Rent increases in Scotland have accelerated since the introduction of rent controls in September 2022, rising faster and higher than before the legislation. That’s according to an analysis from DJ Alexander Ltd, Scotland’s largest letting agency, which reveals that between 2010 and 2022, one-bedroom flat rents rose by £138 (31.2%). In the two years following […]

Incentivising, rather than penalising good landlords, is the key to beating supply and demand issues, says Propertymark. According to Propertymark’s Housing Insight report, demand continues to outstrip supply with the average number of applicants per member branch still hitting around seven people for each available property. Propertymark members also told the report legislative changes are […]

Protected deposits in England and Wales have surged to £5.2 billion, a 6% rise, while Scotland’s total reached £203.6 million, a 7% increase, an annual report from TDS Group reveals. Despite a 1.3% dip in the number of protected deposits in England and Wales – now standing at 4,624,079 – the average deposit hit a […]

Hi, I’m having a terrible time with our tenant and we have issued a Section 21.  The tenant has been denying access to the house for some time hence S21. They recently (after S21) contacted the letting agent (LA) to say there are many repairs to be done, including electrical. The LA responded immediately, requesting […]

Our enquiry concerns a Lease Extension for a block of 6 flats in the centre of Aldershot with 84 years (of the original 125 years) remaining on all 6 leases. The 6 leasees each own an equal share of the freehold interest of the block. There is a Management Company Ltd which has been set […]

The second reading of the Renters’ Rights Bill in the House of Lords this week, has brought it one step closer to becoming law. Landlords across the country are weighing up their options and many are deciding enough is enough. It’s no wonder in the last month alone, more than 200 landlords have contacted Landlord […]

The detail of the government’s consultation on implementing an EPC rating of C in privately rented properties reveals a deadline of 2028 for new tenancies – NOT 2030. However, ALL tenancies will need to be EPC C compliant by 2030 – we have published the timeline and relevant definitions below. The government says this extended […]

Private landlords in England will need to upgrade their properties to meet a minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C by 2030, under a consultation announced by the government. Nottingham landlord Mick Roberts has hit out at the government plans saying they ‘will simply increase rents and make tenants homeless’ – see his hard […]

Let’s be honest, the Conservatives did landlords in the UK no favours, but Labour are delivering something that is making me sit up and think. It appears that both political parties are dedicated to reducing the private rented sector, but I don’t think that anyone has thought about the consequences. I tuned into the Lords’ […]

January saw a strong start for the housing market, with house prices hitting record highs. According to Halifax’s House Price Index, house prices increased by +0.7% in January, following a dip of -0.2% in December. In a new record, the average house price reached £299,138 at the start of the year. Stamp duty changes looming […]

Property118 readers will be aware of the Renters Rights Bill which is currently making its way through Parliament. This will be the biggest change in landlord and tenant law for over 35 years.  It is essential that all landlords and all in the Private Rented Sector are fully briefed on the changes it will bring […]

Aldermore has revealed a series of buy to let interest rate reductions for both new and current clients. For new BTL customers, individual and company landlords acquiring single residential investment properties can access two-year fixed rates (up to 75% LTV) from 4.69% (a 0.40% decrease) and five-year fixed rates (up to 75% LTV) from 4.59% […]

Data from trade body UK Finance has revealed a drop in the number of landlords in buy to let mortgage arrears for the last quarter of 2024, while BTL property possessions remained stable. It says that the fourth quarter saw 12,610 BTL mortgages behind on payments by 2.5% or more, a 3% drop from the […]

Propertymark has responded to the Welsh government’s housing white paper consultation and expressed support for some measures – but warns about the impact on PRS investment. The white paper outlines proposals to improve affordability and quality in the private rented sector, alongside long-term goals for better housing across all tenures in Wales. The government is […]

The third survey this week is highlighting that landlords are planning to sell properties this year with the latest one revealing that one in five landlords in England are looking to do so. The findings come from Octane Capital which says that the landlords are looking to sell because of the forthcoming Renters’ Rights Bill. […]

Following the tragic death of Awaab Ishak of mould-related illness, the housing regulator went after landlords with a brutal attack supported by their headline 2021 report. Mould – ‘Its not lifestyle’. This post is in no way meant to dismiss all mould as a landlord’s responsibility, but it appears wholly unacceptable to blame Landlords in […]

Hello everyone, We let and managed a property for which we found and installed tenants. The landlord subsequently sold the property through a different agent and the purchasers have now issued a county court summons citing the vendor as the 1st defendant and ourselves as the 2nd defendant based on a fault in the heating […]

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) hawks came out on top today, voting 7-2 to cut the Bank Base Rate by 0.25%, bringing it down from 4.75% to 4.5%. In a surprise move, two members pushed for a much bigger cut to 0.5%, hinting that more rate cuts could be on the cards. […]

Jeremy Corbyn is now, thankfully, a complete irrelevance. I’ll never forget how happy I was when he lost the election, he represented an existential threat. But his simplistic economic views are still attractive to many. It’s populism at its worst, exploiting a problem, rather than providing a solution for the cause. It’s either deceit or […]

The deepening crisis in the UK’s private rented sector has been laid bare with a survey revealing that landlord confidence has taken a knock with 67% believing the PRS has worsened. The survey by Total Property highlights that nearly half (49%) of landlords are planning to leave the PRS within five years. The firm questioned […]

Insurance provider Paymentshield has revamped its tenant contents policy ahead of the Renters’ Rights Bill which will restrict landlords from ‘unreasonably’ denying pet requests. The updated product includes expanded protection for property damage caused by pets, offering cover up to £10,000. Under the Bill, landlords can ask the tenant for appropriate insurance to cover potential […]