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Ross Taylor
Lettings (Lincoln)
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Is it worth managing your own student house? Discover the hidden costs, compliance risks, and legal fines of DIY management — and how Student Housing makes it effortless.
Every landlord has thought it at least once: “How hard can it be? I’ll just manage the house myself.”
Then the first maintenance call comes in at 2 a.m., the deposit paperwork goes missing, and the council pops by to remind you that, apparently, your four-bed terrace now counts as an unlicensed HMO.
Welcome to the real cost of self-management.
This guide breaks down why doing it yourself isn’t the money-saver it seems — and why using a professional student lettings agency like Student Housing can save you thousands in fines, time, and stress.
Managing a student property properly isn’t a weekend hobby. Between inspections, tenancy paperwork, rent collection, deposit protection, gas safety renewals, and maintenance calls, you’re easily looking at 10–15 hours per month per property — and that’s when everything goes right.
A single repair, a tenant dispute, or a compliance notice can triple that overnight.
The truth? What you “save” in management fees, you pay in lost evenings and grey hairs.
Let’s get serious. Compliance is the biggest trap for self-managing landlords — and the councils in Lincoln and Nottingham don’t play around.
In Lincoln, one landlord was fined £17,000 for operating an unlicensed HMO with missing fire-safety measures. Another case hit £40,000 for a dangerous, unlicensed property.
Nottingham’s Civil Penalties Policy allows fines up to £30,000 for HMO and licensing breaches.
Fail to protect a tenant’s deposit or serve the Prescribed Information within 30 days? Courts can order you to pay 1–3 times the deposit back to the tenant. A £1,000 deposit could cost you £3,000 — per tenant.
And that’s before you add legal fees, re-letting delays, and insurance headaches.
Using a qualified, accredited agent means none of that lands on your desk.
We make sure your CP12 is renewed, your EICR is current, your HMO licence is valid, your Fire & Legionella risk assessments are in date, and your prescribed information is served correctly — every single time.
It’s not just about protecting the deposit — it’s about proving you did it right.
Most self-managing landlords forget to issue one of the following within 30 days:
The deposit protection certificate
The Prescribed Information
The Government’s How to Rent guide
Miss one, and the tenancy becomes legally non-compliant. That means you can’t serve a Section 21 notice, and you risk refunding up to triple the deposit amount.
Our team handles it all through MyDeposits, ensuring every tenancy is fully compliant and legally watertight.
When a tenant reports a leak, it’s not just “call a plumber.”
You need to document the repair, prove you used a competent contractor, and maintain evidence that the property meets the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006.
We coordinate maintenance through trusted, qualified professionals — including in-house electricians and Gas Safe engineers — ensuring every fix is compliant and logged.
You’ll never have to ask, “Wait, what’s an RCD test?” again.
Student tenants aren’t looking for the cheapest house; they’re looking for homes that understand their world.
As a university-accredited letting agent, we know exactly when and where students book, what features sell fastest (spoiler: decent Wi-Fi beats designer kitchens), and how to fill your property early.
Our team are all former students — we literally were the target market.
That’s why our website ranks #1 for student accommodation in Lincoln and Nottingham, and why our average property lets faster than independent landlords can write an advert.
When you choose Student Housing, you’re not just hiring an agent — you’re hiring accredited professionals.
We’re approved by the University of Lincoln, registered with the PRS (Property Redress Scheme), and Client Money Protect certified through SafeAgent.
That means your rent, deposits, and maintenance funds are legally protected, and your tenants get peace of mind knowing they’re renting from a trusted, accountable company.
Our fully managed service is 15% inclusive of VAT.
For that, landlords get:
Marketing on every major student portal
Professional photography and tenant find
Rent collection and arrears management
Full compliance coverage
Maintenance coordination
Safety checks and inspections
Emergency callouts
Legal support if required
Compare that to the potential £30,000+ in fines, or the lost rent when a student group walks away after spotting unlicensed status — and it’s not even a debate.
You could self-manage. You could also do your own dentistry.
But unless you enjoy paperwork, legal jargon, and endless council emails, there’s an easier way.
We make student property ownership genuinely passive — compliant, profitable, and predictable.
📞 Lincoln: 01522 410 646
📞 Nottingham: 01157 848 600
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Lettings (Lincoln)
With years of experience in the student rental market, Ross Taylor brings local knowledge, straight-talking advice, and a genuine passion for helping Landlords and Property Investors in Lincoln manage their investments.
