Hi all, does anyone have any knowledge regarding service charges and monies spent in a financial year? Last year’s projections came in at £55,300. After a battle with the managing agent and requesting accounts through section 21 and 22 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, they came back in the end. The accounts showed […]

The Housing Ombudsman has launched a consultation on its business plan following a record year of complaints. Compared to the same period last year, the first nine months of 2023-24 saw a 91% increase in cases, a 72% maladministration rate (up from 59%) and £3.7 million awarded in compensation – compared to £1.1 million for […]

A new project aims to revolutionise the private rented sector (PRS) by using artificial intelligence (AI) to help landlords upgrade their properties. The Let Zero project, funded by Innovate UK with £2.4 million, will develop an AI-powered solution to guide landlords on renovations that benefit tenants, particularly vulnerable residents. The 18-month pilot project will focus […]

A council has relaunched its ‘Repair and Rent’ scheme with big improvements to incentivise landlords to bring empty properties back into the rental market. The plan will see the council handle the entire process and boost housing supply for those on its housing waiting list. Plymouth Council says it wants to address the city’s housing […]

Hi, I’ve recently come across this in a property talk, and am very concerned about the implications of this to portfolio landlords who have more than 3 leasehold properties by April 22. I’d like your views and clarification on this. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/remediation-costs-what-leaseholders-do-and-do-not-have-to-pay Non-qualifying leaseholders 30. Non-qualifying leaseholders are only protected from the costs of historical safety […]

 If your rented property is damaged beyond repair in a fire or flood, then it’s important to look at rebuild values. You’ll be asked for your property’s rebuild cost when taking out buildings insurance which covers the structure of your home. Finding the correct rebuild value for your insurance can be tricky, and here at […]

Join Ranjan Bhattacharya as he delves into the burning question of 2024: Will rents on buy-to-let properties continue their upward trajectory? In this video, he dissects the factors driving the increase in rents and provides valuable insights into the evolving rental market landscape. From supply and demand dynamics to economic trends, he unravels the complexities […]

Hello, We have been trying to evict our tenants for the last 9 months as we are selling the property. Court proceedings were set for last November, however, we had to cancel these due to an issue with the deposit from 10 years ago. The deposit was then returned to the tenants and a new section […]

Kent Reliance for Intermediaries has revealed a revamped portfolio which includes buy to let and part-ownership schemes. The lender, which is part of the OSB Group, sees its initiative delivering a 0.5% rate cut on select investment property loans and the buy to let changes include: 80% LTV fixed rates dropping by 50bps Full range […]

Hello, first time posting on here so please go easy on me! One of my tenants has just mentioned that she’s pregnant. I’m not sure how this is going to affect things from a rent-paying point of view. She’s on benefits but does work from time to time in various part-time jobs. This means that […]

The significant financial contribution being made by landlords to regional economies when supporting local trades has been revealed. Research from Aldermore highlights that most landlords (79%) prefer employing local professionals, with each one injecting an annual average of £6,003 into local services. Electricians, plumbers and general maintenance workers are the top picks for property upkeep, […]

Council tax on a property that has been left vacant for a year will double from April 1, the government has announced. The initiative is aimed at helping boost housing supply for local people by bringing empty homes back into use. The property must be occupied within a year to avoid the tax hike, a […]

A charity is calling for more government funding to help councils enforce housing and health standards in the private rented sector (PRS). People’s Health Trust (PHT) claims that tenants are living in dire conditions – with some areas seeing nearly double the number living in a home that doesn’t meet the Decent Homes Standard. While […]

Hello, We all know that politicians of all parties have some very strange ideas and like to waste our money, but it’s unbelievable that an organisation whose members are landlords has an anti-landlord policy. Does Ben Beadle even know that most landlords are strongly against the banning of Section 21? He should be supporting us […]

The changes in Serviced Accommodation will impact different people in different ways. To some, it will provide advantage, for others it will be time for change. The changes are threefold: 1) Removal of FHL means the income for those who own in personal name will be treated identical to buy to let income for tax […]

I was going to buy x 2 houses and turn them into HMO’s to put on long-term leases to SERCO (approx 100k each). On paper, it looks good and the numbers are appealing. Then I started reading horror stories about dealing with SERCO. Some landlords talk negatively of Serco specifically, but others discussed negative experiences […]

A London council has announced it will create a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) to secure homes for housing homeless people and families. The council’s strategy involves leasing back 300 properties from the RIT to boost its temporary housing capacity. The innovative REIT, which is yet to be officially launched, will purchase and lease out […]

The Scottish Government has published the results of a public consultation on its New Deal for Tenants proposals and found that, unsurprisingly, most tenants support rent controls – while landlords have hammered the idea. The publication of the responses makes clear some puzzlement over the negative response from landlords about the proposal to prevent rent […]

 Landlords underestimate the financial advantages of allowing pets in properties, according to a new report. According to a study by Battersea Dogs and Cats Home dismisses so-called “myths about pets and assumed damages.” The data was collected from more than 2,000 private landlords and 1,000 private renters. 76% of landlords did not encounter any damage […]

Hi, I just got the following warning about insulation from rogue traders passed on by trading standards: “Trading Standards is warning residents to be cautious of spray foam insulation removal scams. Spray foam is an alternative to traditional insulation. However, if not properly installed it can cause problems and even decrease the value of a […]

UK house prices saw average values rising by £3,000 in February, data reveals. The findings from chartered surveyors, e.surv, say this equates to a 0.8% increase from January – the biggest monthly rise for 17 months. The firm says that house prices rose in 54 unitary authority areas out of 111. Homeowners in Merthyr Tydfil […]