The Latest Halifax House Price Index for June seems to have flatlined with a small 0.2% decrease on the month, but still 1.6% up overall on the year. The average house price for the UK now stands at £288,455 compared to £288,931 in May. Across the nation, Northern Ireland performed the strongest with annual growth […]

Landlords will face a Labour government keen to reform the private rented sector (PRS) after it won a landslide victory in the General Election. Sir Keir Starmer will be the new prime minister, with deputy Angela Rayner set to make three housing policy announcements in the next few weeks. That will include the building of […]

Landlords with HMOs (House in Multiple Occupation) in the UK face a complex situation when it comes to Article 4 areas, one expert warns. These areas restrict the automatic conversion of residences into HMOs, and navigating the licensing and planning processes can be confusing for landlords. Now Des Taylor from Landlord Licensing & Defence is […]

Hi everyone, I requested possession on a room in a HMO. I have today received a General Form of Judgement ordering me to respond by 19 July to following questions none of it makes sense. I have copied word for word so it is not my words that don’t make sense. My comments in brackets. […]

Paragon Bank and Aldermore have both announced interest rate cuts on their buy to let mortgage products, offering landlords greater choice. Paragon has reduced rates across its core BTL mortgage range by 15 basis points (bps) on 10 products. They’ve also launched six new five-year fixed-rate mortgages with both fee and fee-free options. ‘Offer landlords […]

The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, which comes into effect later this month, introduces big changes for landlords, property owners and the conveyancing industry. To help navigate these updates, the Conveyancing Association (CA) has launched a comprehensive guide. The association’s director of delivery, Beth Rudolf, said: “Our new guide is designed to provide firms […]

Hi, I am seeking clarification on a situation in which I am a member and leaseholder of a share of freehold along with four other properties owners who are also members. It is a limited company by guarantee. There has been an ongoing dispute regarding the service fees for the past 14 years. Recently, following […]

Hi, I am torn whether to throw the towel in with my agent and letting? I’ve not had a great experience to be honest. My tenant has expressed leaving early from a fixed term. Not sure whether this would be a good time to also withdraw from my agent and maybe self manage or sell? […]

Hi, I’ve been a landlord since 2005 and I’ve never issued a Section 21. However, I’m about to change that as I have two tenants that are behind in rent payments,one owes £600.00 and the other owes £2,500.00. In my efforts to be reasonable I have agreed payment plans for both of these tenants. The […]

Welcome to Property Answers! In this episode, join Liana, John, and Ranjan as they go in-depth with expert analysis on one of the most pressing questions in property: How will leasehold reform affect buy-to-let property investing? Our experts will break down the proposed changes, discuss potential impacts on investors, and offer strategic advice to navigate […]

More than half of landlords say they manage their portfolios themselves, treating it as a full-time job. Surprisingly, those who self-manage are often spending more on property management, the survey from buy to let lender Landbay reveals. Their bills are more than what they would pay a letting agent or property management company. However, just […]

Scottish property taxes have reached a record high, exceeding £628 million in the past year, according to analysis by DJ Alexander. Scotland’s largest property firm says this represents an £8.5 million increase compared to the previous year. A significant portion of the tax revenue – more than £195 million – comes from the additional dwelling […]

Low tenant demand is causing problems for letting agents and landlords in some parts of the UK, according to new data. While the national picture suggests a healthy rental market, with 78% of properties occupied, there are huge variations by postcode. Research by tenancy deposit alternative Zero Deposit found incredibly low turnover rates in some […]

Temporary accommodation and homelessness spending by councils has soared to £1bn in the last eight years. According to figures by the Local Government Association (LGA), the total amount spent by councils on temporary accommodation has soared by more than £733m since 2015/16. Back then, councils spent around £315 million on emergency housing, but by 2023/24, […]

Holiday lets are being unfairly blamed for the UK’s housing crisis, according to a new study by the Short Term Accommodation Association (STAA). Its research shows that in most local authorities, there are more empty homes than holiday lets. This contradicts the common perception that holiday lets are ‘hoovering up’ properties, particularly in desirable locations. […]

Hi, our new freeholder has inherited permitted development rights to add two storeys of flats to our four storey block. Builders are refusing to supply their insurance but admits it ends this July. Do we have a legal right to see it to see how protected we are? They want to take out bricks to […]

Hi there, bit of a steer if I may on my leasehold flat. Out of the blue our Freeholder appointed a new agent and we received the following whopping bill for the next 12 months: General Building Repairs/Works £ 500.00 Accountancy Fees £ 168.00 Management Services £ 931.67 Bank Charges £ 30.00 Emergency out-of hours […]

Hi everyone, as the student changeover season has now begun, can anyone advise on a reasonable charge for defrosting a large upright freezer left fully iced up by the exiting tenants? I can list it under ‘missed cleaning’ but what’s a reasonable cost for work involved? Thanks very much for any advice on this. Lord

Hello all, I have ended up in court with the lodger as they refuse to leave after the notice to quit expired.  In court on the 16th May the judge accepted my arguments on the facts that they were lodgers. However, the lodgers rejected this claim and were given until July 10th, to present evidence […]

The Mortgage Works (TMW) has announced a reduction in its buy to let mortgage rates for both new and existing customers, with rates starting from 3.69%. The lender’s new rates include: Two-year fixed rate (purchase and remortgage) at 3.69% with a 3% fee (up to 65% LTV) Five-year fixed rate (purchase and remortgage) at 4.04% […]

Letting agents are being urged to lobby new MPs to help shape future housing policy – irrespective of which party forms the next government. The call to action has been made by Neil Cobbold, the commercial director of PayProp, during a recent webinar. He says that politicians will be receptive to input, and property professionals […]