When planning a renovation to boost a property’s value, it’s crucial to understand how to estimate its end value while considering the time, effort, and cost involved. The numbers need to work in your favour for the project to be worthwhile. Step 1: Research Comparable Properties Start by researching comparables—properties similar to your planned finish, […]

Selective licensing schemes should DOUBLE from five to ten years, says professional body. The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) supports an amendment by Carla Denyer, co-leader of the Green Party, in the Renters’ Rights Bill to double the duration of licensing schemes, which she claims “will help local authorities improve housing conditions”. This is […]

The Housing Ombudsman has slammed social housing providers for failing to meet legal requirements and safety hazards. In a new report, the Ombudsman reveals a 329% increase in the number of interventions it has had to make to resolve issues for social housing residents. Failings include social housing providers not addressing damp and mould issues, […]

Day by day, more landlords are waking up to the clear picture that the UK Government has no intention of allowing smaller scale private landlords to thrive—perhaps not even to survive. Rather than making a clean break, the Government has taken a ruthless, underhanded approach to dismantling the Private Rented Sector (PRS) as we know […]

Despite a rapid rise in rents over the past three years, real estate firm JLL is forecasting that rents will increase by 17% over the next five years. Its latest ‘Residential Forecast 2025-2029’ shows that while UK rents surged by 27% in the five years to September 2024, the current supply-demand imbalance is gradually easing. […]

House prices in the UK are forecast to increase by £84,000 over the next five years, according to a new report from property firm Savills. With inflation returning to target and interest rates expected to decline, the housing market is poised for consistent year-on-year growth. Savills is predicting a 4% increase in house prices in […]

Landlord profitability has reached its highest point since the first quarter of 2022, according to research by Paragon Bank. A survey of more than 700 landlords, revealed that nearly nine in 10 (87%) reported making a profit in the third quarter of 2024, a significant rise from the same period in 2023. The data suggests […]

Carmarthenshire County Council is inviting feedback on proposed regulations for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) within the Tyisha and Glanymor districts of Llanelli. Residents, landlords, tenants, and those with ties to the two wards are now being encouraged to share their opinions on a potential additional licensing scheme for HMOs. The consultation wants views on […]

Former estate agent Kevin Hollinrake has been appointed as the new Shadow Housing Secretary. Kemi Badenoch, the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party, has been assembling her Shadow cabinet. Mr Hollinrake previously served as the Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade. Tough time to start Mr Hollinrake, the MP for Thirsk and […]

Hi, I have an ex-local authority one bed flat in Norwich which I have owned for 9 years. I bought it with the tenant in situ and she has been a model tenant, always paying the rent on time. I have increased the rent only once in this time by £20, the monthly rent is […]

Did you know there’s a financial safety net that could help cover rent arrears and prevent tenancies from being put at risk? It’s called the Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) and Rachel Reeves latest Budget has added 1 Billion extra pounds to the available pot. However, not enough landlords or tenants know how to tap into these […]

Fleet Mortgages has launched a new range of five-year fixed-rate products for landlords across the UK. The buy to let mortgage lender’s fixed-rate mortgages are available for standard buy to let properties, limited company purchases and HMO/Multi-Unit Blocks (MUBs). Available up to 75% LTV, standard and limited company mortgages start at 5.29%, while HMO/MUB options […]

A new referencing tool specifically designed for student landlords aims to simplify the tenancy process for both agents and students. Vouch’s student reference package includes essential checks like ID verification, eliminating unnecessary procedures like credit checks and salary verification that are typically required for salaried tenants. The company says this reduction in checks not only […]

Hello, I signed a contract with a 12% fee three years ago with a managing agent to handle my HMO in London. I am now looking to switch to another agency as I am unhappy with their service. When the agency took over, the property was fully let, so they started collecting their management fees […]

While the looming threat of a capital gains tax (CGT) hike had landlords worried in the lead-up to last week’s Autumn Budget, the increase in stamp duty on second homes seems to be a lesser concern. A survey from estate and letting agents Benham and Reeves found that nearly one-fifth (19%) of landlords had paused […]

Acorn, the tenant activist organisation, is urging renters to contact their MP calling for a stronger Renters’ Rights Bill. Its new campaign declares: ‘The Renters’ Rights Bill in its current form is a great start, but if it’s going to deliver the change we really need, it must be made stronger! Email your MP to […]

Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and her husband are earning £74,000 annually from rental income, The Telegraph reveals. The revelation comes shortly after Ms Reeves introduced a Budget that significantly impacts landlords and second home buyers with increased stamp duty costs. The newspaper reveals that the Chancellor is believed to receive more than […]

The government’s progress in remediating dangerous cladding to make buildings safe is too slow, the National Audit Office (NAO) warns. It says that despite significant changes to remediation programmes, up to 60% of buildings with dangerous cladding have yet to be identified. The NAO’s report highlights the lack of a clear target date for completing […]

Despite an increase in affordable housing, only 700 social homes were built in England last year, according to the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH). According to the RSH, private registered providers added about 5,200 social rent homes in England. However, this gain was offset by a loss of around 4,500 social rent homes for local […]

Hello, I bought a new build property in Cornwall 2 years ago and its now a successful Airbnb. However, I’m thinking of using it as a Buy To Let instead. This is largely because I want to move house myself but my trusted mortgage advisor tells me that, although the outgoings on the holiday let […]

In the 2023 Autumn Statement, the government announced an end to a four-year freeze in local housing allowance rates (LHA) rates. However, on the 30th October 2024 Rachel Reeves quietly froze them again, this has raised serious concerns for low-income renters across the UK. Despite increasing rental prices, the LHA—originally designed to help people cover […]