Page 279 – Property118
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UK house prices see the biggest fall since 2009

1st August 2023

The UK’s housing market saw prices dip at their fastest annual decline in 14 years, Nationwide reports. The data reveals an annual drop of 3.8%, marking the biggest fall since July 2009. And prices fell by 0.2% between June and July. Led by soaring mortgage interest rates, which reached their highest point in 15 years […]

Call for financial help for landlords to carry out energy improvements

1st August 2023

Rightmove says that just 40% of homes for sale and 50% of homes for rent on its platform currently have an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of C or above. The rest have a rating of D or below and this has led the firm to urge more government incentives to encourage landlords and homeowners […]

Letting flats on airbnb has triggered the council with threats!

1st August 2023

Hello, having just returned from a relaxing holiday, I came home to open the post and find a filthy letter from the council about a property I own, a block of flats in Brighton (licensed HMO). I own this building outright, no mortgage or leases and it comprises 9 flats in total of which I […]

Government EPC proposals already influencing landlord purchases

1st August 2023

A trend of landlord investors wanting to get ahead of government’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) proposals has led to one in four to consider a property’s energy performance rating, one lender reveals. The government is proposing that the EPC rating for a rented property should be at least a C has, Paragon Bank has found, […]

Tenant ignored leak from shower cubical?

1st August 2023

Hello, a tenant has ignored a leak from a shower cubical for months. The upshot is that I had to pay privately for trace and access which has uncovered over £6000 worth of damage!! I have also been informed that it cannot be an insurance claim. Anyone else had this and can give advice on […]

landlord question Selective licensing property118.com

Selective Licence required or not?

1st August 2023

Hello, legislation states: (3)A tenancy or licence is an exempt tenancy or licence if: (a)It is granted by a non-profit registered provider of social housing, (b)It is granted by a profit-making registered provider of social housing in respect of social housing (within the meaning of Part 2 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008), or […]

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Heat pump supplier criticises heat pump efficiency

1st August 2023

A leading heat pump supplier has blasted an SNP-Green initiative to replace gas boilers with heat pumps in Scotland – saying that Scottish winters are too cold for them to work efficiently, the Daily Telegraph reports. The newspaper says that Labour peer and business tycoon, Lord Willie Haughey, has raised concerns about the feasibility of […]

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Buildings insurance increases 70% since last year?

31st July 2023

Hi all, I have a 2 bed maisonette in blocks of 4, there are 5 blocks in total. The Managing Agents have sent the invoices for the ground rent/buildings Insurance to each leaseholder in the blocks (20 in total) which represents 1:20th of the alleged policy premium. What re-dress do we have regarding the policy […]

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Am I still a guarantor?

31st July 2023

Hi, a bit of of advice needed. I was a guarantor on an AST for 6 months and at the end of the tenancy the tenant was asked by the letting agents to go in to give her a new written tenancy agreement and charged her £50 to sign it. Am I right in thinking […]

landlord news commercial landlords EPC property118.com

Landlords face hefty bill for EPC upgrades

31st July 2023

Landlords face a £30 billion bill to upgrade their properties to an EPC rating of C, according to new research. Letting agents Savills reveal 2.9 million homes in the PRS need upgrading to meet proposed regulations to bring all properties to EPC C. Though the plans have not been made into law, ministers have previously […]

Pic of leasehold flat being reclad tenant selling guarantee property118

Leaseholders could end up bearing extra costs

31st July 2023

The government has launched the biggest cladding removal scheme to fix dangerous cladding for the first time. The cladding safety scheme has opened for all buildings in England over 11 meters and 11-18m in the Greater London authority area. The scheme aims to remove unsafe cladding in mid-rise buildings which will be covered by government […]

Rental yield hotspot revealed

31st July 2023

Rising rental yields signal a period of opportunity for property investors, according to new research. Research from property investment platform, Sourced Franchise, reveals that UK rental yields have seen a marginal increase in the past year. The latest data shows that the current average yield in the UK is 5.2%, marking a 0.4% increase since […]

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Consultation launched to hear from social housing landlords about new proposals

31st July 2023

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) has launched a consultation on new consumer standards for all social landlords. Following the Social Housing Bill becoming law the consultation aims to hear from social housing landlords and tenants about the proposed standards in the Bill. The Bill is being hailed as landmark legislation in the social housing […]

Property118 Ambassadors Guide

28th July 2023

Property118 currently works with hundreds of Ambassadors, many of which are Accountants and other professional advisers of our existing clients including; mortgage brokers, letting agents, estate agents, insurance brokers, IFA’s, conveyancing solicitors etc. We have created this page to provide full transparency of these arrangements. About You ( Our Ambassadors ) You want your existing […]

Knight-themed Landlord Crusader logo symbolizing landlord advocacy

Landlord’s EPC deadline: Does anyone else feel conned?

28th July 2023

Have you invested thousands of pounds to upgrade your rental property to meet the proposed EPC rating of C? Or have you decided it’s too expensive to do the work and sold up? Then this week’s news from Michael Gove probably made you very angry. I know I was. In the words of the great […]

S13 notice after soft enquiry?

28th July 2023

Hi everyone, If you enquire on a ‘soft basis’ as to a tenant’s agreement to a rent increase, and that enquiry is not issued on any signed and correctly documented S13 form, does this preclude a S13 notice still being issued? Pointers in the right direction gratefully received, as we have one tenant enjoying the […]

Your invitation to the biggest virtual property event

28th July 2023

On Wednesday 2nd August, 6pm to 9pm, there is a fantastic opportunity for you to connect with investors from all around the UK and overseas who you might otherwise never get to meet, as a participant in the property investors network, National online pin meeting. This large online networking event only happens twice a year […]

We want to see an increase in good tenants, longer tenancies and fewer evictions?

28th July 2023

Hello, under the Renters Reform Bill all landlords will be legally required to join the new Ombudsman scheme which will act as a landlord register. To balance the forthcoming landlord register I think there should also be a UK tenants database register. Our register will be aimed at holding information on good and rogue tenants […]

Pic of eviction letter to tenant s21 landlord won't leave

Served S21 and tenants are still refusing to leave the property?

28th July 2023

Hello, can anybody help and advise with this situation, please? We have sold our tenanted property and the tenants refuse to leave (as suggested to them by the local council). We served a section 21 and they still refuse to leave on the prescribed date. Our insurance provides legal cover to begin eviction proceedings and […]

Housing law expert Phil Turtle discussing landlord enforcement and civil penalties

Subletting tenants and landlords face ‘life-changing’ fines

28th July 2023

A firm that helps landlords comply with the law and avoid penalties is warning that tenants AND landlords face the prospect of ‘life-changing’ fines if a tenant sublets their rented home. The message from Landlord Licensing & Defence comes after a recent study by Direct Line business insurance that found one in four tenants are […]

Andy Hulme of Hyde Housing Association responding to Housing Ombudsman report

One of Britain’s biggest social landlords hit with a £142,000 fine

28th July 2023

One of Britain’s biggest social landlords has been hit with the largest fine handed out by the Housing Ombudsman. The fine comes after a special investigation found what the ombudsman says is ‘a prolonged period of decline’. L&Q must now pay £142,000 in compensation to its tenants after evidence of severe maladministration, including the mishandling […]