As e-bikes and scooters become an increasingly popular mode of transportation, both for personal use and for tenants who work as local food delivery riders, landlords must navigate the unique challenges these electric-powered vehicles present in rental properties. While e-bikes offer tenants a convenient and eco-friendly way to commute, their presence introduces potential risks that […]

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A council flat tenant has admitted to unlawfully subletting his home by advertising the property for rent on Airbnb. Reza Sherafaty, 39, pleaded guilty to three counts of tenancy fraud at Birmingham Magistrates Court on August 15. The court heard that Birmingham City Council discovered Sherafaty had rented out the council home in Selly Oak […]

My mother is breaking up with her husband and will have the property to herself by around April 2025. This is obviously not 100% definite just yet, but her divorce solicitor is almost certain that this will be the outcome in return for her paying her ex-husband an amount and not taking any benefit from […]

Hi Everyone, There has been a leak from my property into the flat below for a week now. The Managing Agent has arranged for contractors to go out, but the tenant keeps making appointments and then saying they are not available. Also, the estate agent has managed to mislay/lose the key and fob and I […]

When the letter from HMRC landed on my doormat, I barely gave it a second thought. It seemed like just another piece of bureaucratic correspondence. But as I unfolded the paper and scanned the contents, the words “compliance check” hit me like a punch to the gut. My casual indifference evaporated, replaced by a chilling […]

Every private landlord in the country must know that their local council is hopeless and doesn’t understand the private rented sector – but did you know that they couldn’t run a bath? I’m talking, of course, about the not-so-shocking news that another private landlord organisation created by a council has hit the buffers. So, well […]

The clock is ticking for furnished holiday let landlords as government plans to abolish the favourable tax regime from April 2025 are forcing owners to reconsider their future. On 29 July, the government unveiled draft legislation ending the Furnished Holiday Letting (FHL) tax benefits. From 6 April 2025, landlords will lose key tax advantages. Interest […]

The Housing Scotland Bill must be scrapped or significantly amended, a leading property firm warns. DJ Alexander, Scotland’s largest lettings and estate agency, says that the proposed rent controls will do more harm than good. A recent report by the Institute for Economic Affairs (IEA) found that rent controls have consistently failed to achieve their […]

Buy to let lender Landbay has introduced a fresh line-up of two-and five-year products, available through its automated valuation model (AVM). It joins Together and Molo as the latest BTL lenders to lower rates for landlords. This new AVM range offers rates starting at 3.74% for two-year standard options at up to 75% loan-to-value (LTV). […]

A local authority continued to process selective licence applications despite the scheme ending months before. London Property Licensing flagged an error to Hackney Council about the licensing scheme end date on their website, which showed 30 October 2023. The council admitted the mistake, stating the schemes actually ended on 30 September 2023, but continued issuing […]

Renters are paying 20% more per month on average for a furnished apartment compared to an unfurnished one, according to new data. Research by furniture retailer MADE reveals choosing a pre-furnished apartment now costs about £261 more per month, or £3,129 a year, compared to an unfurnished two-bedroom. The study also reveals more than 73% […]

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to reveal a big increase in social rents to help accelerate the construction of affordable homes. However, campaigners warn that this move could leave tenants vulnerable to rising rents and increased financial strain. According to the Financial Times, Ms Reeves plans to allow social rents to rise annually for the […]

From humble beginnings in a small letting agency in Cardiff Bay to ARLA Propertymark President. Angharad Trueman’s property journey has seen her break the ‘glass ceiling’ and now as ARLA Propertymark president she’s urging the government to listen not just to tenant groups but also landlords. In an exclusive interview with Property118, Angharad shares her […]

Skipton Group has called on the government to introduce incentives and support for landlords to upgrade their properties to meet new energy efficiency standards. Under government plans, all rental properties must achieve an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of Band C by 2030. However, research by Skipton reveals significant challenges facing landlords. It found that […]

Rents in major UK cities are beginning to fall for the first time in years – the pace of rental inflation is now at its lowest level in nearly three years. According to research from Zoopla, cities like London, Brighton, Glasgow, Nottingham and Worthing have seen a decline in rents. Plus, a third of London’s […]

Doubt is being cast on Labour’s proposed ‘Freedom to Buy’ mortgage guarantee scheme after an analysis of Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) data. Wealth management firm Quilter says the scheme may not effectively support prospective first-time buyers. Since its inception in April 2021, the current mortgage guarantee scheme has facilitated just 44,368 mortgages, with 86% (38,323) […]

Accord Mortgages has reduced its buy to let rates again – the second rate cut this month. The intermediary-only lender has lowered rates by up to 0.20% across all loan-to-values (LTVs) up to 75%. The new range is available now and includes competitive fixed-rate options for both remortgages and new purchases. The lender’s BTL mortgage […]

Reading Borough Council has announced the closure of its wholly owned housing company, Homes for Reading, and tenants must leave when their tenancy ends. The council will transfer the 101 homes to its housing stock and will be rented out as much-needed key worker homes at affordable rents. Homes for Reading was established in 2016 […]

More than 340,000 homes must be upgraded every year to hit 2030 EPC C targets. However, Propertymark says at the current rate, it will take an extra 12 years to get all rented homes up to EPC C standards. Ed Miliband has previously said that all landlords must meet EPC C targets by 2030. Must […]

The Bank of England’s recent decision to lower interest rates to 5% has ignited optimism within the housing market, says property expert Lucian Cook. The head of residential research at Savills says the move, marking the first rate reduction since March 2020, signals the central bank’s belief that inflation is finally under control. He said: […]