More than half of landlords with properties with an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating below C are delaying essential upgrades to meet the government’s 2030 deadline, a survey reveals. According to Landbay, 58% of landlords with below-C rated properties are waiting until closer to the deadline to carry out the necessary work. The survey reveals […]

Hi Everyone, My daughter is at university and sharing a 3-bedroom HMO with two other tenants, and one is moving out. The remaining two tenants are happy to take over the tenancy and replace the leaving tenant’s share of the deposit. However, they have been told there are rules around HMOs if fewer than three […]

The Scottish Housing Bill is an attack on the private rented sector, says Meghan Gallacher MSP. In an exclusive video interview with Property118, Meghan, who is also the Scottish Conservative shadow cabinet secretary for housing, blames the SNP’s Scottish Housing Bill for making Scotland’s housing emergency worse by doubling down on harmful rent controls. Meghan […]

The Court of Appeal has ruled in favour of a landlord, confirming they can serve essential tenancy documents by post. The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) intervened in the case, which had the potential to impact landlords and letting agents. The D’Aubigny v Khan case centred on whether notices and other documents could be valid […]

If you’ve let your property to a serviced accommodation provider who promised “guaranteed rent,” the recent VAT ruling in HMRC v Sonder Europe Ltd could significantly impact your arrangement. Here’s how you can protect yourself and navigate this changing landscape: 1. Understand the Potential Impact Serviced accommodation providers using the Rent to Serviced Accommodation (R2SA) […]

London has emerged as the dominant force in the UK’s buy to let market in 2024, experiencing a 13% increase in new landlords, data reveals. The findings from Simply Business show this follows a period of slower growth in 2023, with the capital’s strong tenant demand and diverse property options now driving the resurgence. Its […]

The latest quarterly update from UK Finance reveals there were 710 buy to let mortgage possessions in the third quarter of last year. It says the figure remains unchanged from the previous quarter but marks a huge 73.2% increase compared to the same quarter in 2023. The data shows that at the close of Q3 […]

Hello Everyone, I am in the process of letting my property through a council. The rent is higher than the local housing allowance rate so the Local Authority (LA) said they will be covering the shortfall. However, the LA want to put the local housing allowance rate on the AST as the rent rather than […]

House prices in England and Wales are on the rise again with an annualised growth of 1.9% – which is below the rate of inflation. A report from Home.co.uk, also reveals that rents in London have fallen sharply in recent months, with the City of London and Hackney seeing the biggest falls. However, rents in […]

Hello, I bought a property in 2003 which had tenants in situ with a protected tenancy. They had been moved in very recently by a property company which had bought their previous rented property. A tenancy agreement was set up by the property company describing the tenancy of the new property as ‘Protected’, but with […]

Real estate firm Knight Frank has issued a stark warning that tenants could move into properties without paying any rent once the Renters’ Rights Bill becomes law. The government’s bill will prohibit any rent payment before a tenancy agreement is signed, with landlords facing fines for accepting such payments. The firm’s head of lettings, Gary […]

There will be a big drop in the availability of stamp duty-free homes from April 1st when the current stamp duty relief reverts to previous thresholds, research reveals. Yopa says that currently, a third of properties for sale in England offer the possibility of a stamp duty-free purchase for existing homeowners. However, this figure is […]

More than half of the UK’s renters are looking to move home within the next six months, research reveals. According to the tenant app Tlyfe launched by OpenBrix, 57% of renters plan to move in 2025, with 59% of those intending to do so within the next six months. And 13% of tenants have plans […]

When my father died, his Will specified that I was to purchase a property for his long term live in carer/lady friend to live in, rent free for the rest of her life. Her new home was purchased from the proceeds of dads estate. An agreement was drawn up by solicitors which states that the […]

The UK’s private rented sector is showing signs of stabilisation after a period of upheaval, with rent increases slowing across the country, data reveals. SpareRoom’s latest rental index reveals that London is the only UK region experiencing rent falls, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of decline. The platform says that in the final quarter of […]

An industry body labels the Welsh government’s proposal of two months’ rent as compensation for eviction as ‘counterproductive.’ Propertymark is urging the Welsh government instead to focus on boosting housing supply rather than penalising landlords. A consultation is currently under way on the proposal, with the Senedd’s Housing and Local Government Select Committee reviewing evidence. […]

Hi, I bought a property with a sitting tenant who has been residing at the property for over four years before the purchase was completed. New 12 months tenancy agreement contract was given to the tenant following the purchase. The contract has since come to an end and has moved to a rolling periodic contract. […]

While buy to let mortgage rates have risen slightly following the Autumn Budget and despite soaring gilt yields, Octane Capital believes the lending landscape remains favourable for UK landlords. Octane’s analysis found that the average two-year fixed-rate BTL mortgage rate (75% LTV) had been declining before the Autumn Budget in October 2024, reaching 4.22%. This […]

Hello, I rented out my property many years ago to some tenants. I would now like to sell the property as I need the funds. However, the tenant is not moving until they receive a court order and bailiff eviction so that they can go to the council and get rehoused. Obviously advised by the council or […]

For years, the Rent to Serviced Accommodation (R2SA) business model has been championed as a low-cost entry point into property investment. Promoted heavily by property education courses, this strategy involved leasing residential properties, forming Limited Companies, and subletting those properties as short-term lets under the Tour Operators’ Margin Scheme (TOMS). However, the recent HMRC v […]

“This ruling could spell financial disaster for operators and property owners alike.” That’s the message echoing across the serviced accommodation industry following a dramatic reversal by the Upper Tribunal (Tax and Chancery Chamber) in the HMRC v Sonder Europe Ltd case. The decision has shattered assumptions about VAT treatment under the Tour Operators’ Margin Scheme […]