Hi, the property market in the UK has had a roller coaster of prices over the last 4 decades and continues to fluctuate no matter what political party is in power. Each successive government continued to benefit from using the property market as a way to bring some sort of confidence to the financial institutions […]

We found ourselves at the Council Tax Valuation Tribunal after a very lengthy and stressful 18 months of fighting with the Royal Borough of Greenwich Council (RBGC) to provide evidence of their claim of our liability for CT, which they never did. We won our case, but we are very concerned that many councils around […]

Gateshead Council is inviting residents, landlords, letting agents and businesses to weigh in on proposals for new selective licensing schemes. It claims to be a pioneer in selective licensing since 2007, and it now wants to extend the existing selective licensing zone. Plus, the council wants to introduce additional licensing for Houses of Multiple Occupancy […]

Propertymark has welcomed the Welsh Government’s commitment to improving housing in Wales. Tim Thomas, the organisation’s policy and campaigns officer, said the organisation is pleased to see a focus on building safety and homelessness. It had previously collaborated with the government on building safety and is hopeful the new Building Safety Bill will deliver better […]

There has been a big change in the UK’s private rented sector (PRS) with a dramatic increase in the number of tenants aged between 55 and 64 who are choosing to rent. This figure has surged by 80% over the last 10 years, research from The Mortgage Works (TMW) reveals. London leads the growth in […]

The UK’s Build to Rent (BtR) sector is set for a £20bn cash injection over the next decade, according to a new report by Savills. This shift in focus from investors highlights the growing maturity of the market, the real estate firm says. While £35bn of institutional investment has delivered 100,000 BtR homes in the […]

Investors, rejoice! Lendlord has unveiled its latest tool to revolutionize your property investment experience—the enhanced and new Deal Analyser. Designed for property investors who demand precision and efficiency, this tool provides instant, comprehensive insights into any potential deal. Here’s why you need to integrate it into your property investment strategy today. Instant Results for Instant […]

Property118, a lifeline for countless landlords, is under attack. Unjustified targeting of our business model threatens to leave landlords in the cold and erodes trust in the property industry. We need your urgent support to fight back. Property118 has been accused of promoting tax avoidance schemes, a claim we vehemently deny. HMRC’s follow-up actions have […]

Hi, I understand the new Labour government will quite soon look to end ASTs, as the Tories almost executed this within the defunct Renters (Reform) Bill. If you have a reliable current tenant or a promising new one with excellent references (though unproven), how smart is it to use a Deed instead of an AST […]

England’s largest council house landlords are raising the alarm about the future of council housing because of a financial crisis In a report by 20 of the largest local authorities, they say that years of ‘erratic national policy changes’ and an ‘unsustainable financial model’ have squeezed council budgets. An independent analysis predicts that councils will […]

Hi, the letting agents found tenants for my property, and we agreed on a 12-month AST. I paid the letting fee as we had agreed in the Confirmation of Marketing. Over the year, the Bank of England raised interest rates several times, which increased my mortgage costs. In the tenth month, we asked the tenants […]

Hi, one of my tenants is refusing me access to his flat to carry out the mid-year fire alarm system/equipment checks. There are four self contained-flats in the building. The tenant was cooperative until I increased his rent earlier this year. Since then he has been notoriously difficult. The way he writes his email are […]

The Scottish government needs to mirror Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ recent proposal to build 1.5million homes in the next five years, one leading lettings firm chief says. David Alexander, the chief executive of DJ Alexander Scotland, says the target will be helped by easing planning restrictions and supporting property developers. He adds that Labour’s ambitious goal […]

Greater Manchester has announced that it aims to build 75,000 new homes during the next parliamentary term and will improve the PRS with a ‘pioneering new deal’ for landlords and tenants. The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, says the council can meet the target with government help. And the country’s first Good Landlord Charter […]

Average rents across London have skyrocketed over the last 14 years, according to a new report. Flat-share website SpareRoom reveals rents in the capital have surged from £542 in 2010 to £983 in 2024, marking an 81% increase. For the rest of the UK, rents have risen from £440 in 2010 to £740 in 2024. […]

House prices in the UK saw a small dip in July as sellers adjusted their strategies for the summer market, according to the latest Rightmove House Price Index. The average asking price dropped by 0.4% (-£1,617) to £373,493, exceeding the typical July fall of -0.2%. Rightmove suggests this dip reflects sellers aiming to capture buyer […]

When a tenant vacates a rental property, it’s not uncommon for the landlord to discover damages or the need for repairs that exceed the amount of the security deposit held. This situation can be particularly challenging, as the deposit is intended to cover such costs. However, landlords do have options to recover additional expenses. One […]

If you were looking for a sign on whether or not to downsize or expand your property portfolio, this weeks’ news provided mixed messages on how landlords might be affected by Buy-to-let (BTL) mortgage rates. Despite the possibility of some light at the end of the tunnel, overall the picture is understandably causing concern. After […]

What can landlords in the private rented sector expect from the new Labour government? Remember, the party’s fans are bandying about the term ‘the grown-ups are back in the room’ without anything to back it up. Also, remember that this government has a ‘mandate’ on one of the lowest ever electoral turnouts, where Reform came […]

Hi, I understand that local authority housing departments routinely advise tenants issued with Section 21 to stay in the property. Obviously, this reducing even further expense to the landlord having to pay for court eviction proceedings, balliffs etc. How can this be fair or right? They know that ultimately they are going to end up […]

Despite ongoing affordability issues, tenant demand for rented properties in England has climbed slightly in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the first quarter, research reveals. According to Zero Deposit’s rental demand index, demand reached 33.3% in Q2, meaning a third of all rental properties found a tenant. While this is 1.5% higher than […]