Kate Gould, Author at Property118

Kate Gould

Brilliant article. Just one plea for accuracy, although a Google search shows that the same error is widespread: stamp duty only applies to dealings in shares. SDLT is the ludicrously complicated tax that applies to property transactions. By way of...

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It would be helpful to have e.g. CPI and CPIH increases in your table to compare rent increases with general inflation.

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Reply to the comment left by Adrian Jones at 14/02/2026 - 09:27Does the Council have a duty planning officer, though? That's what I was suggesting, not to wait for the outcome of an application for permission.

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Indemnity insurance is usually used on a sale of a property where works were done without planning/conservation area permission. Insurance is easier to get if the works were done several years before and no enforcement action has been taken. So...

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There should be a duty officer in the Council's planning department. If your son speaks to them, they should give a practical view of the risks of proceeding with the work before approval is given. It sounds as if your...

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The articles can only be changed by a members' meeting. All the members at the time should have received notice of the meeting and the proposal to change the articles. If they weren't given notice and the chance to vote,...

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Once long leases of the two flats have been granted at peppercorn rents, there should be no value left in the freehold for corporation tax purposes, and no gain in value for CGT purposes.

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Reply to the comment left by Jan Hall at 23/01/2026 - 11:13It's not legally possible for a person to grant a lease to themselves. But if the company is set up first, it has a separate legal identity.

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How to sell two flats and the freehold?

23rd January 2026, 3 months ago

Set up the freehold company with you being the first member and sole director. (Make sure it's limited by guarantee, not shares, so no share certificates to bother with.) Transfer the freehold to the freehold company and act as the...

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Buildings insurance should have a waiver of the insurers' right to claim against a flat owner in the building, provided you've acted quickly to stop the leak, as the insurance is taken out for the benefit of all of you....

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Freeholder refuses to replace damaged door?

8th January 2026, 3 months ago

For relatively low-cost issues, often paying for a solicitor to send an initial letter does the trick, just pointing out the provisions in the lease. Or you could write your own letter before action quoting the lease provisions and threatening...

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Caught in a trap by tenant from hell?

27th December 2025, 3 months ago

The most fundamental question is why can't you get together the money to go ahead with the court and bailiff repossession proceedings after the s8 notice? If you act on self help advice, however careful, you could end up facing...

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Rent with no income but large savings?

20th December 2025, 4 months ago

See the discussion at https://www.property118.com/government-defends-ban-on-rent-in-advance-in-renters-rights-act/#comments

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Share of Freehold company in a real mess?

17th December 2025, 4 months ago

To find a solicitor, try putting "company law advice resident freehold companies uk" into your internet browser.

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Reply to the comment left by N N at 15/12/2025 - 20:27The Renters Rights Act changes will apply to assured tenancies (and the subset of assured shorthold tenancies will be abolished). I don't think there's any rule that says it's...

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See my comments above about the offences that a landlord (or their letting agents) may commit if a tenant obtains a rent guarantee by passing the rent in advance to the guarantor.

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A landlord relying on a rent guarantee needs to be careful to understand the mechanics of the rent guarantee and ensure it doesn't involve the tenant paying the rent in advance to the guarantor, so as not to commit one...

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The tenant would be free to cancel any pre-authorisation of advance rent arranged before start of the tenancy, as it would be a term of the tenancy (even if not written within the tenancy agreement) that falls foul of section...

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Maybe the guidance is referring to the tenant choosing to make (and landlord being allowed to accept) early payments of rent after the tenancy has started. This is what the Act says for the criminal offence, only in relation to...

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"The guidance says: “While landlords will be restricted from including terms in a tenancy agreement which require rent to be due in advance of the rent period to which the rent relates, tenants will remain free to pay prior to...

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Showing 20 of 68 comments

Kate Gould

Kate Gould


Registered with Property118.com

12th February 2025

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Bio

In-house solicitor at London CLT helping to create community designed, resident managed affordable homes, and also working in private practice as a property lawyer. Not for many years now a landlord nor a tenant, thank goodness, but trying to support children renting at university.