A housing charity is urging the First Minister to declare a housing emergency across the whole of Scotland. Shelter Scotland has delivered an open letter to Humza Yousaf calling for him to deliver an action plan to solve Scotland’s housing crisis. Housing emergencies have already been declared in Edinburgh, Argyll and Bute and Glasgow. It’s […]

Key workers in London are struggling to afford the high rents in the city and a rent cap is needed, says one campaign group. A report from Generation Rent highlights how much key workers are struggling as it calls for all metro mayors – including London’s Sadiq Khan – to be elected in England in […]

Landlords are listening more to their tenants’ needs and improving compliance standards, according to new research. A survey by Total Landlord Insurance reveals a positive shift in the landlord-tenant dynamic amidst challenging economic times. According to the survey, more than half of landlords (58%) are willing to accommodate their tenants’ financial situations. The proportion of […]

A new resource from the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) aims to help landlords make their properties more accessible for tenants with disabilities or long-term illnesses. The factfinder, which is supported by Foundations, the national body for home improvement agencies, explains how landlords can use Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs) to fund adaptations such as ramps, […]

Rental prices in the capital saw a slight downturn amidst increasing supply, according to new research. According to letting agents Foxtons, rental prices decreased by 1% in January 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, Foxtons say this small decrease in rental price could be attributed to increasing supply. The average weekly rent in […]

Hello, I am paying very high service charges for my flat (3 times the average in London), recently this has risen again with the appointment of a new managing agent and a change in freeholder. The new freeholder is also the majority share leaseholder who forced the sale of the freehold, ignoring our request to […]

Using section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions to remove ‘model tenants’ in a court of law is ‘fundamentally unfair’ and will ‘get worse’. That is the opinion of Simon Harris, the chief executive of Citizens Advice Staffordshire North and Stoke-on-Trent, who spoke to Stoke-on-Trent Live about the latest data on ‘no-fault’ evictions. He said: “It’s something we’re […]

Campaigners are warning the Renters (Reform) Bill is being watered down by MPs. The Renters Reform Coalition and Shelter claim a group of backbench MPs who are also landlords are delaying the bill for their own interests. Analysis of the Register of MP’s Financial Interests conducted by the Renters’ Reform Coalition reveals that five out […]

Hello, my question is about HMRC VAT Notice 708 and specifically section 8 empty properties. Properties empty for 2 years benefit from a reduced VAT rate on works. 5% rather than the usual 20%. >> https://www.gov.uk/guidance/buildings-and-construction-vat-notice-708#section8. I have one property where I am benefitting from this and just found out that a second property I […]

A special investigation by the Housing Ombudsman has exposed how Hammersmith and Fulham Council failed to provide adequate repairs and complaints handling to its residents, leaving them ‘feeling anything but secure in their homes’. The report found that the council had a maladministration rate of 88% in 33 cases investigated, with 85 findings of fault […]

Scotland outperformed the rest of the UK in the property market in 2023, with a 4.2% increase in house prices, while the UK average fell by £740, according to one property firm. DJ Alexander Ltd, Scotland’s largest lettings and estate agency, analysed the monthly house price index and found that the average house price in […]

Just six London boroughs managed to register an increase in house prices in 2023, while the rest faced a drop, especially in the prime market, research reveals. A new report by Benham and Reeves, based on the latest data from the Land Registry, shows how the capital’s housing market fared over the last year, amid […]

Despite a gloomy private rented sector filled with uncertainty, one lender group reveals landlords are continuing to invest in the rental market. According to the OSB group, seven in ten (69%) of landlords have already or are planning to increase the size of their property portfolio, increasing to 77% of professional landlords. Nearly half (42%) […]

A scheme that aims to improve the quality and safety of rented properties in Weymouth and Portland has been launched by Dorset Council. The Safer Renting scheme offers landlords tailored advice and information on how to comply with various laws and regulations. The scheme, which started last year, has already attracted 75% of the landlords […]

The number of landlords taking out new buy to let mortgages has plummeted, according to new figures. According to UK Finance, buy-to-let loans amongst over-55s fell from 16,930 in the final quarter of 2022 to 7,980 in Q4 2023. Around half of new mortgages for the over 55s were for house purchases or remortgages (14,625) […]

Fraudulent tenancy applications have quadrupled in the last two years, according to new research. Referencing agency Homelet says they have seen a surge in fake tenancy applications receiving nearly 200 per day. According to the 2020 Fraud and Corruption Tracker by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), false tenancy applications are the […]

If you own a block of flats and rent them out to tenants, you may need a special type of insurance to protect your property and your liability. This is called block of flats insurance – sometimes referred to as ‘block insurance’ – and it is designed to cover the specific risks and challenges that […]

Hi, I’m really confused about what to put in the warrant detail section 4. What amount I should put in (a) and (b)? Or shall I leave it blank as the bailiff is not there to collect money but only to take the tenant out? Shall I put £130 in the issue fee? As it’s the […]

Landbay has announced the launch of two new fee-free five-year fixed-rate mortgages for landlords, with competitive rates and flexible terms. The first product is a standard five-year fixed-rate mortgage at 5.69%, which can be borrowed up to 75% of the property value, with a maximum loan amount of £1.5 million. The second product is part […]

A renters’ group has criticised the government’s plans to curb the growth of short term lets, saying they are insufficient and could backfire. The Housing Secretary Michael Gove announced yesterday (Monday) that future short term lets would need planning permission. He also said that a national register would be set up to ensure safety and […]

Portfolio landlords can benefit from six new buy to let mortgage products launched by Paragon Bank which are part of a limited-edition range. The products offer five-year fixed rates at up to 65% loan-to-value (LTV). They have been designed for landlords who own four or more buy-to-let properties, either in personal name or through limited […]