Page 236 – Property118
Chris Daniel receiving an award in front of the sponsor's board wearing a suit, shirt and tie

The Renters (Reform) Bill will harm tenants and landlords, warns property expert

8th February 2024

A property expert is warning that the Renters (Reform) Bill, which aims to end no-fault evictions and improve security for tenants, will have negative consequences for both tenants and landlords. Chris Daniel, who has more than 20 years of experience in the property sector, said that the Bill will make it harder for landlords to […]

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The Times wants to hear from landlords about the upcoming Budget

7th February 2024

A journalist at The Times would like to hear from landlords on the biggest challenges they are facing this year. Rachel Mortimer, Assistant Money Editor at The Times would like to speak with landlords ahead of the Budget and any changes they would like to see from the Chancellor.  They must be happy to be […]

Damning report exposes council’s mishandling of selective licensing fees

7th February 2024

A controversial council has found itself in hot water following a damning report that exposes its failure to ringfence its selective licensing fees. Nottingham City Council finally published a report this week by accounting firm Ernst and Young (EY) who accused the council of “inappropriate financial activity”. The review which was commissioned by the council […]

Issued a section 21 but have a Prescribed Information problem?

7th February 2024

Hi, I’m quite new to buy to lets and have educated myself as I go along. I have now learnt the hard way of the importance of being extra careful to issue the correct information in the right time. I have a tenant who has fallen behind on their rent and caused some damage. I […]

pic showing dictionary definition of guarantor for landlords and tenants property118.com

Urgent – Guarantor form advice?

7th February 2024

Hello, I have been asked to sign as a witness to a deed on a guarantor agreement. My friend’s daughter is renting a property in Belfast from July along with 4 other students. The students have all signed the TA (they signed today) along with the LL (signed last week) and now the agents are […]

UK house prices hit 12-month high in January

7th February 2024

UK house prices rose by 2.5% year-on-year in January, the highest annual growth rate since January 2023, according to Halifax. The lender’s house price index reveals that the average house price last month was £291,029, up by £3,924 or 1.3% from December 2023. This was the fourth month in a row that house prices increased, […]

Purchasing auction property with Bridging finance

7th February 2024

If you are interested in purchasing property at auction and you are looking to finance this through a bridging loan, there are some considerations to make before application. What is your exit strategy? Are you looking to refurbish the property to sell or are you looking to keep the property and convert to a BTL? […]

Is my Tarmac trespassing?

7th February 2024

Hello, There is tarmac to the front and side of my property and my neighbour has told me that it is trespassing on their land along the side of their house where it is under their eave projection, ie it oversteps their boundary if a notional line is taken from their roof eaves to the […]

Mortgage sector urges government to rethink EPC rules for landlords

7th February 2024

Mortgage lenders and advisers have called for a government U-turn on the relaxation of energy performance certificate (EPC) legislation for landlords, new data from the Mortgage Advice Bureau shows. The survey of some of the UK’s largest mortgage lenders and advisers found that 49% of lenders and 32% of advisers would support any decision to […]

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The top 5 property management services Londoners need in 2024

7th February 2024

Londoners looking for property management services in 2024 should pay attention to the latest trends and insights from SBA Property Management. The provider of property management solutions says it has identified the top five service areas that will be most sought-after by landlords and customers this year. A director of the firm, Tim Darwall-Smith, said: […]

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A question on section 21 documents needed?

6th February 2024

Hello, I have issued a section 21 notice to my long term tenants recently, their latest rental agreement was dated back in 2010 on a rolling basis. I got advice from NRLA that I don’t need to comply with the current legal requirements – I should just put a note on my application that the […]

Mortgage rates fall and buyer confidence rises

6th February 2024

The UK housing market is showing signs of recovery in 2024, as mortgage rates fall, buyer confidence rises, and sales activity increases, according to a leading estate agent. Nicky Stevenson, the managing director of Fine & Country, says that the Bank of England’s decision to keep the interest rate at 5.25% for the fourth month […]

Shortage of homes to rent sees tenant demand remaining high

6th February 2024

Tenant demand for rental properties remained high in the last quarter of 2023, a survey by Paragon Bank reveals. The survey found that 63% of landlords saw an increase in tenant demand for their properties in the final three months of last year, with 37% reporting a significant increase and 26% a slight increase. Just […]

Housing benefit rates increase but still lag behind private rent rises

6th February 2024

While the Government has confirmed new rates for Local Housing Allowance (LHA), the amounts are lagging behind rent rises, a report from Savills reveals. The new rates, which are the maximum amount that people renting from private landlords can receive in Housing Benefit or Universal Credit, will apply from April to March 2025. They will […]

Pic of EPC dial being moved landlord property118.com

Charity demands swift reforms for outdated EPC system

5th February 2024

One charity is calling for major reforms to EPC’s saying the current system is “not fit for purpose”. The Building Research Establishment (BRE) demands reforming EPCs to be net zero-ready claiming it will help decarbonise UK homes. The charity is calling on the government to cut the validity of EPCs from ten to five years. […]

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Prescribed Information date works both ways – beware!

5th February 2024

Hello, During Covid, my letting agent sent the Prescribed Information (PI) to my tenant by email the night before the tenant paid his deposit and took the keys. Four years later, after issuing a s21 via the letting agent, followed by an Accelerated Possession Order prepared by my solicitor and sent to the court, the […]

pic of bailiff gaining entrance to a rented home to evict property118

What happens if my tenant doesn’t remove her belongings?

5th February 2024

Hello, Finally, after 8 months I have had the court bailiffs in to repossess my property. However, the tenant wasn’t in and has left all her belongings, including her furniture, in the house. I was notified by my solicitors to put a notice on the door advising the tenant to contact me within 14 days […]

The best month to list a home for sale revealed

5th February 2024

February is the best month to list a home for sale, according to new data from Rightmove. The data reveals on average homes listed in February typically find a buyer the quickest, as well as being most likely to be marked sold subject to contract. The data also reveals that March is another strong month […]

Alarming surge in the number of rough sleepers in London

5th February 2024

Rough sleeping in the capital is now the highest level in a decade, according to new figures. According to the new combined homelessness and information network (CHAIN) 4,389 people were counted sleeping on London’s streets ­– more than half were sleeping rough for the first time. The Mayor of London has said the figures should […]

‘I’m a landlord, get me out of here’: landlords rush to sell before March

3rd February 2024

For landlords who thought they’d left their problems in 2023, think again. 2024 isn’t letting up, and the system continues to be unfair for a growing number of them. The Guardian recently highlighted a report from Hamptons that said in the last year landlords will have sold 294,300 more homes than they have bought since […]