At Social Angels, we’re spearheaded by Jane whose enthusiasm and passion for the property industry knows no bounds. Whenever there’s even the tiniest update to legislation, the rest of us know about it because Jane lets us all know immediately.

Actually, first of all, I’m gonna break all the rules and blow our own trumpet because we don’t do it often – that’s one of the reasons we’re a great company for Estate Agents to work with. There are many shiny digital marketing companies out there looking to break into the property industry and bamboozle with -often meaningless- figures. But how many of them watch the Chancellor’s budget and immediately understand how what they announce will affect the property industry? Not many.

Whenever the budget rolls around we’re all ready and waiting with notebooks (and popcorn) so we can immediately get on with writing Estate Agent blogs and creating social media content that’s both relevant and reassuring to their client bases. If you want in on a slice of that dedication, you can find the info for our packages here. We may also share our popcorn, if that’s the bit you’re excited about.

It’s more than just about knowing the legislation though, it’s not enough just to copy and paste industry press releases and bullet points into a blog post titled something like “Electrical Safety Standards legislation update” before giving yourself a pat on the back and heading for the tea and biscuits. Let’s be real, no one is going to read that aside from other agents looking to see what their competitors are writing about it.

So, how do you go about making it more interesting?

How to write about legislation without boring the pants off of clients and potential clients

Title

It’s important to include what you’re talking about in the title, I’m not advocating going too far the other way. ‘This one weird tip for LANDLORDS to AVOID ELECTROCUTING TENANTS will blow your mind’.

Whilst that’s near enough guaranteed to get you quite a few clicks, it will also make you and your business look like an absolute tit. Tenants may also have something to say about it.

It is important you have an inspiring title though that notifies people it’s going to apply to them.

‘Landlords: wise up on the new Electrical Safety Standards legislation and avoid hefty fines.’

That’s better. They can see what it’s about, and it’s also clear to them that, if they don’t read it, it might cost them some money. Job done.

Content

When it comes to writing about something industry-related, lots of quite dry stuff gets published first. That dry stuff is what you need to read, digest, and understand so you can explain it in simple terms.

Try and keep it as brief as possible, most people will be reading it out of necessity rather than curiosity and their time is precious.

I like to follow this format:

Legislation background – when was it passed, who passed it, why.
The main points. Do you have to
Answer the question “what does this mean for you?”
Call to action

Example

Here’s an example using EICR legislation following the format above.

Legislation background

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 were passed by Parliament on 18 March 2020. The Regulations apply to all new tenancies in England from 1 July 2020 and all existing tenancies from 1 April 2021. Being hidden away, the electrics in properties can often be easily forgotten if there isn’t an obvious problem, which is why the regulations were passed in order to ensure properties have electrics that are safe for tenants to use.

The main points

By April 1, 2021, there will have to be electrical safety checks in all rental properties with existing tenancies, and safety checks will have to be carried out at five-yearly intervals.
Copies of the report will have to be provided to prospective tenants on request and given to new tenants before they move in.
Local councils can also request a copy of the report, which must be provided within seven days
Enforcement is by the local authority, which can order that work be carried out if it’s deemed in some way unsafe

What does this mean for you?

Any remedial work required must be done within 28 days, or sooner if a time frame is set out in the report.
Failure could result in a civil penalty of up to £30,000. As well as your tenants’ safety being at stake, it could also really hit you in the pocket!

Call to Action

This bit I can’t write for you, but do you want people to get in touch with the office? Direct them to a page that displays your charges for obtaining an EICR? Put it here!

So there we have it, avoid using industry jargon, and where it’s totally unavoidable, explain it simply. And it doesn’t have to be laugh-a-minute although don’t be afraid to take a chatty tone where appropriate.

If you think that all sounds like a bit of a headache, don’t forget that we can do it for you – we love this stuff! Get in touch to discuss how we can help.

Jane Gardner

I work all over the UK with various business owners, dedicating my creative and expert property knowledge from 35 years in the industry. I am a Level 4 ARLA Propertymark examiner, I sit on the board of Agents Giving Charity and I love everything property related! I can be contacted on 01923 627777 or by email to jane@social-angels.co.uk