NEED LANDLORD INSURANCE? OUR RELATIONSHIPS CAN HELP YOU GET A GOOD DEAL
Landlord Insurance Northern Ireland & UK
WELCOME TO PROPERTY INSURANCE CENTRE
If you are a landlord in Northern Ireland, Property Insurance Centre are here to help. All landlords need to make sure that they have the correct cover at the right level in case something happens to their property. We are Property Specialists based in Newtownards and we have been trading since 1976 – for forty-four years.
Our friendly team are very experienced and are waiting to help you get the best landlord insurance rates and cover here in Northern Ireland.
LANDLORD INSURANCE ENQUIRIES: 0800 085 3761
We have over 45 years experience working with:
LANDLORD INSURANCE NORTHERN IRELAND ESSENTIALS & FAQS
Landlord Insurance Northern Ireland Cover Includes:
- You
- Your property
- Your rental income
- Property Owners Liability up to £5,000,000
- Loss of Rent Insurance
- Contents Insurance
- Optional Legal Expenses
Landlord Insurance Northern Ireland Comparison:
You will not find us on any insurance comparison websites. This is one of the reasons that we can be sure to get you the best rates and level of landlord insurance cover.
Over our over 44 years in this business we have developed excellent relationships with some of the UK’s major underwriters. These are the reasons that our team feel confident that we can you the best deals for landlord insurance in Northern Ireland.
When you contact us, our specialised team will do all the work for you. Also, if you speak to us directly this will ensure we get the fullest picture of your specific requirements.
Above you will have seen what is typically included in a landlord’s insurance policy. However, in a way, it is almost more important to be clear about what is not covered in your policy.
Broadly speaking, you will not be covered for maintenance. Yes, this is a loose term but here are some of the main examples.
Damp
Damp is considered to be a maintenance issue. This is because it can be caused by a few different factors. Rising damp may have occurred due to a defective DPC (damp proof course). In fact, in older properties, there may not even be DPC. Sometimes it may be caused because of tenants not keeping the property well ventilated or drying their clothes on top of the radiators.
Dry Rot
Dry rot is one of the last things any landlord would want. It is when wood decays. The wood decays because certain types of fungi have digested the part of the wood that gives it stiffness and strength.
Wet Rot
Wet rot is a broad term that refers to some species of fungi who actually break down the wood’s cells that makes the wood weaken over time.
Gradual Deterioration
Gradual deterioration is when a landlord doesn’t visit the property often enough to resolve issues before they escalate into more serious problems.
Faulty workmanship
This is a rather common problem. If your property was constructed or extended with faulty workmanship, of course, your insurer will not cover this. An example is that the flashing has not been secured correctly on the property’s roof, this would lead to water increasing inside.
Be sure to read your policy wording carefully. However boring it may seem it could save you a big problem in the future.
Let’s compare landlords’ obligations to adhering to the rules of the road. Your car insurance policy will not cover you if you have behaved illegally and a landlord insurance policy is no different in that sense.
You need to get the best policy but also to understand and comply with all legal obligations for landlords.
Top Tip – Get to know the laws that apply to landlords.
Here is a more in-depth guide from the National Landlords Association.
Some of the main landlord responsibilities in Northern Ireland are:
- repairing to the exterior and structure of the building
- ensuring that the building’s heating, hot water, basins, sinks, baths etc are functioning correctly
- taking care of electrical and gas & safety
- ensuring that all furnishings are safe for use
- ensuring that the property is fit to be lived in
- looking after the communal areas when there are more occupants
Further below on this page, we have a more in-depth guide about this.
Fire cover is the part of your policy that covers you and your property in the event of a fire. This could be caused by an explosion or quite commonly because of an electrical fault.
Top tip – do check that your policy does cover fire, but not only that does it cover arson? Not all landlord insurance policies do.
At the end of this page, you will find a fire safety guide for blocks of flats.
Flood cover is the insurance type that is for flooding from floodwater caused by a natural resource such as lakes or tidal water.
Top Tip – Ensure that your landlord’s insurance policy covers floods. Also, be careful that it is not taken off at renewal time. This can happen as the cover may change when the flood maps are altered. So your property may not be in a flood zone this year, but it might be next year.
Normally Loss of rent is included as part of the standard landlord insurance policy. Loss of rent comes into play when there has been an incident such as a fire at your property.
Top tip – do not confuse loss of rent with rent protection. This is a separate policy and covers you when a tenant does not pay.
Sometimes buildings or land may subside to a lower level due to shrinking clay or large tree roots. This can then lead to severe cracks which may mean that the property is no longer structurally sound.
Top Tip – Double-check that this cover is included on your policy. And just like flood cover, you will need to keep an eye on this each year that you renew. Your locality could be considered a subsidence area in the future.
Theft landlord insurance cover is essentially self–explanatory. However, you need to be aware that it must be apparent that there was a violent or forcible entry to the property.
Top Tip – be aware that if you have a gap between tenants, normally of thirty days or more, that the theft cover will no longer be active.
The cover that you need depends on you and your circumstances – so you need to include cover for things you perceive as important to you. Perhaps you have a concern about your tenant damaging your property (you may want to include Malicious Damage by Tenant Cover). You don’t need to include cover for things you don’t perceive as important – such as contents insurance if you don’t furnish the property. All of our Buy to Let Insurance Northern Ireland policies are flexible – you simply add & remove extras to suit you.
Having one policy to cover all your needs normally helps to reduce your premium compared to buying different policies separately. For landlords your cover might include:
Buildings insurance – to cover any damage to your building such as a fire, flood or severe weather. You need to cover the cost of rebuilding the building not the market value of the property itself.
Contents insurance – to cover anything you have put in the building such as furniture in general areas
Fixtures and fittings insurance – to cover items such as kitchens that you have installed specially for your tenant
Alternative accommodation –in case your tenant can’t use the building for an extended period due to an insured peril occurring
Loss of rent – to make sure you still get a guaranteed income after an insured peril (such as a fire) renders the property uninhabitable preventing you from receiving collecting your usual monthly rent
Accidental damage – in case of a tenant or visitor that causes damage to the property
Replacement locks – for when someone accidentally loses their keys and replacement locks are required throughout the building
Public liability insurance – in case someone is injured while in or around your building.
So whatever level of cover you need, take the time to give our experts an overview of your business and let us give you the details for some policies which will suit your needs. Once you agree what you need, we can give a quote and arrange cover immediately or to commence on a future date.
Remember that normal home insurance is normally invalidated if you have tenants – so landlords need specialist insurance cover which meets their needs.
Our Landlord Policies are Flexible
Landlord’s demands and needs will change during the life of the policy. It is therefore essential that the policy you paid good money for at the start of the insurance year, can be changed along with it! Having to cancel a policy simply because your tenant has left, and told by the insurer that you need to set up a separate unoccupied policy costing you a small fortune and that’s not including cancellation fees and new policy set up fees! Our policies can allow up to 90 days unoccupancy cover and also allow you wider perils cover during that time AND cost you zero extra!
We have access to 5 star Defacto Rated Landlord Insurance Policies that offer this flexibility. If you think you may have a significant period of unoccupancy, then ask us about this – they are also competitively priced.
If you are looking for Landlord insurance in Northern Ireland give us a call on 028 9182 8899.
LANDLORD AND TENANT OBLIGATIONS IN NORTHERN IRELAND
Landlord and Tenant Obligations in Northern Ireland
When you take out an Insurance Policy, your insurer will want to know you know what you are doing. After all, it is a ‘business’. Insurers will give discounts to Landlords who have had plenty of experience and do things correctly – and doing things correctly means knowing your obligations as a Landlord. A well run rental property means less friction with tenants which in turn leads to fewer claims from the landlord due to the actions of a disgruntled tenant.
Legal Documentation
You must supply all tenants with certain information in relation to their tenancy. You may be fined if you do not do this within a specified period of time.
Peaceful Enjoyment
Tenants have the right to peaceful enjoyment of the property they have paid good money to rent from you. Don’t get yourself in trouble by turning up unannounced at the property trying to gain entry without permission.
Repairs & Maintenance
As well as an implied and expressed condition on most insurance policies you should keep the property to a certain standard and carry out repairs in good time. This will keep a good relationship going with your tenant.
Keep tenants informed
Remember, it is your property but it is also your tenant’s home. You have a responsibility to keep tenants informed of any possible developments that may affect their home & their ability to stay there.
Be accessible
Your tenant has a Legal Right to know who you are, where you live and how you can be contacted.
Possession Access & due process
When evicting tenants you must follow the correct procedure. If you don’t you could be breaking the law and end up with a conviction yourself – convictions must be declared to insurers and often results in cover not being offered or higher premiums charged.
Taking Deposits
Any deposits taken today must be registered. You can register with an authorised Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme Administrator.
Mandatory Landlord Registration
In Northern Ireland, all Landlords of private tenancies must register. The registration is required every 3 years and there is a fee to pay.
Data Protection
Landlords and your Letting Agent (if you have one) will be required to register with the Information Commissioner’s Office and pay the appropriate fee.
Mortgage and Rates payments
If you have a loan against the property you must make sure payments are up to date. This also means you should explain to your tenant (being responsible for rates payments as part of the tenancy) that payments should be kept up to date, but getting rates paid can be your legal responsibility.
The above information has been supplied by Housing Rights which has been funded by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. For more information please follow their link and click here.
Landlord Insurance in Northern Ireland has many rules. Sticking to these rules and obligations will assist you in getting the best premium and cover with your Insurance Provider. Call us on 0800 085 3761 if you need any information or direction on your Landlord Insurance.
Contents
- 1 Landlord Insurance Northern Ireland & UK
- 2 Or call us FREE for a quote
- 3 0800 085 3761
- 4 NEED LANDLORD INSURANCE? OUR RELATIONSHIPS CAN HELP YOU GET A GOOD DEAL
- 5 Landlord Insurance Northern Ireland & UK
- 6 LANDLORD INSURANCE ENQUIRIES: 0800 085 3761
- 7 We have over 45 years experience working with:
- 8 Landlord Insurance Northern Ireland Cover Includes:
- 9 Landlord Insurance Northern Ireland Comparison:
- 10 What is not covered in my landlord insurance policy?
- 11 Why are landlord obligations important?
- 12 What are my landlord responsibilities in Northern Ireland?
- 13 What is fire cover?
- 14 What is flood cover?
- 15 Am I covered for loss of rent?
- 16 What is subsidence landlord insurance cover?
- 17 How does cover for theft work?
- 18 Our Landlord Policies are Flexible
- 19 Landlord and Tenant Obligations in Northern Ireland
- 20 Block of Flats
- 21 Unoccupied
- 22 Home Insurance
- 23 Residential Landlord
- 24 Land Liability
- 25 Commercial Property
- 26 Lockup Garage
- 27 Restaurant & Takeaway
- 28 Business or Shop
- 29 Classic Car
- 30 Mixed Use
- 31 Tradesmen
- 32 Landlord Insurance Northern Ireland
- 33 Or call us FREE for a quote
- 34 0800 085 3761
