied
And to top it all off, in a bid to properly celebrate the start of summer, the new Trafford Centre store is the only place in the UK where you can get yourself an exclusive first look and taste of Nespresso’s new Summer Iced range ahead of the collection’s official release on 30 May.
If you fancy seeing what the new Nespresso store is all about, it’s located on the Upper Regent Crescent next to the Trafford Centre’s New Orleans entrance.
The Manc -
1st February 2021 
