Propertymark has urged the government to introduce specialist housing courts to handle eviction cases and other housing issues more efficiently and fairly. The organisation says that specialist housing courts, with expert judges, would reduce the burden on the County Courts, improve access to justice for both landlords and tenants, and speed up the resolution of […]

Buy to let lender Fleet Mortgages has unveiled a new look and website for its 10th year in business. The rebrand aims to show a modern image and reflect its increased size and scale, especially its recent expansion and its partnership with its owners, Starling Bank. Fleet’s chief commercial officer, Steve Cox, said: “We’re able […]

The Local Government Association (LGA) is urging the government to overhaul the Right to Buy (RTB) scheme which allows council tenants to purchase their homes at a discount, to address the acute shortage of social housing in the country. The LGA, which represents councils across England, said the current scheme was leading to a net […]

One firm is calling on the government to allow tax relief for landlords who improve the energy efficiency of their rental stock. Tax accountants Blick Rothenberg says landlords should claim income tax and or corporate tax relief if they improve EPC ratings on their properties. The firm is urging the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to put […]

Hello, I recently let one of my properties on the basis that the prospective tenant had passed all the standard checks and was willing to pay 6 months rent upfront. I expected a statement and a deposit for 6 months rent into my account, less agent fees. Instead, I received a statement for 1 month […]

Private rents in the UK reached record highs in January with the average rent paid by tenants rising by 6.2%. That’s according to the latest report from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and its rental index reveals this is the joint-highest since January 2016. The ONS said that the rise in private rents was […]

The UK’s housing market showed signs of recovery in December 2023, as house price falls slowed down and new-build values soared, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The ONS reports that the average house price across the UK was £285,000 in December 2023, a drop of 1.4% from the […]

Hello, in a last-ditch attempt to remain in property rental, I have discussed a 7-year lease with Serco to house asylum seekers. My property is on the market as I will not accept the abolition of section 21, tenant’s free legal advice, and Labour’s plans to sneak in tenancy for life, etc. They have offered […]

Hi, we ran a letting agency for a few years and are landlords ourselves. We used a referencing agency for referencing tenants and allowed a lady in our property based on her having no CCJs, a good credit history and an affordable income. In fact, we went further and took out a rent guarantee policy […]

Landlords are having to spend more than £1,000 every year on maintaining and repairing their rental properties. According to a report by Fixflo landlords spend an average of £535 a year fixing leak-related issues. The maintenance management company has compiled a list of the most common emergency repairs in the UK. Water and leak emergencies […]

A popular event for landlords is returning for its first show in 2024. The National Landlord Investment Show returns to Olympia London on 6 March 2024 bringing together thousands of landlords and property professionals. The jam-packed show now in its 11th year offers the latest advice and insight for landlords. Big year for the private […]

The government is being urged to take action to prevent a potential crisis in the student rental market as fed-up landlords increasingly look to sell, warns Propertymark. The professional body for the property sector points to a survey by Save the Student, a student money advice website, which found that nearly 40% of undergraduates have […]

Paragon Bank has launched some appealing offers on its two-year fixed rate buy to let mortgages and some deals include its lowest rate for 18 months and cuts of up to 35bps. The specialist lender says its offers are available for portfolio and non-portfolio landlords. They can apply through limited company structures or in personal […]

One landlord says applying for a selective licence with his council’s online system is a ‘complete waste of money’ which could see him facing a prison sentence and making all of his tenants homeless. Mick Roberts, one of Nottingham’s largest landlords to house benefit tenants, told Property118 that every time he has tried to apply […]

The Home Office has rented 16,000 properties for asylum seekers, leaving local families and young workers struggling to find affordable homes, the Daily Telegraph reveals. The properties, sourced from the private and social housing sectors, accommodate more than 58,000 asylum seekers across England, Wales and Scotland. This is twice the number of asylum seekers in […]

The UK’s rental market has seen a sharp rise in rents over the last year, with the average monthly rent reaching £1,220, according to property platform Zoopla. This is an increase of 8.3% compared to a year ago, or £1,100 more per year for the average renter. However, the pace of rental growth has slowed […]

Hello, I’ve been a hands on landlord for over 20 years, and regularly renovate properties and deal with tenants, trades and homeowners. I was on a panel asking questions to a number of politicians, including Michael Gove, Sec of State for Housing & Levelling Up. He recently was quoted as saying, “As this guidance also […]

Tenants in Edinburgh, Bradford and London are the most satisfied with their letting agents, according to a new survey by Zero Deposit. The tenancy deposit alternative’s survey of 1,204 UK tenants, found that 70% of them have a good relationship with their letting agent. Also, 61% of them feel confident that their letting agent will […]

Hamilton Fraser (HFIS), a leading provider of insurance and compliance solutions for the private rented sector (PRS), has announced the launch of Total Property, a new group brand that brings together its property brands under one umbrella. Total Property will serve as a dedicated home for HFIS’s property products and services, which are well-known in […]

It takes 15 years to save for a 20% house deposit in the UK, amid a turbulent housing market and a cost-of-living crisis, a study reveals. The research from Norton Finance analysed average house prices and salaries and found that a person earning £34,963 a year would need to save 12% of their income (£292 […]

Finding the right landlord insurance for the best price can be a daunting task and many of us begin our online search by asking ‘How much is landlord insurance?’. That’s a good place to start because the price of insurance varies depending on several different factors from location to property value. When landlords compare landlord […]