A homeless charity is urging the next Scottish government to set out plans to end homelessness in its first 100 days. Crisis Scotland is calling on the next First Minister of Scotland to tackle the rising use of temporary accommodation and rough sleeping. The news comes as John Swinney, the leader of the SNP, was […]

The number of people looking for rooms to rent in London has fallen sharply as rising rents push renters to look elsewhere, new research reveals. According to data from SpareRoom, demand for rooms in the capital has dropped by almost a fifth since 2020. The flatshare website says commuter towns outside of London have seen […]

I purchased a 250-year leasehold studio apartment in a Liverpool city centre development in 2018 as an investment. The development was marketed as student accommodation with a guaranteed rental income. Since purchase the building has been through several changes of use and management, and I have experienced significant issues, including void periods with no rental […]

The Prime Minister claimed the new renters’ rights laws would “rip up the status quo” as tenant groups and politicians gathered to celebrate the Renters’ Rights Act coming into force. At an event at Number 10 Downing Street this week, groups including Generation Rent and the Renters’ Reform Coalition gathered to welcome new protections for […]

For many Property118 readers, becoming a landlord began as a route to financial security, long-term wealth and greater independence. The formula appeared relatively straightforward: acquire good quality properties, build reliable rental income and allow capital growth to do much of the heavy lifting in the background. For a great many people, that strategy worked exceptionally […]

I saw a post on a landlord’s group from someone who is a landlord and works in housing for the local council and could not ignore it. During a Zoom meeting, Shelter advised that they should advise tenants that if they are faced with eviction due to rent arrears under section 8, to offer a […]

Landlords look set to bring in tougher tenant checks as new Renters’ Rights Act rules ban advance rent payments of more than one month. Research from LRG found that fewer than a third of landlords are fully aware of the restriction, while 43% know the rules have changed but remain unsure of the details. A […]

Landlords in London entered the new Renters’ Rights Act regime with supply above last year and tenant demand rising into spring. Foxtons’ Lettings Market Index for April shows new listings were 3.7% higher year on year, although they fell 6% compared with March after the early spring peak. The figures provide the final market snapshot […]

The average UK private rent was £1,381 in April after a 3.5% annual increase, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals. It says that annual rent growth edged up from 3.4% in March, with rents rising across all four UK nations. In England, average monthly rent reached £1,438 in April, up 3.5% or £48 from […]

Commonhold is an alternative form of property ownership to freehold and leasehold. Whilst commonhold has existed since 2002, it has proved to be hugely unpopular, with only 20 commonhold buildings currently existing in England and Wales. Perhaps the greatest issue with commonhold, however, is a lack of understanding. Not all mortgage lenders, for example, will […]

Landlords watching the sales market face another warning sign, with failed house moves now estimated to be costing the UK economy almost £2bn a year. Research from the Open Property Data Association found that 58% of property transactions collapse after an offer has been accepted. The findings point to a home-buying process in which buyers […]

What if your existing rental property portfolio could generate up to 50% more cashflow, without increasing rents or buying more property? Many landlords have been telling us recently they “don’t know what to do for the best“. The reasons most often cited are; increasing compliance, taxation, and thoughts about retirement, succession planning and inheritance tax. […]

Ahead of the Renters’ Rights Act coming into effect, landlords sold up as rental demand continued to outstrip supply, according to a new survey. Propertymark’s Housing Insight report found that concerns over the incoming regulation prompted many landlords to exit the market before the changes took effect. The industry body warned that reduced supply is […]

A firm has warned landlords to act now rather than later to meet the EPC C 2030 deadline. Glevum Windows says that with the Renters’ Rights Act now in force, landlords should start preparing upgrades without delay. According to BTL lender The Mortgage Works, only one in three landlords (33%) has a clear understanding of […]

Hello all, we have just received a request for a pet (dog) in our apartment block. The tenant has been with us for less than a year, and their original contract stated ‘No Pets’. We have a complete block of 14 flats, which has carpeted hallways and zero amenity space. The closest green space is […]

The government has unveiled the Social Housing Bill to Parliament, but one charity claims it does not go far enough. The bill aims to incentivise the building of more social homes and protect social housing tenants. However, while Shelter has welcomed the bill, the housing charity says the government must do more, calling for 90,000 […]

Landlords facing higher refinancing costs have been given fresh buy to let options after three lenders announced rate cuts and product launches. Leeds Building Society has reduced rates across its buy to let mortgage ranges, with cuts of up to 0.22%. Its BTL five-year fixed rate, running to 31 August 2031, has been cut from […]

In a victory for landlords, a letting agent has successfully overturned unreasonable selective licensing conditions imposed by Charnwood borough council. AST Lettings Ltd brought a First-tier Tribunal case against the council, challenging burdensome selective licensing conditions on behalf of two of their landlords in the area. Following the ruling, the council has agreed to amend […]

The stamp duty scandal involving Angela Rayner has prompted questions from industry experts over how she was able to avoid a financial penalty. Ms Rayner resigned as Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary after admitting she failed to pay the correct amount of stamp duty on her flat in Hove. However, last week Ms Rayner […]

Tenant demand continues to rise while the supply of available homes for rent remains is falling, the latest RICS UK Residential Survey reveals. The survey found tenant demand rose to a net balance of +14%, while landlord instructions remained negative at -17%. A net balance of +25% of respondents also say they expect rents to […]

There’s a growing narrative that giant institutions like BlackRock are buying up Britain’s suburban housing stock and pushing ordinary renters out of the market, but the reality is more complicated, and arguably more worrying. The large institutional funds are not the slightest bit interested in your average three-bedroom semi, ex-council flats, or the ageing Victorian […]