Bristol is the most sought-after location for homebuyers in England, according to the latest homebuyer demand index by estate agent comparison site, GetAgent.co.uk. The index, which measures the ratio of total for sale stock that has already been sold subject to contract (SSTC) or marked as under offer, shows that 61.1% of all homes listed […]

Fleet Mortgages has announced a significant reduction in rates for all five-year fixed-rate products across its three core ranges: standard, limited company, and HMO/multi-unit block. The buy to let specialist lender says the move is expected to benefit borrowers seeking long-term stability and competitive rates. The rate cuts are as follows: Standard/limited company borrowers: Five-year […]

We are aware of a series of publications by Dan Neidle of Tax Policy Associates Limited to his website and his social media channels since 13 September 2023. Our solicitors have sought advice from an independent Tier 1 Tax King’s Counsel to confirm the correctness of our approach. We anticipate making a summary of this […]

So, we are into the party political conference season and it is apparent that the private rented sector (PRS) is not going to be discussed – even though the country is facing a ‘housing emergency’. And rather than offer up a political manifesto of what landlords want – knowing that politicians will simply ignore it […]

Hello, we had a tenant vacate our property on August 31st and a new tenant moving in on 2nd October, so empty for a month. The council gives a 100% discount for council tax for one month only for an empty unfurnished property. My issue is the tenant informed the council a month prior to […]

Hello, I am being harassed by a debt collection company. They claim that electricity worth £882.60 was used at a house I let out as two flats, between 2013 to 2020, from a prepayment meter, and no payments were made to the meter. I made the mistake of ringing them when a letter arrived at […]

Hello, I am a first-time landlord, who rented my property for the 1st time in Sep 2022. Our property was too big for us, and we decided to move to a smaller property and use the rent of this property for our future retirement. Now I need my property back for personal reasons, so I […]

Last week, I did an article about my “The BEST Property Strategy in the Falling Market” webinar which took place last night. I hope you had the opportunity to attend and benefit from the insights shared during this eye-opening training. During the webinar, I unveiled something truly exciting –my Lease Options Home Study Course. This […]

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has launched its manifesto for the built environment in the run-up to the next UK General Election, calling for more homes to rent in a bid to slow down rent rises. They also want action on climate change, housing affordability, skills development and fire safety. The manifesto, entitled […]

Since most buy-to-let landlords are heavily reliant on mortgages, there is a potential regional impact should interest rates rise again, research reveals. Property lending experts Octane Capital says that 78% of the average BTL portfolio has been financed by borrowing across England and Wales. The firm says that landlords in the East Midlands are the […]

An estimated seven million households are struggling to keep up with rent and mortgage payments, according to a new report. A survey of 4,000 people by consumer group Which? reveals nearly half (46%) of tenants and homeowners have found it hard to keep up with rent and mortgage payments, which equates to approximately seven million […]

Students in the UK are facing an “affordability crisis” as rents spiral and supply dwindles. A report by real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield reveals rents have rocketed by more than 9% this year, in the PRS. The average annual private sector rent outside London now stands at £7,632.55, equivalent to 77% of the […]

Scotland’s property tax revenues reached a new record high per transaction in August 2023, according to an analysis by a leading property firm. Scotland’s largest lettings and estate agency, DJ Alexander, says the Scottish Government collected £64.1m from Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) in August 2023 from just 8,950 sales. This means that the […]

The Liberal Democrats have pledged to give private rented sector (PRS) tenants and landlords a ‘fair deal’ in their newly published policy paper which would see three-year tenancies and ‘rent smoothing’ – or rent controls – being introduced. Plans would also see landlords having to apply for a licence – ‘much like getting a driver’s […]

West Lothian Council is facing a housing crisis as the cost-of-living crisis has forced many private landlords to sell off their properties, leaving former tenants in need of accommodation. In a report by the council’s housing needs manager, Sarah Kelly, around 100 private landlords in West Lothian sold up their properties in 2022, resulting in […]

Home sellers across England and Wales have seen a decline in the percentage of the asking price achieved over the last six months, according to a new report. The estate agent comparison site, GetAgent.co.uk, has looked at the original price a property was first listed for sale at, versus the price they achieved upon completion. […]

House prices in the UK have fallen by 0.5% over the last 12 months and are on track to be 2-3% lower by the year-end, according to the latest house price index from Zoopla. However, the average house is still 17% more expensive than before the start of the pandemic, but buyers are returning to […]

It might not be the news you want to hear, but it’s the news you should hear. If you’re a landlord who’s built up a portfolio of buy-to-lets over the last 15 years, you’re probably in a tricky situation. You’ve got two options – stick it out, or sell the properties, cash in and get […]

A council in London is warning Airbnbs are creating an ‘enforcement nightmare’ Westminster council is calling for new powers to clamp down on short-term lets and is calling for calling for the introduction of a compulsory registration scheme for short-term let properties. The council says they have more properties listed on Airbnb than any other […]

Demand for advice around illegal eviction in the PRS soars by 42% in a year, according to new data. Citizens Advice Scotland reveals that overall demand for advice in private sector rents has increased by 15%. Last week the Scottish Parliament passed a final extension to the Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) Act, meaning a […]

It’s taken nearly a week, but the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has hit out at Prime Minister Rishi Sunnak’s U-turn on energy performance certificate (EPC) requirements for rented homes. It says that an alternative system needs to be put in place to tackle climate change – and that the methodology used needs to […]