I’ve just found out that my tenant is on the sex offenders’ register – do I have any grounds to get rid of him? (Name and address with-held

The answer is no. But you could let the tenant know that you are aware of the face and that you will contact the Police if you suspect that he is making contact with children.

My tenant has asked if he can retile and repaint the bathroom in my rental flat. I can see that it probably needs updating, but I hadn’t budgeted for a makeover right now. He’s not asked for any money to do the work, but I don’t know what his decorating skills are like. If I agree that he can make the changes, would I be expected to pay for all of the materials? Where does one draw the line on tenants’ makeovers? Jane Hall, Sheffield

When a tenant move in, the décor is not always to their taste. If the tenant has asked to do some jobs around the property this means that they like the place and probably intend staying longer. You, as the owner, have the final say on colour schemes etc, so they don’t have carte blanche. Draw up an agreement whereby you accept certain colours etc. which allows you to have a final inspection, so that if you are not happy you can appoint a professional tradesperson to rectify things at cost to the tenant.

I suggest that you pay for the materials as you are getting the labour for nothing and will see improvements to your property. More importantly, you will probably lose the risk of a void period as your tenant will doubtless stay on after his redecorating efforts.

I’m tempted to enlist on a property investment seminar, which promises to reveal how to buy property without putting down a deposit. Before I sign up for the £500.00 day’s event, I want to know if it’s possible to invest without laying down cash first, or is this all just an elaborate scam? David Lefevre, Guildford

It IS possible to invest without an outlay of cash (lawyer’s fees and stamp duty aside) via a gifted deposit mortgage. However, there aren’t many of these about and they do have strict criteria attached, so it’s imperative to consult an independent financial advisor.

You would need a minimum discount of 15% on the property, plus a survey that confirms that this is a genuine reduction of the property’s true value.

Many investment seminars hosted are worth attending but I, for one, would never pay for the privilege of going. There are plenty of free seminars at the many Homebuyer Events held across the UK, which are included in the price of an entry ticket. This way, you also get to meet national developers, estate agents, property consultants and tax experts at an informative show. These seminars invite questions, which is better than just being preached to! The big annual Property Investor Show is coming up this September at EXCEL in London’s Docklands. Go to homebuyerevents.co.uk for more details.

Why do developers in Scotland sometimes ask for a smaller deposit from those buying off-plan than their English counterparts? Helen McNab, Liverpool.

In Scotland, the legal system is lot tighter: once you have signed the Missives you cannot get out of the deal without incurring real costs. In England, you exchange contracts, but can still pull out of the deal. If you do so, the developer can only chase you for 10% of the sale price. This is why developers selling in England ask for 10% on exchange. In Scotland, the developer will ask for a nominal sum of £2-3k, knowing that he has you bound in via the Missives and that you must complete, or he can charge you interest for every day you are late in completing!

They can also sue you for the full amount that the property was worth. Some people sell their property on before completion, but you need to make sure that the missives are reassignable before you can even consider this. If you can sell it on, then whoever takes it from you is liable to complete on it and accepts all of the risks associated with the purchase. You could come out financially better off if you sell on for a substantial increase on the off-plan price.

I’m interested in becoming a landlord but, never having done this before,want to know what happens if a tenant does moonlight flit with all of the furniture? Sarah Lovell, Manchester.

If the tenant does a moonlight flit with all of your furniture, the answer is simple: call the police, as it’s theft! Make sure you have contents insurance which covers you for lettings, many landlords renting out their own houses forget to change the policy to a lettings one and so have no claim if things go wrong. Make sure the policy has a theft and malicious damage clause. Ensure that your inventory is up to date and take pictures of furniture and expensive items for insurance purposes.

If I, as a landlord, die do those to whom I have left my rental properties automatically take over as the new landlords? Would the tenants require new contracts? Richard Falk, Norwich.

New contracts would only be required if the existing lease is solely in the name of the deceased and does not include “successors”.

If the housing market is strong, wouldn’t I be just as well off investing in shares of major house builders, or in property bonds, rather than in bricks and mortar? J Wilson, Cambridge.

It’s always wise to spread your investments, rather than put all of your eggs in one basket. Investing in stocks and shares is not as simple as it may seem; you should carry out background research on the companies in which you are considering investing and feel convinced that they are performing well. The stock market is a volatile animal, whereas property in general within the UK has grown steadily and is less affected by world events. The major factor affecting the property market is the interest rates.

If rates show signs of dropping then invest in property without delay even if your capital outlay could be far greater than that associated with the purchase of stocks. Remember, invest for the long term and spread your risks.

How do developers set the price of off-plan investments? What sort of discount should small investors ask for when buying off-plan? Niamh O’Neil, Dublin.

A developer sets the price of off-plan units to entice an off-plan investment company or syndicate to buy at the price that he needs to persuade the bank to fund the development. For example, an independent developer might be £1m short on his securities to the bank needed to secure a site, so he needs to sell that amount of property right away to fuse the deal with his lender.

The off-plan company expects a hefty discount on the perceived market value of the unbuilt units. The developer has an off-plan survey carried out which shows comparables in the area, to prove that his price to the off-plan buyer is discounted. Usually this discount is 15%, but sometimes buyers achieve a 20% discount from developers keen to secure upfront sales. You, as in independent investor, do not have the spending power of an off-plan company or syndicate, and will probably be offered around a 5% discount. It’s always better to tap into a bigger company to maximise rewards.

Graeme McEwan is the managing director of Property2 property2.co.uk