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 […]

Foundation Home Loans, through its arm ‘Buy to Let by Foundation’, has announced a series of price cuts on a range of BTL mortgage products. The move comes after the launch of a new limited-edition product in June. The most significant reductions are for two-year fixed-rate products, with rates dropping by 15 basis points for […]

A council says it is looking for more private landlords to partner with to offer stable housing to those in need – and it has thanked those landlords who have already signed up. The call is being made by Shropshire Council which is also promising financial rewards and extensive support after it made an initial […]

An industry body is warning the government that banning Section 21 could overwhelm the court system. According to Propertymark, the abolition of Section 21 will be the ‘final nail in the coffin’ for many landlords due to costs and lengthy court delays. The Labour government also plan to introduce Awaab’s Law to the private rented […]

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) has found serious issues impacting tenant safety and living conditions by five social housing landlords. The report identified problems in Bristol City Council, Guildford Borough Council, Octavia Housing and Sheffield City Council. All four failed to meet the RSH’s new consumer standards, introduced in April. These standards aim to […]

Research from Barclays offers valuable insights for both renters and landlords navigating today’s competitive private rented sector (PRS). The study reveals the top priorities for each group, providing guidance on what makes a property or tenant more attractive. For renters, avoiding damp and mould is the absolute deal-breaker, with nearly half (46%) stating it as […]

Hi, I am in progress of evicting my unpaying tenants and still waiting for high court enforcement order to come through. My tenants haven’t paid rent for over seven months now, claiming they have no money. However, in their own statement, they admitted they’re paying rent to someone else. I’m taking them to the money […]

Self-management of your property business is as cheap or expensive as you want it to be. In loose financial terms, it is down to the level of your knowledge and the systems you want to use to manage your properties. As we’ll learn in this post though, the costs of self-management go beyond money. Here […]