Page 248 – Property118

How to find cheaper landlord insurance

9th December 2023

Whether you are a first-time landlord, or you’ve been building your property portfolio for decades, the difficulty in finding landlord insurance is always tough. With many insurance implications from flooding to cannabis farms, it can be hard to find the right landlord insurance. Here at Property118, we have teamed up with The Home Insurer which […]

Knight-themed Landlord Crusader logo symbolizing landlord advocacy

Tenant bidding wars – Why are landlords being blamed?

8th December 2023

Are you sitting comfortably? I’m about to be critical of politicians, the media and tenants. Because it has been another week and another negative story about landlords. This time it is the Labour Party saying it will end tenant bidding wars and will copy a law in New Zealand that does just that. Eh? Landlords […]

pic of approved btl mortgage application form property118

Struggling To Get a Mortgage – Maybe We Can Help

8th December 2023

The mortgage market has been through a tough time in recent months, following 14 months of consecutive base rate increases. Mortgage interest rates increased, buyers who were used to very low rates, were hesitant to move and sellers were reluctant to sell because of the anticipated price crash. However, times have changed. There have been […]

Verona Frankish, Yopa chief executive, smiling during a professional portrait.

137 properties a day have the asking price slashed

8th December 2023

Property investors will be interested in the latest research that reveals home sellers are cutting their asking prices at a rate of 137 properties a day in England, as they try to attract buyers in a cooler market. The survey from national estate agency Yopa is based on data from Zoopla and of the homes […]

Help to protect landlords from tenant sub-letting and property fraud unveiled

8th December 2023

Landlords and property owners can now protect themselves from tenant sub-letting and property fraud with a new service called Title Guardian. The service monitors various sources, such as sales and letting portals and government databases, where property owners’ details appear and where fraudulent activities begin. If the firm detects any suspicious activity on a property, […]

Legal standing regarding rent payment amid property handover delay?

8th December 2023

Hello, I have leased a one-bedroom flat to a council since 2001 but after repeated requests to pay me near market rent, I gave them 3 months notice to repossess the property. The council acknowledged my notice stating that my property will be handed back before or after 28th November depending on when it manages […]

Kate Davies of IMLA discussing impact of PRS regulation on landlords and tenants

BTL landlords are facing a shocking 80% rise in borrowing costs

8th December 2023

Buy to let landlords with mortgages will struggle to break even in the next two years with their borrowing costs soaring by an anticipated 80% as they remortgage after enjoying historically low fixed rates. That’s the verdict from the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA) and its new report explodes the myth that landlords are well-heeled […]

Smiling business professional sitting confidently in a modern office setting

Zoopla boss blames record migration for UK rent crisis

7th December 2023

The UK is facing a rent crisis as record net migration has increased the demand for rental accommodation, according to the boss of Zoopla, one of the UK’s leading property websites. Richard Donnell, the executive director of Zoopla, told the Telegraph that renting was the ‘first port of call’ for most people who moved to […]

elegraph logo used in rebuttal to article on landlord tax structures

Daily Telegraph wants to speak to landlords facing issues with cladding

7th December 2023

Are you a landlord who is facing problems because of cladding? Then, Alexa Phillips, the property and money reporter for the Telegraph would like to speak with you. Alexa would like to ask Property118 readers about: Are you having problems selling a property because of cladding? Have you been left out of the support measures? […]

Will Buy-To-Let Work In 2024?

7th December 2023

Wondering if Buy-to-let is still a smart move for 2024? Join Ranjan Bhattacharya in his latest video as he breaks down the current property landscape, potential challenges, and key factors influencing buy-to-let investments. Whether you’re a seasoned investor or a first-timer, get essential insights to make informed decisions in today’s dynamic property market. Check out […]

London council unveils new selective licensing scheme

7th December 2023

The government has approved a new selective licensing scheme for a London council – one of the largest schemes in the country. Brent council has announced that it will launch its licensing scheme for homes in the private rented sector next Spring, and it will cover all rented properties in the borough – except those […]

UK property prices rise again in November

7th December 2023

House prices in the UK increased by 0.5% in November, the second consecutive monthly rise, the Halifax house price index reveals. The average price of a home now stands at £283,615, which is £40,000 higher than before the pandemic. However, prices are still 1% lower than a year ago while Northern Ireland has shown the […]

Lendlord logo representing property finance and landlord tools.

Reshaping Property Management Through Technology

7th December 2023

Property management, whether you’re overseeing a handful of properties or a more extensive portfolio, can often present complex and demanding challenges. Balancing tenant communication, utility and maintenance management, rent collection, and cash flow tracking can quickly become overwhelming. Thankfully, property management technology is evolving to make this task more manageable. In this article, we will […]

Can I sell though I’m going to trial?

7th December 2023

Hello, I issued my tenants with a s21 which they defended because the first Gas Safety certificate upon moving in was not valid as I didn’t use a Gas Safe engineer. I went to a possession hearing last week and now it’s going to trial next year. I’m thinking about selling my property with the […]

Councillor Grace Williams smiling in a white shirt against a plain background

Homeless refugees on the rise in London amid accommodation crisis

7th December 2023

London Councils is warning of a surge in rough sleeping among refugees and asylum seekers who are evicted from Home Office accommodation without adequate support. The cross-party group represents the 32 boroughs and the City of London, and it has released new research showing that 846 refugees and asylum seekers were homeless in October after […]

heating complaints, property 118

Service charge allocation: was a consultation required?

7th December 2023

Hello, my question is in the context of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002. Here is the relevant part of the law: “If your landlord – proposes works on a building or any other premises that will cost you or any other tenant more than £250, or proposes to enter into an agreement for […]

Property fraud risk is higher in some UK regions

7th December 2023

A new study has revealed that some regions of the UK may be more prone to property fraud than others, due to the higher proportion of mortgage-free properties in those areas. The study, conducted by client compliance platform Thirdfort, analysed data from a survey of 2,054 adults and found that the East Midlands, North East, […]

Labour wants to ban tenant bidding wars – landlord explains why that won’t work

6th December 2023

The Labour Party says it wants the UK to outlaw tenant bidding wars for rented homes, adopting a New Zealand policy, the Party’s Shadow Housing Minister, Matthew Pennycook, says. Several Australian states have also apparently followed suit and Labour says the practice ‘creates a competition among tenants’ which only benefits the landlord. Mr Pennycook says: […]

Tenant bidding wars lead to them paying £1,200 more

6th December 2023

A survey has revealed that four in 10 households renting privately (39%) that moved within the last year are paying an average of £1,200 a year above the advertised rate for their property. The findings from the New Economics Foundation (NEF) highlight the level of demand for falling numbers of homes to rent in England. […]

Real estate Sales manager giving keys to customer after signing rental lease contract of sale purchase agreement, concerning mortgage loan offer for and house insurance.

Freehold to leasehold flat – should I abandon the sale?

6th December 2023

Hi everyone, I had an offer accepted on a top floor flat which shares the building (built late 1800s) with two other flats. Each flat has its own freehold and each owner wants to convert the freeholds to leaseholds ASAP. The current situation is that building work/repairs and building insurance is split equally between each […]