When a dancer from the city takes over her husband's rental property business in small town America, the results are preordained chaos. What started out as a small side business for author Linda Wills morphed into a full-time job that lasted more than twenty years. In The Reluctant Landlord, Wills describes how she grew from being a novice in real estate into a competent general contractor overseeing several crews. Honest, funny, and self-disclosing, Wills delivers the straight story on how the rental property business works warts and all. More than a how-to book, it's a how-not-to-guide to educate those considering becoming landlords. Presenting both the pros and cons and successes and failures of rental management, The Reluctant Landlord covers every aspect of the business from the initial purchase to renovating and selling. In story format, Wills introduces many of the interesting characters and situations she encountered in twenty years. From the eccentric Hendon family to the Buddhist monk to Mrs. Lamar and her cats, The Reluctant Landlord portrays the human element of rental management and shows how one woman transitioned from dancing to dirt.

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER Straight Outta Crawley is the hilarious and irreverent autobiography from comedian Romesh Ranganathan. 'Very, very funny. I can't recommend it highly enough.' Jonathan Ross _________________________________ At the age of 9, Romesh Ranganathan delivered his first ever stand-up set at a Pontin's holiday camp talent competition, smashing the other competitor, a young girl playing the kazoo. The gig went so well that Romesh retired his comic genius for twenty-two years, hiding behind the guise of a maths teacher, before finally revealing himself again (no, not like that) at the tender age of 31. In 2010, Ranganathan staged his epic comeback gig to an almost silent room, and has since gone on to earn his place as the most in-demand overweight vegan Sri Lankan comedian in Britain. Now, for the first time, he tells the full story of how he got here. From the delights of Sri Lankan hospitality to his struggles as a child, teacher and now parent, to his adolescent flirtation with a rap career and his attempts to make it in comedy, Straight Outta Crawley is Ranganathan's hilarious and irreverent autobiography. Have you read Romesh's latest book? As Good As It Gets: Life Lessons from a Reluctant Adult is Romesh Ranganathan's hilarious and painfully accurate dissection of what it really means to grow up.

Socio-political views on housing have been brought to the fore in recent years by global economic crises, a notable rise of international migration and intensified trans-regional movement phenomena. Adopting this viewpoint, From Conflict to Inclusion in Housing maps the current terrain of political thinking, ethical conversations and community activism that complements the current discourse on new opportunities to access housing. Its carefully selected case studies cover many geographical contexts, including the UK, the US, Brazil, Australia, Asia and Europe. Importantly, the volume presents the views of stakeholders that are typically left unaccounted for in the process of housing development, and presents them with an interdisciplinary audience of sociologists, planners and architects in mind. Each chapter offers new interpretations of real-world problems, local community initiatives and successful housing projects, and together construct a critique on recent governmental and planning policies globally. Through these studies, the reader will encounter a narrative that encompasses issues of equality for housing, the biopolitics of dwelling and its associated activism, planning initiatives for social sustainability, and the cohabitation of the urban terrain.

Protect your investment! Choosing new tenants who will pay on time, respect your property, and stay for an extended period will make your life easier—and your business more profitable. This book guides you through the process of attracting, screening, choosing, and getting the best renters possible. Just as important, it shows how to avoid problem tenants. You’ll learn how to: avoid discrimination complaints advertise effectively screen tenants over the phone show the unit evaluate applications examine credit reports check references make a rental offer reject applicants and much more. With Downloadable Forms: includes dozens of forms and checklists that will help you get the information you need without running afoul of the law —available for download (details inside).

Written by three surveyors, each with extensive experience in the sector, Dilapidations and Service Charge Disputes will guide practitioners through the common and new practices involved in dealing with disputes on dilapidations and service charge matters. The book offers practical guidance on the related topics of dilapidations and service charge disputes, bridging the gap between heavy-weight legally focussed case law publications and the lighter weight guidance notes. It offers practical and theoretical advice that will be invaluable to any surveyor or solicitor dealing with: condition reports prior to a lease agreement litigation avoidance advice dilapidations law and precedent. Beneficial to surveyors and solicitors acting on behalf of tenants or landlords, this book provides the information and practical advice that can help you improve in your role.