The Lettings Industry Council (TLIC) is urging a new approach to tackle the housing crisis in England. It argues that the current method, with separate policies for different housing sectors, has failed. In a new briefing, TLIC proposes an overarching policy addressing all housing tenures, including private rentals, social housing and homeownership. It emphasises collaboration […]

Renting may negatively impact a person’s overall well-being as tenants experience a lower quality of life, higher stress levels, and less hope for the future compared to homeowners, a survey reveals. The research from Zero Deposit, comes after 1,005 renters and 1,005 homeowners in the UK were polled by the firm. When asked about the […]

The Scottish Parliament is seeking feedback from landlords, the public and organisations on the wide-ranging Housing (Scotland) Bill which could see permanent rent controls being introduced. The Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee and the Social Justice and Social Security Committee are leading the joint consultation. it will focus on key areas like rent control, […]

Hi, hope all is well. I have purchased an HMO that was let to students and I have continued renting to students so far. The property is licensed for this purpose, although the license doesn’t specify that it must always be rented to students. I would like to know if I can let it to […]

Labour’s shadow housing secretary, Matthew Pennycook, has proposed a significant change to the Renters (Reform) Bill which would require landlords to wait two years from the start of a tenancy before they can sell or move back into their property. The change is one of a raft of amendments that could be added to the […]

Hi, I work for a housing association and last year managed to attach a managed payment to landlord (MPTL) for tenants self rent. Their majority of rent is paid by Housing benefit, but the tenants pay the remaining rent for ineligible charges, £7.49 per week at a time. The DWP then decided that it was […]

Hi there, advice and suggestions will be greatly appreciated. The freeholder of my property has a legal obligation as it states in the Lease, to insure the building and provide me with the relevant documentation [certificate, policy, premium etc] before demanding payment. Since 2021, he has failed to provide ANY documentation for 3 years in […]

Hi, a few years ago, my tenants signed a Deed of Surrender (DOS) and they now owe four months rent plus the rent increased they have not paid. I have returned their deposit in full. Four months later, when the tradesman became available, he discovered the floors were completely damaged, due to the tenant swapping […]

Hi, with damp and mould being a big issue, are ventilation systems a good idea? This last winter on the south coast there were very few frosts and the air has been very humid and wet. Many houses are damp due to inadequate ventilation. We can write to tenants and advise them especially, in warm […]

My daughter is renting out her apartment in Amsterdam, having moved to Leiden. Her tax liability will be based on the size and location of the flat not on the rent charged or profit made after mortgage interest etc. Also if she allows tenants to stay longer than 1 year 364 days, the tenants have […]

HMRC is encouraging self-employed individuals and landlords to take part in testing a new digital tax record system. From April 2026, those with a combined income from self-employment and property exceeding £50,000 will be required to use compatible software to keep digital records and submit quarterly updates to HMRC. This threshold will reduce to £30,000 […]

Hi, I have a flat with 2 bedrooms but the lounge is huge.  Lounge is irregular shaped 16.38 sqm, Bed 1 is 16.01 sqm, Bed 2 10.34 sqm I would say this is a 2 bed flat obviously but for LHA and room benefit calculation purposes would it be classed as /could it be claimed […]

A leading property firm is urging the industry to adopt stricter accreditation for Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) assessors after repeated encounters with inaccurate EPC ratings that significantly differed upon reassessment. The call from Re:volve Real Estate points to a major issue that needs addressing – the use of unqualified assessors finalising ratings based on assumptions […]

The old ones are the best – we first published this article on 21st September 2017. The Tax System Explained In Beer Suppose that once a week, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to £100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would […]

Writing a will may not be at the forefront of everyone’s mind but it’s an important step in protecting your loved ones. Dealing with the loss of a loved one can be difficult at the best of times but you can ease the burden on those you leave behind by organising your affairs in advance. […]

Foundation Homeloans has released improved criteria updates that can help if you are a Higher-Rate Taxpayer. Previously, you would have to look at a lower loan due to the 145% stress rate knocking you down, but with this offering, they may have tipped their corner of the remortgage market in your favour. These new products […]

Leaving a rented property unoccupied can spell trouble for landlords. This is where unoccupied property insurance comes in and can help when the property is left empty between tenancies. Here at Property118, we have teamed up with The Home Insurer who can help with unoccupied property insurance and could help save you money. Why landlords […]

The buy to let mortgage market appears to be stabilising after a period of significant product reduction, according to new data. The research from Moneyfactscompare.co.uk found that while the increase is modest – just 39 deals – it follows a drop of 276 deals between the beginning of the year and February. That was the […]

Hi, in short: this is an EDF supply dispute. Our last tenant had an account with EDF for electricity. The new tenant has asked to have the account released so they can sign up with another supplier. EDF has refused for 5 months to release the account, we assume because there is a debt. We […]

Hi, here’s something I’d like the views of Property 118 readers on. Some of you will have read of my ongoing saga with my tenant. Briefly, after many years I asked him to leave in December 2021 he’s still there. My Section 21 application failed as the judge at Willesden County Court invented a deposit […]

Asking prices for new properties are on the rise, with the average price reaching near-record highs, according to Rightmove. This increase is being driven by the top-end of the market which is seeing its strongest start to a year for price growth since 2014. However, despite the positive outlook, high mortgage rates are still a […]