New findings from the Goodlord and Vouch ‘State of the Lettings Industry Report 2024’ paint a grim picture for the private rented sector (PRS). It reveals that more than half of landlords and agents surveyed expressed pessimism about the future of the market. They point to upcoming legislative changes, economic uncertainty and a growing sense […]

Tenants across the UK are facing increasing pressure to pay huge amounts of rent upfront to secure a property, according to a survey by The Deposit Protection Service (The DPS). It questioned 2,210 tenants and found that six out of 10 respondents who have moved in the past year paid between two and three months’ […]

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) has published a set of regulatory judgements which includes a serious finding against Harlow District Council for failing to meet the new consumer standards. As a result, the RSH has given the landlord a C3 grade, indicating serious failings and a need for significant improvements. RSH investigated Harlow Council […]

Ignoring many other foolish parts of the upcoming Renters Rights Bill that will ultimately lead to tenants paying more. One part I find incredibly stupid is the tenant’s rights to challenge rent rises. Presumably rent decreases can also be challenged, but open to correction here, although I cannot see in the proposals what will happen […]

Breckland Council in Norfolk has introduced a new initiative aimed at assisting renters and their landlords in addressing damp, mould and condensation issues within homes across the district. Its Healthy Homes Service, a pilot scheme funded by central government, will enhance living conditions for the district’s tenants and provide additional guidance and resources to support […]

We appreciate The Telegraph’s interest in recent developments concerning Property118, but the article titled “Landlords face six-figure bills in tax avoidance row“ contains several inaccuracies and mischaracterisations that need to be addressed. Clarifying the Nature of the Substantial Incorporation Structure (SIS) and Capital Account Restructure (CAR) Arrangements The Substantial Incorporation Structure (SIS) and Capital Account Restructure (CAR) […]

I started a deeper exploration into the incredible benefits of SSAS pensions for property investors in my last article, with a focus on one of its most compelling advantages: providing low-cost finance through the SSAS Loanback. This unique feature allows property investors and developers to access affordable finance with ease, giving them the flexibility and […]

Landlords looking for energy-efficient buy to let mortgages have a new option from Fleet Mortgages – one of several to drop BTL rates this week. The specialist lender has launched a range of two-year fixed-rate deals specifically for properties with high Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings. This follows its successful relaunch of five-year EPC A-C […]

Placing a property into an energy efficiency category and then advocating or enforcing remedial action. Sounds great – what’s not to like? Well – if the categorisation is inconsistent and inaccurate then that’s a problem and I believe it leads to millions of misdiagnosis. On the back of the misdiagnosis, a remedy follows and often […]

Attention landlords and property investors! Brace yourself for the monumental changes of the Renters Rights Bill. This video is a must-watch to navigate the shifting property market and safeguard your investments. Discover how rent increases, evictions, and tenant protections are evolving and what it means for your property portfolio. Key updates include: Periodic Tenancies: No […]

In a bid to alleviate its severe housing shortage and deal with growing numbers needing homelessness support, one council has announced it will buy flats and a hotel. The move by Cardiff City Council comes as its temporary accommodation is at capacity. The three properties – a student accommodation block of 103 apartments, a hotel […]

Landlords and residents are being invited to participate in a public consultation on the potential introduction of a new selective licensing scheme for homes in the private rented sector (PRS). Leeds City Council says it wants to expand licensing to Armley, Beeston & Holbeck, Burmantofts and Richmond Hill, Gipton and Harehills, along with the Hunslet […]

Rents in London’s prime rental market have been rising, with an annual growth of 2.6% in August. According to LonRes, average rents in prime London areas, including Westminster, are now 31.6% higher than they were between 2017 and 2019. However, the number of new lettings agreed has dropped by 14.5%, while new instructions have decreased […]

Hi, I have read a post regarding parents who are landlords and are supporting students. I applied for a current year income assessment and in box 8.3 included the relief for finance costs. After researching it appears Student Finance do not take S24 relief into consideration. So, even if my actual household income after deductions […]

House prices in Scotland are experiencing a boom, with West Lothian achieving record prices for the third time this year. According to Walker Fraser Steele, average house prices in Scotland in July are 1.9% up from a year ago. The average house price in Scotland is now £225,113. Almost all of Scotland is outperforming England […]

Damp and mould issues have long been one of the biggest problems for tenants in rented properties. Up until recently, tenants could only force landlords to take action if the damp was caused by some kind of ‘disrepair’ in the property – for example, a hole in the roof or crack in the wall that […]

A proposed ban on Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions under the Renters’ Rights Bill could lead to a ‘spate’ of evictions, one expert warns. The assistant director of housing at Manchester City Council, Rob McCartney, told the Local Government Chronicle that the situation for housing evicted tenants was going to get worse. He said that landlords […]

Wrexham has solidified its position as the UK’s busiest rental market, with letting agents receiving an average of 54 enquiries per available property, according to Rightmove. Its ‘Demand Tracker’ reveals that this figure far exceeds the national average of 19 enquiries per rental home. Glasgow and Bristol closely follow Wrexham, with 52 and 51 enquiries […]

Thousands of people including children are trapped in temporary accommodation in Scotland, according to new figures. The Scottish government’s latest figures show that as of March, 16,300 households were in temporary accommodation — the highest number since records began in 2002. The data shows local homelessness services are breaking the law more often, with councils […]

Subletting has become a common practice in recent years but can be dangerous especially if a tenant is subletting without the landlord’s permission. But did you know standard landlord insurance doesn’t cover subletting? Here at Property118, we’ve teamed up with The Home Insurer who can help with subletting and landlord insurance. What is subletting? Subletting […]

Hi, my tenant’s main home is abroad in Lithuania. They own other properties in their own country and have others in Spain. They use my property when in the UK as a base. They are currently abroad in Greece until November. I did a AST which is now a rolling contract. However, I need to […]