Lou Valdini
Can I claim tax relief for paying utility bills?
Author: Lou Valdini
28th August 2014, 12 years ago | 7
Lou Valdini
Registered with Property118.com
8th October 2013
Total Posts
3
Total Comments
1,652
Bio
Recently retired and currently exiting the PRS.
Reply to comment left by Leigh Andrews at 17/05/2026 - 07:52
Reply to the comment left by Leigh Andrews at 17/05/2026 - 07:52Don't forget the ground rent issue. Even at £250 (whenever that happens!) it won't resolve the inability to obtain a mortgage if the ground rent is more than 1%...
Read More →15th May 2026, 5 days ago
Wow! Finally, meaningful leasehold reform... Tenants can ask for faster broadband... and freeholders don't have to provide it! However, the government has confirmed that the £250 cap on ground rents is expected to come into effect in 2028, with ministers...
Read More →Reply to comment left by Carol Moscardini at 30/04/2026 - 10:49
There is no progress on leasehold reform in Parliament. After all it's rhetoric and promises before the election, Labour has capitulated to the freehold lobby... as we all knew they would. You need to check if the council has adopted...
Read More →30th April 2026, 3 weeks ago
Renting has always been cheaper than buying in many cases. What renters (and Generation Rent) don't seem to appreciate is someone other than them has to pay for repairs & maintenence, insurance, service charge, ground rent...
Read More →Reply to comment left by Derek STOBBS at 30/04/2026 - 08:29
There wasn't a problem with S13 before the RRA, so why make it more complicated?
Read More →29th April 2026, 3 weeks ago
Just read about GR advising tenants to appeal their rent increase. For the sake of £47, they will see a significant saving because the courts are so backed up it will take months to get an answer, and even if...
Read More →Reply to comment left by [email protected] at 29/04/2026 - 16:06
Reply to the comment left by Peter G at 16:06 I'd like to understand their thinking behind that specific clause. Of course, if they don't accept the backlog argument, it's not a problem.
Read More →Reply to comment left by Rob Crawford at 29/04/2026 - 15:02
Reply to the comment left by Rob at 15:02 The issue is a tenant could challenge the increase for no reason other than it's available under the RRA. It is likely to take many months for a tribunal to rule,...
Read More →Reply to comment left by Ian Narbeth at 29/04/2026 - 10:34
Reply to the comment left by Ian Narbeth at 29/04/2026 - 10:34I'm sure tenants will blame shelter, generation rent, and Labour, when the cost implications of the RRA become apparent to them!
Read More →29th April 2026, 3 weeks ago
The government will do anything if they think it will get them votes on 7th May, and a rent freeze is an easy one for them with the RRA coming in on Friday. I've been increasing rent for the past...
Read More →Reply to comment left by Ian Narbeth at 20/04/2026 - 12:16
Reply to the comment left by Ian Narbeth at 20/04/2026 - 12:16Can you get a CCJ without first obtaining a S8 court order?
Read More →20th April 2026, 4 weeks ago
Guidance for renters and VCSE organisations webinars 29/4
Read More →Reply to comment left by David at 18/04/2026 - 13:46
You may be right, but a big increase is more likely to result in a challenge. Ideally, you should know your tenants and can judge whether they are likely to accept; maybe discuss with them before the S13. But if...
Read More →Reply to comment left by graham mcauley at 18/04/2026 - 11:04
Reply to the comment left by graham mcauley at 18/04/2026 - 11:04My previous tenant could have obtained a mortgage which would be much lower than her rent. She pulled out when she realised she would also have to pay the...
Read More →Reply to comment left by [email protected] at 18/04/2026 - 10:37
I'm sure it will be used... if your agent is prepared to take the wrap. I'm sure being Chancellor had no bearing on her agent's action.
Read More →Reply to comment left by David at 18/04/2026 - 09:50
Not very helpful to a landlord who is way below market rent. I think it may be too late for a landlord to apply a large increase, and if they do, they run the risk of a tribunal appeal. I...
Read More →Reply to comment left by Ch at 18/04/2026 - 09:27
... and then the tenant will do exactly the same thing when you issue the next Form 4A. Another 10 months delay... rinse and repeat! Effectively, a tenant can avoid rent increases ad-infinitum, and landlords will have no legitimate cause...
Read More →Reply to comment left by marita gray at 17/04/2026 - 10:03
Reply to the comment left by Sally Robinson at 10:03 It will probably be Wandsworth if it falls to the Greens. As for Rachel from Complaints, no, she didn't have to pay up because her agent conveniently took the blame...
Read More →Reply to comment left by David at 16/04/2026 - 11:20
Just checked and the 'rent payment date' is the date the AST commenced. So, any increase will be from that date, not the 1st of the month.
Read More →14th April 2026, 1 month ago
I'm confused (not difficult!). My tenant's Agreement commenced on 15th August, and her rent is for the month of August. If I send the S13 on 15th June, assuming no challenge, does the increase take effect on the 15th August...
Read More →Showing 20 of 1,652 comments