Two landlords have recently brought to our attention a blog published by MF Brokers, written by Sean Hughes of Comprehensive Tax Planning. The article provides a surface-level overview of Incorporation Relief but omits crucial technical guidance found in professional tax literature and HMRC’s own manuals. Given the wide readership of this broker’s content—and the growing […]

Hello, I hope someone may be able to help. I seem to have tenants from hell. I have only one property which was my dad’s before he died. Now I own it with the bank. It’s a lovely little cottage with a south facing garden. I completely did it up and redecorated it to make […]

The biggest problem facing landlords is that the PRS is like a pendulum, swinging slowly from one policy extreme to the other, and there is nobody left in parliament or the civil service who remembers what the PRS was like before 1988. I do. My family has been involved with private lettings one way and […]

Three leading buy to let lenders have unveiled mortgage products or improved systems tailored to the evolving needs of landlords. Fleet Mortgages, YBS Commercial Mortgages and MT Finance are rolling out distinct offerings, each designed to enhance flexibility, speed and borrowing capacity for landlords. Fleet has revealed a selection of five-year fixed-rate mortgages capped at […]

The UK’s housing costs surged to an unprecedented £217 billion in 2024, marking a £19.8 billion rise from the previous year, a 10% jump. According to property firm Savills, this figure eclipses the previous high of 2016 by £8.6 billion, even when adjusted for inflation. That’s placing a huge financial strain on Brits, it warns. […]

One of Britain’s largest trade unions is demanding that its members receive priority for social housing, despite earning £70,000 a year, The Telegraph reveals. In a list of demands, the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers Union (RMT) argues that tube drivers are key workers and should be given priority for council housing in London. The […]

Four more local councils have unveiled plans to regulate Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in their areas. From Enfield to North Lincolnshire, councils are introducing licensing schemes, planning restrictions and public consultations. Enfield Council has greenlit a fresh HMO licensing scheme which is set to launch on 1 September and will run for five years. […]

Hi, I own a shared flat occupied by 3 people (twins plus friend) in Inner London that has now become an HMO. I applied for a licence, which has been granted. The local authority says the fire blanket I provided with Standard BS EN 1869.2019 should be replaced with one BS 6575 (latest edition). This […]

A study from estate agency Yopa has found that while British home prices have surged by 51.8% since 2014, this growth shrinks to just 12.1% when accounting for inflation. Its Housing Market Affordability Review looks at 10 years of shifts in homeownership costs and their effects on buyers’ purchasing power amid rising earnings and moving […]

A landlord’s buy-to-let flats sold for £1.15 million in 4 weeks, another in just 2 weeks for 18% higher than market value, and property portfolios performing at the same level of profitability as when we started in the rental sector 15 years ago: these might sound like numbers from years back, but this is exactly […]

Two stories on Property118 on the same day manage to spell out the real issue facing PRS landlords in the UK: we are facing a witch hunt and nothing we do or say will change that. I’ve had some brickbats thrown at me over the years but never have I been vilified as a tax-dodging […]

The following email was sent to Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook a few weeks ago yet NO response. Dear Mr Pennycook, Once upon a time, landlords in the Private Rented Sector (PRS) were seen as vital contributors to housing Britain’s population. They provided homes where the government failed to, took financial risks, maintained properties, and dealt […]

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has ruled against a council following a complaint from a landlord, identified as Mrs X, who faced delays and financial strain after the council failed to rehouse her tenant. The decision, released today, highlights the council’s failure to adhere to statutory homelessness guidance, resulting in significant frustration for […]

The Housing Ombudsman has slammed social housing landlords for failing to act on safety complaints which left one disabled woman unable to leave her home due to a faulty lift. The Ombudsman has released a report involving 23 complaints related to safety issues, including asbestos, fire, water, and gas. The organisation is calling for social […]

Well if there was evidence required as to why you are unable to let a property to a benefit tenant POST RRB – this is it. Please read Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) latest own guidance here The discrimination between how private and social landlords are treated is stark. Even when ‘explicit consent’ is […]

A new amendment to the Renters’ Rights Bill will see landlords having to accept fibre broadband installation requests from tenants. As with the proposed new rules on accepting pets, landlords cannot ‘unreasonably refuse’ permission for a broadband upgrade. A government spokesman told Property 118: “We are determined to close the digital divide and ensure everyone […]

My older brother and I are executors of our late father’s estate, and we are also beneficiaries along with two other siblings. I currently live in the property with the youngest sibling, who is one of the beneficiaries. We’ve obtained a possession order from the court, which required him to leave by a certain date, […]

Landlords are being targeted by two councils who claim they are clamping down on ‘negligent’ landlords. In Knowsley, a new housing civil penalties policy has been agreed by the council which gives them the power to slap landlords with fines reaching £30,000. This applies to those neglecting property upkeep or flouting Housing Act 2004 rules. […]

Nottingham City Council has vowed to transform its housing services ‘within six months to a year’ after a scathing assessment by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) exposed critical shortcomings. That led to the council being handed a near-bottom rating. The pledge comes as the Labour council grapples with longstanding issues in its 24,500 properties, […]

Shelter claims NHS workers are being priced out of the private rented sector. According to the housing charity, in almost half (45%) of local authorities in England, renting in the private sector is unaffordable for newly qualified nurses. Last year, Generation Rent called for rents to be capped for key workers, despite the fact that […]

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) Doves came out on top today, voting 8-1 to hold the Bank Base Rate at 4.5%. One MPC member voted for a 0.25% reduction in the rate. This coincides with the US Federal Reserve’s decision yesterday to also maintain their rate at the range of 4.25 to […]