The Hidden Risks of Self-Managing Your Rental Property: Why DIY Landlords in Hailsham & Eastbourne Are Playing with Fire

The Hidden Risks of Self-Managing Your Rental Property: Why DIY Landlords in Hailsham & Eastbourne Are Playing with Fire

At first glance, managing your own rental property might seem like a great way to save money — until the legal letters arrive, fines stack up, and stress takes over. The truth is, unless you’re a seasoned expert in lettings legislation and property compliance, self-management can quickly turn your investment into a liability.

At Bates & Co Lettings, covering Eastbourne, Polegate, Hailsham and surroundign areas, we’ve worked with countless landlords who came to us after learning the hard way just how complicated and risky managing a property alone can be.

Here’s what every landlord must do to legally manage a property — and what can go horribly wrong if you don’t.

1. Legal Compliance: The Landlord’s Minefield

Failing to comply with even one of the following requirements could result in fines, legal disputes, or worse — being barred from serving notice to regain possession of your property.

Documents landlords must provide to tenants:

• Gas Safety Certificate
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
• ‘How to Rent’ guide
• Tenancy Agreement & Renewed Tenancy Agreements
• Deposit Protection Scheme details
• Prescribed Information relating to the deposit
• Right to Rent checks
• Notice of Entry

Do you know when the above certificates should be issued? At what intervals they should be renewed? How much notice needs to be given before entering your own property? When and how often Right To Rent Checks are to be completed? How much time you have to supply your tenants with information relating to their deposit and how it’s been protected? How often and when you can issue a rent increase? Which notice you need to provide them with depending on the type of tenancy they have?

Miss any of these, fail to issue notice correctly and you could be:

• Fined up to £30,000
• Unable to serve a Section 21 notice and regain possession of your property
• Sued by the tenant for compensation
• Investigated by the local authority
• Risking criminal charges

2. Time-Consuming and Constant

Managing a property is not a passive income stream — it’s a full-time responsibility. Consider the ongoing tasks:

• Regular photographic inspections every 3-6 months to prove tenant care and protect against disputes
• Maintenance issues logged and tracked with full repair history and correspondence
• 24/7 emergency repairs and call-outs
• Rent collection and arrears management
• Annual legal updates to ensure documentation is still valid and enforceable
• Rent increases issued with the correct notice and following legal procedure

Let’s be honest — are you really ready to drop everything for a leaking pipe at 11pm?

3. Tenancy Notices & Evictions: Easy to Get Wrong

Evicting a tenant is not as simple as asking them to leave.

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Wrong notice = illegal eviction.

• You must serve the correct Section 21 or Section 8 notice.
• Provide the appropriate amount of notice period (varies based on tenancy length and reason).
• All legal documentation must have been correctly issued before serving notice.

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If a judge finds a single error, your case could be thrown out — costing you months of lost rent and expensive legal fees.

4. Deposit Protection Failures Can Cost Thousands

Landlords who fail to:

• Protect the tenant’s deposit in a government-approved scheme
• Serve the prescribed information within the correct number of days can be sued for up to 3x the deposit amount — and can’t serve a Section 21 notice until it’s resolved.

One mistake here can wipe out a year’s profit.

5. The Danger of Improper Notices and Evictions

Evicting a tenant, raising rent, or even entering theproperty must all follow strict legal procedures. Serving the wrong notice,using incorrect forms, or missing key steps can render your actions invalid —or even illegal.

You must understand which notices to serve and when, howmuch notice to give, and whether your tenancy is in a position to allow forsuch changes in the first place. Without expert knowledge, you could end upwith a lengthy legal battle and months of lost income.

6. Deposit Disasters: A Costly Oversight

Deposit protection isn’t optional — and it’s more than justplacing the money in a scheme. There are specific steps to follow and legaldocuments to issue. If you miss any part of this process, your tenant couldtake legal action — and you could be ordered to pay back multiple times theoriginal deposit.

7. The Price of Peace of Mind: Less Than You Think!

At Bates & Co Lettings, we provide full compliance and peace of mind with our Full Management Package for 10% of the monthly rental amount and Guaranteed Rent Scheme — ensuring your investment is protected, profitable, and stress-free.

We handle:

• All legal documentation and updates
• Thorough tenant referencing and Right to Rent checks
• Regular, detailed inspection reports with photographs
• 24 hour Emergency and planned maintenance coordination
• Deposit protection and full tenancy lifecycle management
• Rent reviews, arrears chasing, and eviction processes
• Immediate access to expert advice and legal support

8. It’s NOT a Passive Investment

Managing a rental property is time-consuming and often overwhelming — especially if you have other responsibilities or live outside the area. Tasks include:

• Conducting detailed, photographic property inspections
• Logging all maintenance issues with a full audit trail
• Dealing with out-of-hours emergencies
• Managing rent collection and arrears
• Navigating legislative changes
• Handling complaints, renewals, and deposit disputes

This isn’t a “set it and forget it” scenario. It’s a hands-on, high-risk responsibility that requires constant attention — and getting it wrong can cost you dearly.

9. Self-Management Isn’t a Side Hustle — It’s a Risk

Letting out a property is a serious business. Self-managing may seem appealing at first, but without full-time focus and in-depth knowledge, you’re likely to make mistakes — and the consequences can be severe.

Your rental property is likely one of your biggest financial assets. Don’t risk fines, legal action, or damage to your reputation by going it alone. Unless you’re prepared to be a legal expert, property manager, emergency repair coordinator, and negotiator all at once — it’s simply not worth the risk.

Your property is an asset — but only if it’s managed properly. With fines, legal challenges, and compliance demands growing by the year, now is the time to hand over the reins to someone who knows the law inside out.

Contact Bates & Co Lettings today for a no-obligation consultation. We’ll assess your current setup, highlight any risks, and help you take back control — without the worry.

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