“My landlord has just increased my rent by £700 per month.” That’s what my tenant client said to me last week in panic mode. They’re a family of 4 consisting of a couple and 2 small children. They live in a 2-bedroom flat in Hammersmith and Fulham Council. You might be thinking… “How on earth […]

Hi, if a possession order has been granted and the tenant is waiting to be evicted because he thinks he can get a council house – his rent is 2 months in arrears – does this means that he is making himself intentionally homeless? And will the council still rehouse him when the bailiffs evicts […]

Despite a drop in house prices in June, Scotland’s housing market is recovering more quickly than those in England and Wales. According to Walker Fraser Steele’s house price index, after several strong months, the average house price dropped by 0.7% to £223,923. Even with the slowdown in June, three local authorities in Scotland reached new […]

Hi, I live in a leasehold apartment which suffered serious flooding 10 months ago and caused a lot of damage. Since then, the loss adjusters and builders have been working on renovations, and I have not had any access to my apartment during this entire period. Given that I’ve been unable to use the property […]

The number of mortgage options available for holiday let landlords has significantly increased, an analysis reveals. But tax changes will impact profits from next year. According to Moneyfactscompare.co.uk, there has been a surge in holiday let mortgage deals, with the number of options jumping from 362 in August last year to 445 currently. This rise […]

Labour’s proposed Renters’ Rights Bill could significantly impact the level of control landlords have over their rental properties, one leading law firm says. Osborne Clarke says landlords need more clarity about the proposed Bill which offers tenants increased security but will reshape the private rental sector. The removal of Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions will mean […]

Hello all, I’m hoping this isn’t a silly question, however it would be great to know what people think about the following as I have not been able to find much on the matter. When the Renters Rights Bill take places (if it does and which reforms will get enacted) will the end of a […]

The last so-called Conservative government enacted some terrible policies on the PRS. After our initial shock, many of us flexed and adapted and eventually habituated to greater risks for fewer profits, many of us sold up and left the sector. All of this pales into insignificance when compared to what our current socialist government has […]

Merton Council is believed to be the first in the country to seize a landlord’s properties because – it claims – this will protect tenants. The council says the landlord has repeatedly flouted housing regulations by not licensing them. Under its selective licensing scheme, the council has the authority to address poor housing conditions and […]

The UK’s rental market is on the brink of a transformative shift with Labour’s proposed replacement of the Renters Reform Bill with a Renters Rights Bill. This is claimed to recalibrate the balance of power between landlords and tenants, ensuring a fairer, more transparent, and more predictable rental environment for millions across the country. Could […]

Hi, I am evicting a tenant who has been verbally abusive and threatening, and generally uncooperative. His rent is £795 pcm, and the arrears are £1,756.94. He is not the worst tenant I have ever had and the arrears are not the worst either. But he is getting to be a problem that I do […]

Yorkshire cities are leading the way in property investment returns, outpacing traditional hotspots like London. According to the investment platform easyMoney, three Yorkshire cities have become Britain’s property investment hotspots. easyMoney has analysed average house price growth data in Britain across 15 major cities between December 2021 and today. Sheffield tops the list In December […]

Despite punishing landlords with hefty fines for selective licensing rules and failing to inspect private rented sector properties, one council will finally inspect its social housing stock after eight years. Nottingham City Council has announced a full survey of its 26,000 council homes which will take two years to complete. The long-delayed survey, originally announced […]

Bank of England base rate cut offers a summer boost to the housing market. According to the latest Rightmove House Price Index, since the Bank Rate cut earlier this month, the number of potential buyers contacting estate agents to view homes for sale is 19% higher than in the same period a year ago. However, […]

Standard pensions often bring to mind confusing jargon and offer little to no control but imagine a pension that changes all that. A Small Self-Administered Scheme (SSAS) offers full financial control and helps leave a legacy for your family. SSAS pensions are particularly beneficial for property investors and developers as they are exempt from inheritance […]

Rent controls do far more damage than benefit tenants, according to a comprehensive global review. A new briefing paper from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has poured cold water on calls for rent controls in Britain, finding overwhelming evidence of negative consequences. The paper by Dr Konstantin Kholodilin, analysed 196 studies spanning six decades […]

More landlords are investing in the private rented sector than exiting it, research from the TDS Charitable Foundation reveals. Despite a small net increase in rental properties, the study of more than 2,000 landlords found a significant imbalance between supply and demand. The survey reveals that while 19% of landlords purchased properties in the past […]

Sadiq Khan is pushing the Labour government to give him the power to impose rent controls in the capital. The Telegraph claims that if given the go-ahead, the Mayor plans to set up a commission to create rent control plans that are tailored to London. Parliament would be required to pass laws giving him the […]

Apologies in advance if this article appears to be ‘whiny’ but I feel that the Renters’ Rights Bill is about to turn a landlord’s world upside down. There’s obviously no appreciation of a Landlord’s Rights Bill, it’s all one-way traffic and landlords always pay the price. So, what do we make of the latest notion […]

A new lobbying group of industry leaders has warned that the Scottish Housing Bill will create uncertainty and hamper investment. The More Homes More Quickly Group, representing private rented housing providers across Scotland, told the Herald newspaper that some aspects of the Bill could face a “potential legal challenge.” The Scottish Housing Bill aims to […]

Buy to let landlords are increasingly opting for the stability of five-year fixed rate mortgages, research from Landbay reveals. The lender’s survey found that 71% of landlords plan to choose a five-year fixed rate when they next remortgage, a significant rise from 49% last year. This preference for longer-term certainty contrasts with a decline in […]