Investment in the UK’s purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) sector last year reached £3.87 billion, a 14% rise from £3.39 billion in 2023, Knight Frank reveals. The real estate firm says that the final quarter of 2024 saw nearly £575 million invested. Despite this surge, Q4 volumes fell short of expectations. Private sector plays a leading […]

My tenant, who was on housing benefit, has died. The tenancy is in her name only. She had separated from her husband, but when she became ill both he and their daughter moved in to help her. What is their legal status now? Neither are on the tenancy agreement which is a regular Assured Shorthold […]

Changes to the EPC system could cause chaos for HMO landlords and short-term lets. Proposals in the EPC consultation suggest that HMO landlords may be required to have a valid EPC for the entire property, even when only a single room is rented out. Currently, an EPC is only required for an HMO when the […]

Hello, What is the legal position when a new lessee takes over a property 5 years after a permanent boundary change is in place and was agreed in writing but one party (the lessee) subsequently dies before registering the deed of variation with Land Registry? Still ongoing for 5 years! My wife and I purchased […]

The average asking price for properties entering the market has risen by 0.5% this month, reaching £367,994, according to Rightmove.  This rise, equivalent to £1,805, is less pronounced than the rapid growth seen earlier in the year and falls below the long-term average February increase. This moderation reflects sellers’ awareness of heightened competition and the […]

With the Bank of England cutting interest rates down to 4.5% and demand for homes increased by 13% in January 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, now is a great time for fed-up landlords to take advantage of a favourable housing market. It’s great news for anyone who has been waiting for the […]

It’s been a hectic week for landlords with lots of EPC news – a consultation to bring in EPCs for new tenancies by 2028, all tenancies to have a new EPC by 2030 – all the while there’s a consultation about what EPC assessors will actually measure. You can’t make this up – and the […]

It’s been a busy week for the nation’s buy to let lenders after the Bank of England base rate cut. More specialist lenders are stepping up to offer borrowers better deals, with significant rate reductions across buy to let and commercial mortgages. CHL Mortgages for Intermediaries has dropped rates by up to 17bps on its […]

Property ownership by landlords within limited companies has surged, more than doubling in the past five years, research reveals. According to Foundation Home Loans’ Q4 landlord research, new property acquisitions are now almost exclusively conducted through these structures. In early 2020, 36% of properties were held this way, rising to 74% by late 2024. The […]

Landbay has introduced a new product transfer service for buy to let mortgages, offering brokers and landlords increased efficiency and choice. The platform allows brokers to initiate a rate switch for clients up to three months before their current term expires, using a fully digital and automated system. The service aims to deliver savings by […]

The government’s plan to establish a ‘Silicon Valley of Europe’ along the Oxford-Cambridge Arc could cause local rent prices to rocket by as much as 23% within the next year, one firm predicts. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, recently outlined proposals to revitalise the region, coupled with ongoing development of the proposed East West […]

Hello, I’m seeking advice from my fellow landlords, PRS and s21 notice experts on a disagreement with my solicitors regarding the validity of my s21 notice to my tenants. Barely a week to the expiry of the s21 notice (from all indications tenants do not plan to move out by the date of expiry, so […]

Hello, I am going through a S21 and the tenant claims they will not leave until evicted. I have just been shown several social media posts where they are living elsewhere. Furthermore, they have listed the bathroom in my house for sale. In the post, they confirm they are no longer living there and have […]

The way EPCs are measured could change to multiple different metrics rather than the current single metric, which the government claims is “insufficient”. Under the current rules, EPCs are measured based on the amount of energy a property uses per square metre (e.g., for heating, lighting, etc.) and how much energy it loses (e.g., through […]

The tenant has rented the two-bedroom mid terrace house since 2009 and is now five months in rent arrears. A Section 21 has been served with all the correct documents checked by a legal firm. The Section 21 expires on 25th March. It took numerous visits, emails and telephone calls to arrange for the expired […]

Proposals in a government consultation could force landlords to update their EPCs every time a tenant renews their tenancy agreement, even if it’s with the same tenant. Under current rules, EPCs are valid for ten years, and when they expire, a new one isn’t needed unless you’re entering a new tenancy with new tenants or […]

Landlords in England and Wales’ private rented sector are looking at forking out £21.6 billion to meet new energy performance certificate (EPC) standards, research reveals. The government has announced a consultation on how EPCs are calculated and another one which would see all new tenancies needing an EPC certificate from 2028. All tenancies, under the […]

Three more buy to let lenders have joined the race this week to lower BTL mortgage rates after the Bank of England lowered its Base Rate. Paragon and Fleet have already cut their BTL mortgage rates and now Accord Mortgages has unveiled its second cut within a week. It is lowering rates on its BTL […]

Despite a slow start to the year, property prices are expected to surge, with first-time buyers driving the market when stamp duty changes come into effect in April. According to e.surv house price index, house prices grew by just 0.1% in January 2025. However, despite the slow growth, this marks the first time in four […]

Demand for rental property is ‘flat’ and the number of landlords offering properties is still in decline, RICS reveals. Its latest residential survey says that the shrinking supply, coupled with flat demand is exacerbating the imbalance between available homes and prospective tenants. The report states: “Unsurprisingly, a net balance of 23% believe that rents will […]

Flat owners in England and Wales face escalating costs as annual service charges surge to £2,300 – leaping by 11% last year, Hamptons reveals. This increase dwarfs the 2.5% rise in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), placing financial strain on leaseholders, the agency says. For the first time, average charges exceed £2,000 in every English […]