The Bank of Mum and Dad is feeling the strain of the cost-of-living crisis, with many parents forced to cut back on financial support for their children’s home purchases. A survey by Aldermore found that 59% of first-time buyers have seen their parents reduce or withdraw support. Plus, 19% expect their loved ones to contribute […]

Councils are spending thousands of pounds on temporary accommodation but a new solution could cut the cost and help tenants in arrears. According to The Telegraph, councils are willing to spend thousands on rent arrears to help keep tenants off housing waiting lists, which have soared in recent years. According to homelessness charity Crisis, in […]

Angela Rayner will overhaul planning rules to build more homes. Ms Rayner claims the current planning system is “broken” and “caves into blockers and obstructs builders”. The government has urged councils “to do their part” to help the government achieve its target of 1.5 million homes. Shake-up a broken planning system The government’s National Planning […]

National average asking prices are expected to rise by 4%, with 2025 shaping up to be a bumper year for the housing market, according to Rightmove. The property portal predicts that the number of homes for sale will hit record highs, with 1.15 million properties expected to be sold. Rightmove also anticipates a rush from […]

Foundation Home Loans and Paragon Bank have both announced reductions in their buy to let mortgage rates. The buy to let brand of the specialist lender, ‘Buy to Let by Foundation’, has lowered its rates by up to 30 basis points on a range of Fixed Rate Specials. These revised rates are available in both […]

When it comes to property investing, one term you’ll hear often is leverage. But what does it mean, and why is it considered such a game-changer for investors? Let’s dive into the concept and explore how it can transform your investment strategy. What Is Leverage? Leverage means using borrowed money to fund an investment, with […]

In a severe case of buyer’s remorse, Labour-voting landlords are expressing deep regret over their political choice, according to a survey. Buy to let lender Landbay found that 80% of these landlords now admit they would not vote Labour again. They point to the Chancellor Rachel Reeve’s decision to increase Stamp Duty on investment properties […]

2025 interest rates could spell trouble for property investors. Here’s why and how to prepare. Discover the potential impact of rising interest rates on UK property investment in 2025. We analyse recent economic shifts, including Rachel Reeves’ budget and global events, that could affect the property market. Learn expert strategies to protect your investments and […]

Landlord confidence has dropped due to looming legislation and upcoming energy-efficiency changes. Research by Savills reveals that 73% of landlords have felt less confident in the past year, driven by concerns over the Renters’ Rights Bill and the potential abolition of Section 21. Landlords are also worried about bearing the burden of energy-efficiency upgrades to […]

The Housing Ombudsman is urging the social housing sector to prepare for Awaab’s law after one housing association left a house unhabitable due to dead rats. Awaab’s law will force social housing landlords to act within strict time limits to deal with hazards such as damp and mould. The law is named after Awaab, a […]

House prices in the UK continue to rise, while rental demand has shown its first signs of slowing since 2020, RICS says. Its latest Residential Survey shows that despite the slight dip in tenant demand, rent prices are still expected to increase soon. This is due to the ongoing imbalance between supply and demand in […]

First-time buyers are shelling out nearly 8% more than the asking price for their first homes, an analysis reveals. The findings from estate agent Yopa compared average asking prices to average sold prices for first-time buyer homes. It shows that inexperienced buyers are going to significant lengths to secure their first property. While the average […]

Shelter is blaming evictions and rising rents for a surge in homelessness this Christmas. According to the housing charity, 354,000 people in England, including 161,500 children, will spend Christmas without a home — a 14% increase in just one year. Government data reveals 45% of families placed in temporary accommodation have been there for more […]

Industry bodies have blasted the Welsh labour government over raising stamp duty for landlords and second homeowners in the Welsh Budget. Former First Minister and now Finance Secretary, Mark Drakeford, has announced a 1% increase in Land Transaction Tax (LTT) on additional properties, which is the Welsh equivalent of stamp duty. The NRLA warns the […]

The cost of renting a home has surged since the Covid lockdowns, rising from £12,000 annually in 2021 to £15,240 this year – a 27% increase. However, rising rent has outpaced the growth in earnings, which stood at 19% over the same period. The data comes from Zoopla’s latest Quarterly Rental Market Report which highlights […]

The number of tenants facing homelessness due to landlords selling up has soared by a third since the end of last year, the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) reveals. It says that between October and December 2023, 5,400 households in the private rented sector (PRS) in England were forced to seek council support after their […]

Rent and mortgage spending reached a 14-month high as more homeowners focus on improving energy efficiency in their homes for winter, according to Barclays. According to Barclays Property Insight report, rent and mortgage spending grew 8.2 per cent year-on-year in November reaching a 14-month high. The report also reveals a quarter of homeowners (25%) are […]

Thousands of people across England and Wales are facing the prospect of homelessness in the lead-up to Christmas, new figures reveal. Analysis from Tlyfe, a tenant app, and Benham and Reeves, the lettings and estate agency, paints a grim picture of the PRS and owner-occupier markets. Tlyfe’s data indicates that around 2,425 tenants are expected […]

Mortgage rates remain a big barrier to first-time buyers in the UK, research reveals. The Mortgage Advice Bureau says that two in five (42%) first-time buyers believe that mortgage rates will make it harder to purchase a property. And more than a quarter (24%) worry that rates won’t drop fast enough for them to afford […]

While the UK’s house prices continue to rise, income growth has lagged, making homeownership a distant dream for many, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows. Using figures for the financial year end of 2023, the issue of buyer affordability in England is particularly dire, it reveals. That’s when the average house price […]

Hello, I have recently terminated the landlord agreement with a letting agent in Kent, due to poor service etc. We agreed a financial settlement to end the relationship. The letting agent agreed to release all the documents including the tenancy agreements, tenant contact details, keys etc to the new letting agent, immediately (their words). In […]