Page 115 – Property118
An elderly person crossing the road with a stick. Exit

Demand surges as older landlords exit the private rented sector

14th March 2025

Demand continues to outstrip supply as older landlords leave the market, warns one industry body. According to Propertymark’s Housing Insight report, demand continues to rise with new tenant registrations per member branch surging from 79 to 115 in 2025. The industry body says without government support, many landlords will simply decide to sell up. Pushing […]

Pets sitting on a couch

Ban on pet deposits means all pet owners lose and all pet owners pay!

13th March 2025

Who would like to drive a Ferrari, crash it, get another one, and still pay the same insurance cost as a Fiat 500? I’m sure the Labour party can sort that for you. Who can remember the days when landlords took tenants with pets no problem. Tenants paid a bit of extra deposit, and when […]

A digitial map with a location pin

Best cities for commercial property investment revealed

13th March 2025

With commercial property investment growing in the final quarter of 2024 by 28% year-on-year, the investment hotspots have been revealed. According to Alan Boswell Group, investment levels saw the biggest rise since mid-2021. This boom followed a second consecutive bank rate reduction which led investors to investigate where to invest. Now the insurance firm’s experts […]

Judges hammer, Harringey Council logo and pound signs

London council unveils £30,000 fines for errant landlords

13th March 2025

A London council has launched a tougher stance against landlords in the private rented sector by introducing stringent financial penalties to uphold housing quality. It has updated its Civil Penalty Notice (CPN) policy for dishing out financial fines under the Housing Act 2004. Haringey council says it will be targeting landlords who flout regulations with […]

Multi coloured small figures surrounding a wooden model house with HMO on the roof and a red question mark

Agent advice creates HMO licensing pickle?

13th March 2025

Hello, I have been using an agent to let out a property as a four bed HMO so not needing a licence. However, last September my agent said it could be a five bed HMO and would need little or no work to comply but I would need to get a licence. I agreed to […]

A red house with people and a green house with a pound sign in with up and down arrows above.

House prices climb despite market slowdown – RICS

13th March 2025

House prices rose slightly last month but buyer demand is slipping, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) says. Its Residential Property Survey highlights a market grappling with the prospect of looming stamp duty rises and wider economic concerns. Also, enquiries from prospective home buyers have slipped. RICS says the latest data, which measures sentiment […]

A wooden model home on a red scarf and a hat on the roof, alongside a red pig

PRS tenants can access £1.8bn energy improvements boost

13th March 2025

Tenants in the private rented sector can access new energy efficiency funding to improve their homes. It’s part of the government’s accelerated rollout of the Warm Homes Plan to benefit up to 170,000 residences across England. The plan promises to bolster household finances by reducing energy bills and improving living conditions. The cash is aimed […]

Two men standing on wallets between a question mark and sky and clouds in the background

Joint tenancy – weakest tenant must stand alone?

12th March 2025

Hello, As a landlord I have always believed it safe to allow one tenant on a weaker income as they are joint and separately liable. Sadly for many this is no longer true. Both tenants must be strong enough to pick up the rent alone. I received notice for the end of a tenancy and […]

A justice hammer, Scam, a question mark and auction sign inside a house

£7.5k lost on auction property reported to Action Fraud?

12th March 2025

Hello, here’s a salutary lesson. Having missed out on a property sold at auction at the beginning of February, I saw another house, less than a mile away on Rightmove. It was being marketed by a different auction house and was lot 1 in their auction. I contacted the auctioneers by email and registered for […]

A model home on a desk, a calculator, a pen and paperwork

BTL lenders boost landlord options with new criteria and rates

12th March 2025

Two leading buy to let lenders have unveiled updates to their BTL offerings, enhancing flexibility and affordability for property investors. Fleet Mortgages and YBS Commercial Mortgages have introduced changes aimed at supporting advisers, streamlining processes and delivering competitive financing for landlords. Fleet is offering a series of adjustments designed to ease landlord borrowing. Among them […]

A dog and a cat sitting on the sofa, 0&.com logo

Just 8% of PRS homes are ‘pet friendly’

12th March 2025

Just 8% of rental homes in England are currently advertised as welcoming to pets, even with forthcoming legislation set to shake up the sector which will see see more pets being accepted by landlords, research reveals. According to Zero Deposit, out of 101,908 available listings, only 7,788 properties are flagged as suitable for animal residents. […]

A person reaching for a bottle of beer in a messy flat alongside the Scottish Flag

Call to prioritise housing in Scotland’s anti-social behaviour crackdown

12th March 2025

One leading professional body is demanding a sharper focus from the Scottish government on tackling anti-social behaviour within the housing sector. It follows a comprehensive assessment by the Independent Working Group on Anti-Social Behaviour in Scotland. Propertymark is voicing its concerns over the group’s attention to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber). […]

Small houses balancing on stacked coins

House prices rise as buyers beat stamp duty deadline

12th March 2025

The average cost of a home across England and Wales grew by £2,500, equivalent to a 0.7% rise to reach £357,300 in February, one index reveals. The analysis from the chartered surveyors e.surv, shows that the price rise marks the second consecutive month of growth. And that, the firm says, hints at a strengthening housing […]

Manchester sign on a street paving

The UK’s top renter-friendly city revealed

12th March 2025

Britain’s best location for renters and landlords in 2025 has been revealed and its success is down to a large and thriving student population and high tenant satisfaction. According to Property Investments UK, the vibrant northern city boasts a striking 62% of households renting, totalling 133,126 properties. Landlord success is also helped by a hefty […]

Department for Work and Pensions and Universal Credit logos

Universal Credit overhaul will affect rent payments from April

11th March 2025

Landlords are being warned that there are big alterations to Universal Credit coming which will transform how rent payments are managed across the UK. Propertymark says that from April, the Fair Repayment Rate will drop from 25% to 15%. That’s the amount of Universal Credit that can be deducted from a household’s standard allowance payment […]

Scottish Greens logo and a homeless man

Scottish Greens push to end winter evictions of tenants

11th March 2025

A Scottish Green MSP has tabled an amendment to the Housing (Scotland) Bill which would prevent tenants from being evicted in winter months – forever. Maggie Chapman says her proposal will eliminate the threat of evictions during the chilliest months, spanning November to March. That would, she says, mean no renter facing homelessness when the […]

A person passing a key to a woman

Looking to sell and end of tenancy query with Estate Agent?

11th March 2025

Hi all, Can you advise me regarding ending my fully managed contract with my letting agent? I have read my terms of business and have given ample notice, 3 months. I have requested they confirm the transition and when will they walk away. The Agent’s response was that once the tenant returns the keys, an […]

A calendar circuled on 31st of the month, a calculator, coins and a question mark

Tenant has decided to change the day she pays her rent?

11th March 2025

Hi everyone, I was just wondering if someone could give me a bit of advice. I have a tenant who is on benefits and has been late with her rent on several occasions as her money has not come through. She always pays as soon as her money arrives. The rent for the property is […]

A person repairing a ceiling and question mark

Block managing agents and quotes for repairs?

11th March 2025

Hello, I have a block of flats currently managed by Block Managing Agents. Recently there was a leak in the building where damage was caused to a number of flats. The managing agents said that they had quotes in from two contractors but refused to disclose the quotes to the flat owners stating that it […]

Two men speaking through tannoy systems with houses sitting on papers in between

Rent arrears fuel one in five tenancy disputes

11th March 2025

There has been a big escalation in tenancy disputes with rent arrears now accounting for a fifth of all disagreements, research reveals. The firm behind the findings also fears that the Renters’ Rights Bill will worsen tenant-landlord relations and spark more disputes. FCC Paragon has analysed data from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, to […]

Small wooden model houses and a blue question mark

My tenant wants me to issue her a Notice to Leave?

11th March 2025

My tenant is a single mother with two children aged 8 and 2. She has been my tenant for the last 3 years. Her rent has always been below market. This year I suggested that when her annual tenancy expires on 20 April 2025 she pays the market rate (£1250 pcm) if she wants to […]