Latest Articles

Interest only or Repayment BuytoLet mortgages

24/05/2013

A common question from new Landlords is why are so many BuytoLet mortgages taken out on an Interest only basis rather than Capital and Repayment. First of all it helps to understand that a BuytoLet mortgage seems very similar to a Residential mortgage, but it is not regulated in the same way by the Financial… Read more

Assured 9% Yields on Nottingham Student Accommodation

A city with a chronic under-supply of bespoke student accommodation, Nottingham is the ideal location for this latest boutique project from leading student accommodation specialists Knight Knox International. Investors will receive assured NET returns of 9% for the first 2 years and can be reassured that the residence is being refurbished by an experienced student accommodation developer.

Immigration Bill checks to be light touch for Landlords

The Housing Minister Mark Prisk speaking to MPs on the Immigration Bill announced in the recent Queen’s speech confirmed the immigration status of tenants will only have to be checked under a light touch regime. He said: “What we’re asking for is all landlords undertake that basic check to see people are who they are… Read more

NLA to make accreditation training compulsory for landlord members

In a recent press release the National Association of Landlords NLA have announced plans committing that all its landlord members will be accredited by 2020. In a speech on ‘Delivering excellence in the private-rented sector’, Carolyn Uphill, Deputy Chairman of the NLA, outlined the Association’s ‘Vision for Accreditation’. The NLA believes that landlord accreditation is… Read more

Is your Landlords insurance renewal coming up this summer?

23/05/2013

Several years ago my business partners and I were approached by an insurance broker who told us we could save a lot of money by combining our landlords insurance policies into a block policy. This was the beginning of our landlords buying group.

Negotiating with estate agents

22/05/2013

Over the last few days a newbie property investor called Craig has been picking the brains of myself and Mary Latham by email. Yesterday we got talking about negotiating with estate agents and the advice we shared with Craig is well worth sharing here so that others can benefit from it too in my opinion…. Read more

Bank of England report good news for a change

I have been attending the Bank of England quarterly seminars since 2007 and was completely flummoxed by the opening statements reporting good news for a change. They are confidently predicting consistent growth for the first time in a long while of 0.5% on GDP per quarter for the next year. This is however with the… Read more

Can I stop repossession with a lease option offer?

I need some advice on stopping a repossession for a motivated seller with a view to getting the property on an option. Property is listed as a 3 bed but has been converted to a 4 bed. £285000 on an interest only mortgage + £17000 in arrears. 4 beds in this area range from £330000-£400000…. Read more

The Ombudsman has ruled, fair or not, you decide ….

21/05/2013

I previously posted information about a problem Estate Agent who had let my property in Dover to a family on DSS with 7 children contrary to my instructions of no DSS tenants and no pets. I was very specific about my requirements due to a nightmare and costly experience with a previous tenant on DSS who trashed… Read more

Harry Oatten – Words of Wisdom from a landlord of 50 years

Thank you to Vanessa from Property Tribes TV for allowing me to share these Words of Wisdom from Harry Oatten, a landlord with 50 years experience. This video was recorded at the Welsh Landlords Day on 20th May where the youngest landlord was 21 years of age and the oldest was 80. I particularly enjoyed Harry’s… Read more

The latest on the BOI Tracker rate scandal

Bank of Ireland issued the following press release and wrote to 1,200 borrowers today:- “In February this year Bank of Ireland UK wrote to 13,500 mortgage customers to advise that their base rate tracking differential would increase on 1st May.  This increase is permitted by a specific clause in these mortgage contracts, which allows an… Read more

Capita enter Tenancy Deposit Protection Price War

If you didn’t already know, there are now four Deposit Protection providers in England and Wales and between them they have seven schemes, all with different rules! The new kids on the block are a corporate giant called Capita, a FTSE 100 company. You may not have heard of them before as they generally service… Read more