The SNP blames Brexit and Westminster underinvestment for Scotland’s housing crisis.    In the SNP’s manifesto dubbed ‘A Future Made In Scotland’ the party claims cuts made by the UK government have affected the Scottish budget for housing. Earlier this year, the Scottish government, along with six councils across Scotland, officially declared a housing emergency. […]

A lack of housing choice for tenants threatens to undermine private rented sector (PRS) reforms being proposed by political parties, the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) says. The NRLA is sounding the alarm as the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats and Green Party all consider ending section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions. However, it says that none of […]

Hi Fellow Members/Readers, I have a long-term tenant (Approx 12 yrs in situ) on an A.S.T. who has always paid rent £650pcm late and some months nothing. I served a rent increase notice last year of £75pcm, this being the first and only throughout 12 years. The response I received was “I can’t afford/Why poor […]

My tenants owe me nearly 10k in rent and legal fees. I am still waiting to get a high court enforcement order to evict them from my property, which could still take several weeks. I have received an email from their daughter asking me for a good reference so she can rent privately citing it […]

UK landlords say they aren’t worried about the potential political change of government next month, and most will keep hold of their buy to let portfolios, research reveals. The findings from Zero Deposit show that despite various legislative changes under the Conservative government, 82% of landlords have kept their buy to let portfolio unchanged. Some […]

The UK’s short-term rental market appears to be running out of steam with a new report highlighting a rise in listings – but a worrying drop in occupancy rates and revenue. The research from lettings and estate agent Benham and Reeves looked at key market metrics across popular holiday destinations. While the number of short-term […]

Electric vehicle (EV) driving renters are in luck, with a new study showing landlords are open to installing charging points at their properties. Direct Line research reveals a whopping 86% of landlords with suitable homes would consider installing a charger if a tenant requested one. While a fifth (20%) would cover the entire cost, most […]

Millions of pounds are being lost by the UK’s renters due to cleaning-related deposit deductions, according to research. The flat-sharing site SpareRoom found that nearly two-thirds of renters have had money withheld from their deposits over cleaning issues. This equates to a staggering £724million lost every year. The average deduction is £250, but some renters […]

Landlords across the UK can look forward to having more rights and tax relief on their costs if Reform UK gains power in the 2024 General Election. In an exclusive interview with Property118, landlord David McLennan is representing Reform UK in the Livingstone seat in Scotland. As a former policeman who once delivered a baby […]

Consumer champion Which? is urging the government to reform the system for Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), saying they are ‘unreliable’. It carried out an investigation that revealed inaccurate assessments and unhelpful recommendations from EPC surveys. These could leave landlords and homeowners out of pocket and with misleading information about their homes’ energy use. Which? wants […]

Back in August 2022, I became an accidental landlord and it’s been an interesting learning curve. I’ve been quite lucky that I’ve had good tenants and the property is still in good condition. However, the issue has been the letting agents with which I’ve had consistent issues. I decided to use agents because we were […]

In this episode of Property Breaking News, we explore the hot topic: “Will Landlords Be Made to Accept Pets?” Join us as we delve into the latest discussions and potential policy changes that could impact landlords and tenants alike. Find out what these changes could mean for pet owners looking to rent and landlords managing […]

Protecting a deposit in real life, is not something most legal professionals would have likely ever done. Their interpretation of the law, must therefore sometimes be questioned. I have been advised by two experienced lawyers, that “all deposits must be protected within 30 days of receipt”. As a landlord, I cannot agree with such a […]

Hi, I have had a tenant for 10 years who was in rental arrears in 2022. After obtaining a possession order and bailiffs writ of eviction the tenant pleaded to be allowed to stay and said they would pay up. I allowed the tenant to stay but by August 2023 they had not finished paying […]

Among the promises being made by Reform UK to boost the UK’s private rented sector (PRS) is a pledge to abolish section 24 in its first 100 days in office. Section 24 was introduced in the Finance Act 2015 by the then Chancellor George Osbourne which removed a landlord’s ability to offset all of their […]

Two buy to let lenders have revealed a raft of new rates for BTL mortgages. First up is specialist BTL lender CHL Mortgages which has revamped its buy to let product range, including significantly lowering rates and introducing new criteria for landlords. Ross Turrell, the commercial director, said: “This range refresh is the latest example […]

Hello everyone, I recently had a side extension built next to our main home. It has its own front and back door and there are no doors between our property and the new building. It’s one room and is self-contained, meaning it has its own bathroom and kitchen. If in the future we decide to […]

The London lettings market is returning to a ‘normalised’ with a rise in property listings, according to Foxtons. The firm’s data shows a big rise in property listings in May compared to April (36%) – which is 10% higher than last year. This growth in available properties has reduced competition among renters, allowing them to […]

I have discovered that, although my tenants are still paying their rent to me in full, they moved out of the house some weeks ago and are now living in a chalet in a nearby holiday park. They have been my tenants for the last six years, and apart from the fact that they lived […]

The UK’s housing market is showing resilience despite the upcoming General Election with the average price now £375,110 – a drop of just £21 on May’s figure. That’s according to Rightmove which adds that the minor adjustment mirrors the typical seasonal trajectory seen in previous years. There are still geographic price disparities as homes in […]

Hi, I live in a small block of flats (6), with six individual owners on the outskirts of Glasgow. The communal charge is low, at £30 a month, but only 5 owners are paying. The non-payer is a lawyer who says he is under no legal obligation to pay the service charge. Can anyone give […]