Hi, my partner’s tenant is currently paying mates rates [£500 below market] on a personal AST. The tenant is a friend and is 12 months into her second 12 months AST. She is paying some £500 below the local market rent as a favour. Recently, her accountant advised her to start paying the rent through […]

Parliament will debate the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report today, which found the 72 deaths in the Grenfell fire were avoidable due to widespread failings. MPs will push the government on plans to act on the report’s recommendations. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to “speed up fixing unsafe cladding,” and will set targets […]

The UK property market is witnessing a surge in landlord and second-homeowner properties for sale as they race to offload their homes ahead of anticipated tax changes, Zoopla reveals. Its latest house price index highlights the looming threat of higher taxes that might be announced in this month’s Budget. The prospect has prompted a wave […]

Polly Neate has announced her decision to step down as chief executive of housing charity Shelter after more than seven years in the role. Ms Neate will leave the position at the end of March 2025, with the recruitment process for her successor already underway. During her time at Shelter, Ms Neate has been a […]

Hi, I have a few rentals coming up for annual rent reviews between Nov 2024 – Feb 2025. In light of the Renters’ Rights Bill (RRB) the implications at this stage seems to be heading towards the landlord having to register with the Ombudsman and also applications to the national landlord database. I presume this […]

I want to be environmentally conscious (who doesn’t?) and improve the legacy of both property and planet. I also want to be a good landlord (who doesn’t?) and enhance my tenants’ living conditions and cash flow. But when the EPCRR (Recommendation Report) suggests that I should be spending £4,000 to £14,000 on “internal or external […]

One leading landlord organisation is warning that older properties without EPC exemptions could see half of the private rented sector’s homes disappearing from the market. In an exclusive interview with Property118, the chief executive of iHowz, Peter Littlewood says “EPCs are a blunt instrument” when it comes to rating energy efficiency and makes it almost […]

A council has been forced to refund more than £2,800 to a landlord after a Tribunal ruled in his favour. Mick Roberts, one of Nottingham’s largest landlords for benefit tenants, accused Nottingham City Council of overcharging him for property valuations during lease renewals on four of his flats. The council charged £825 per flat for […]

Rumoured changes to Capital Gains Tax (CGT) in the upcoming Autumn Budget could see the average landlord being hit by a £15,000 CGT increase on the average buy to let property, research reveals. Lettings and estate agent Benham and Reeves have analysed the CGT being paid by landlords at current tax thresholds and what would […]

The UK’s private rented sector (PRS) is facing a potential storm as landlords reassess their portfolios in response to anticipated tax changes and reforms. Now members of The Guild of Property Professionals have been asked their views and they are warning of significant disruptions in the short to medium term. They point to a proposed […]

Aspiring portfolio landlords are turning to more complex rental properties, such as Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and multi-unit blocks (MUBs), as they build their property businesses, research reveals. According to a new survey by Paragon Bank, these landlords are increasingly drawn to these higher-yielding properties due to the significant demand for rented housing. The […]

Hi Everyone, I need to evict a tenant/family member. I’ve served a section 21, but I am seeing conflicting information online. Some say you can evict using section 21 without a tenancy agreement then others say you can use section 21 but not an accelerated procedure and would need to be N5 form and others […]

I sent Form 17 to HMRC just before Christmas in 2022 to change the ownership of my properties for better tax arrangements. It took them three months to respond, asking for further documents – including one I had already provided. I resent the document, but it took them over a year to come back, only […]

A new funding pot has been announced by the government to support energy efficiency improvements in England, but many landlords may still be left out in the cold, the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) warns. The ‘Warm Homes: Local Grant’ scheme will provide grants of up to £30,000 for landlords to improve their first rental […]

Hi, my partner and I own a two-bedroom flat in Scotland and have decided to rent out one of the rooms for £550 a month (which is an excellent price for where we live). It is our first time letting a room. So our lodger has one dog staying in our property full time, a […]

Rents across England continued to hold steady in September, breaking the £1,400 barrier for the third consecutive month, according to the Goodlord Rental Index. However, there were signs that the rapid pace of rent increases might be starting to slow. The average price for a rental property was £1,417 – that’s marginally lower than August’s […]

Two leading buy to let mortgage lenders, Molo Finance and The Mortgage Lender (TML), have announced updates to their BTL mortgage ranges. These changes include lower interest rates and the introduction of new product fee tiers, offering landlords more competitive options. Molo has introduced a third product fee tier across its UK resident products, providing […]

Letting agents are being urged to contribute to an initiative exploring the impact of Welsh Government policies on the housing market that are popular with visitors. The Wales Tourism Alliance and Propertymark are inviting agents to share their firsthand observations and experiences over short-term, and holiday lets in Wales. One of the issues is second […]

Landlords in the UK are facing a substantial financial burden to comply with the government’s proposed energy efficiency standards. According to research by Zero Deposit, the tenancy deposit alternative, it will cost the nation’s landlords £21.455 billion to bring their properties up to the required EPC C rating by 2030. Net Zero minister Ed Miliband […]

Hello, Many landlords in the past used to budget for a capital growth strategy with their investments guided by a 5% annual gross yield on rental income and 5% average annual return on capital growth. The rental yield just covered the running costs of maintenance, management and finance though recently higher rents were necessary to […]

Hi, I own a Victorian house that I converted into four flats. I’ve sold one, rent out two, and live in one myself. I issue Landlord Tenancy Agreements (non-assured tenancies). I understand I would still need to go through the court process if a tenant refuses to leave under the Renters’ Rights Bill. I have […]