Three councils have revealed plans to either consult on new selective licensing schemes in their areas or introduce stricter regulations. Wandsworth Council says it is seeking to improve the private rented sector (PRS) in the borough by introducing two new licensing schemes. The proposals, currently under consultation, aim to tackle criminal landlords and ensure better […]

Hi, I have tenants in Glasgow on Universal Credit. The tenants paid the rent to me until I asked them to find another property due to vandalism – they have wrecked the house, doors hanging off, holes in walls etc, they have 4 kids. I contacted Universal Credit who don’t give me a reason but […]

Landbay has unveiled reductions across its buy to let product range, with interest rates falling by as much as 0.25%. The lender has cut rates on five-year and two-year standard products, and two-year like-for-like remortgage deals by up to 0.25%. Its two-year small HMO/MUFB products are now 0.10% lower. ‘Make some sizeable reductions’ Landbay’s sales […]

Hi, I am the freeholder of a Victorian conversion of 3 flats and I own and live in one of them, on the ground floor. The flat above me has just been sold in auction. Over 20 years ago somebody put up a partition wall and made the bedroom into two bedrooms, without the freeholder’s […]

Hi, My daughter’s freeholder and management company (since disengaged) have been a nightmare for many years. Not engaging with the tenants to complete repairs and maintenance. Starting section 20 procedure and letting it lapse. Ignoring communication. She is in a block of 4 flats with a commercial property underneath. They started the appointment of a […]

Average advertised rents outside London have surged to a fresh quarterly peak of £1,314 per month, marking a 7% increase year-on-year, Rightmove says. The platform warns that while this growth is slower than the 2022 peak of 12%, renters continue to face significant financial pressures. London rents have also climbed to a record £2,661 per […]

Paragon Bank has introduced four limited edition five-year fixed rate buy to let mortgages tailored to landlord portfolios. The lender is offering two new products for landlords owning three or fewer mortgaged BTL properties, and corresponding options for those with larger portfolios. These mortgages are available for single self-contained properties up to 65% loan-to-value and […]

The volume of lending for buy to let purchases plummeted by more than half compared to the same period last year, with just 12,422 new loans granted, figures from UK Finance show. It attributes the dramatic slowdown to rising interest rates which have made it increasingly difficult for aspiring landlords to pass lenders’ affordability checks. […]

Landlord purchases of rental properties have plunged to a record low, leading to a shortage of rental properties and rising rents across Great Britain, research reveals. According to a report by Hamptons, just 10% of homes sold in the first half of 2024 were bought by landlords, the lowest level since records began in 2010. […]

Hi, This has been an ongoing situation. I’m a portfolio landlord and use property management companies to manage my buildings. During May 2020, I changed property manager and this is when I started having issues with a tenant not paying rent. Because this was COVID we didn’t get it to court until December 2021 and […]

London’s rental market is showing signs of life as the summer lettings season gets underway as tenant applicant demand surged by 15% in June compared to May, according to data from Foxtons. This increase matches pre-pandemic trends and is expected to continue over the coming months. Despite the rise in demand, average rent prices held […]

The Mortgage Works (TMW) has announced further reductions to their buy to let mortgage rates, making them even more competitive for landlords. New and existing customers can now benefit from rates starting from just 3.54%. This is the third round of cuts from TMW in recent months, and TMW’s senior manager, buy to let mortgages, […]

Hi, I’m looking for some advice for what I can do about the property management company who have ‘managed’ my property into oblivion. They haven’t conducted an inspection in over a year; have not chased tenants for unpaid rent and when the tenants finally did a runner, the house has been completely destroyed. They left […]

An impressive 60% of tenants and landlords want reduced landlord taxation and lower stamp duty on home purchases, a survey reveals. Leaders Roman Group (LRG) set out to learn the priorities of those in the private rented sector of Labour’s first 100 days in office. This result, the firm says, reflects a shared understanding that […]

Scottish house prices defied economic headwinds to surge by an average of £6,868 last year, according to new figures. An analysis by estate and lettings firm DJ Alexander, revealed a big jump in average property values between June 2023 and May this year. It found that prices rose from £184,567 to £191,435, compared to a […]

The Housing Ombudsman has revealed a worrying rise in the number of social and council landlords failing to follow proper complaint procedures. The landlords have been warned to introduce an ‘ethical complaint culture’. This comes as the latest Complaint Handling Failure Order (CHFO) report shows the highest ever rate of non-compliance. These orders are issued […]

So, where do we begin? The Renters (Reform) Bill is dead, long live the Renters’ Rights Bill! But is it better or worse than what the Tories had planned for the private rented sector? Well, I think the prospect of bringing in rent controls should alarm landlords everywhere. I’ll come onto the other issues later, […]

Hi all, I’m experiencing problems with gas/electricity suppliers inventing invoices for non-used services. One of my commercial tenants stopped using gas about 8 years ago and informed the suppliers. They did not receive any further invoices until a month ago. They are stating a small amount of this year’s standing charges but also over £1000 […]

Private renters say they are happier with their homes, compared to those in the social housing sector, the English Housing Survey reveals. The survey, which covers 2022/23, found that 82% of private tenants were content, in contrast to the 74% satisfaction rate reported by social renters. This trend extends to the services provided by landlords, […]

There’s been a surge in landlords exiting the private rented sector (PRS) with a dramatic rise in the number of properties previously listed for rent that are now up for sale. According to new data from TwentyEA, its analysis shows that in June nearly one in five properties listed for sale had been rented out […]

The UK mortgage market is showing signs of recovery with a big increase in the number of products available across all buyer segments – especially buy to let lending. Data from specialist property lender Octane Capital shows a rise in the number of products across the board since the Bank of England’s decision to hold […]