The recent Upper Tribunal ruling in HMRC v Sonder Europe Ltd has sent shockwaves through the serviced accommodation sector. By disqualifying Sonder from using the Tour Operators’ Margin Scheme (TOMS), the decision imposes a heavy VAT burden on their operations and those of similar businesses. While this ruling creates immediate financial and operational challenges, many […]

Average house prices in Scotland rose by £11,613 over the past 12 months, reaching £195,036 in November 2024, data reveals. This represents a 6.3% annual increase, outpacing the 3.8% rise seen in England and Wales during the same period. The analysis by DJ Alexander Ltd, a lettings and estate agency, also highlights big regional variations. […]

London Councils is warning that rocketing homelessness in the capital is ‘pushing boroughs to the brink’, with unsustainable pressure on local services and budgets. The call comes as the cross-party group welcomes a new report from a Parliamentary committee highlighting the challenges for local authorities. The Public Accounts Committee found councils across England are at […]

There are big regional disparities for HMO landlords in the UK with Greater London boasting the highest average property value at £660,227. Though landlords in the North East enjoy the highest average yield of 15.4%. The property management and financial platform, Lendlord, says this inverse relationship between property values and yields presents investment opportunities. Its […]

First-time landlords are increasingly investing in northern England, capitalising on lower property prices and higher rental yields. That’s according to Fleet Mortgages’ latest Buy-to-Let Barometer which reveals that 25% of mortgage applications in the North East came from first-time landlords. Yorkshire and Humberside came next at 13%. The news follows a survey by Simply Business […]

The UK’s senior living rental sector is poised for a dramatic expansion, with private rental stock predicted to rocket by 150% over the next five years. That’s according to Knight Frank’s inaugural NextGen Living 2025 report. Researchers surveyed 56 leading institutional investors managing more than £60 billion in ‘living Sector assets. They found that the […]

Landlords across the country are facing a dilemma: with rising costs, new legislation, and market uncertainty creating a perfect storm, many landlords are left wondering — should I hold onto my properties or sell before it’s too late? The property market isn’t just changing — it’s transforming, and the choices you make today could define […]

Lambeth Council is facing a legal action after issuing eviction notices to hundreds of tenants living in properties rented on the private market. A resident of the Central Hill estate in south London has filed a claim for Judicial Review against the council. They argue that its decision to evict tenants from around 160 homes […]

If you’ve been enjoying affordable and flexible holiday lets in recent years, prepare for a potential shake-up. The recent HMRC v Sonder Europe Ltd ruling by the Upper Tribunal has sent shockwaves through the serviced accommodation industry. This decision redefines how VAT applies to businesses renting and subletting properties as holiday lets—and the fallout could […]

Letting body safeagent is urging the government to withdraw two new clauses from the Renters’ Rights Bill, warning they could restrict access to the private rented sector for vulnerable tenants. In a letter to Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook, the organisation expressed concern that Clauses 13 and 14 would disproportionately impact those with poor credit histories, […]

Housing affordability has improved over the past year because earnings growth is exceeding house price growth, Nationwide reports. The report highlights that house prices remain high relative to average earnings, with the first-time buyer (FTB) house price to earnings ratio (HPER) was 5.0 at the end of 2024. That’s much higher than the long-term average […]

More than half of landlords with properties with an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating below C are delaying essential upgrades to meet the government’s 2030 deadline, a survey reveals. According to Landbay, 58% of landlords with below-C rated properties are waiting until closer to the deadline to carry out the necessary work. The survey reveals […]

Hi Everyone, My daughter is at university and sharing a 3-bedroom HMO with two other tenants, and one is moving out. The remaining two tenants are happy to take over the tenancy and replace the leaving tenant’s share of the deposit. However, they have been told there are rules around HMOs if fewer than three […]

The Scottish Housing Bill is an attack on the private rented sector, says Meghan Gallacher MSP. In an exclusive video interview with Property118, Meghan, who is also the Scottish Conservative shadow cabinet secretary for housing, blames the SNP’s Scottish Housing Bill for making Scotland’s housing emergency worse by doubling down on harmful rent controls. Meghan […]

The Court of Appeal has ruled in favour of a landlord, confirming they can serve essential tenancy documents by post. The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) intervened in the case, which had the potential to impact landlords and letting agents. The D’Aubigny v Khan case centred on whether notices and other documents could be valid […]

If you’ve let your property to a serviced accommodation provider who promised “guaranteed rent,” the recent VAT ruling in HMRC v Sonder Europe Ltd could significantly impact your arrangement. Here’s how you can protect yourself and navigate this changing landscape: 1. Understand the Potential Impact Serviced accommodation providers using the Rent to Serviced Accommodation (R2SA) […]

London has emerged as the dominant force in the UK’s buy to let market in 2024, experiencing a 13% increase in new landlords, data reveals. The findings from Simply Business show this follows a period of slower growth in 2023, with the capital’s strong tenant demand and diverse property options now driving the resurgence. Its […]

The latest quarterly update from UK Finance reveals there were 710 buy to let mortgage possessions in the third quarter of last year. It says the figure remains unchanged from the previous quarter but marks a huge 73.2% increase compared to the same quarter in 2023. The data shows that at the close of Q3 […]

Hello Everyone, I am in the process of letting my property through a council. The rent is higher than the local housing allowance rate so the Local Authority (LA) said they will be covering the shortfall. However, the LA want to put the local housing allowance rate on the AST as the rent rather than […]

House prices in England and Wales are on the rise again with an annualised growth of 1.9% – which is below the rate of inflation. A report from Home.co.uk, also reveals that rents in London have fallen sharply in recent months, with the City of London and Hackney seeing the biggest falls. However, rents in […]

Hello, I bought a property in 2003 which had tenants in situ with a protected tenancy. They had been moved in very recently by a property company which had bought their previous rented property. A tenancy agreement was set up by the property company describing the tenancy of the new property as ‘Protected’, but with […]