The government has announced millions of pounds in funding to help rough sleepers off the street. The new Rough Sleeping Initiative allocations totalling £34.6 million will go to areas most in need of support to help get people off the street more quickly. However, one charity warns that this funding is not enough and spiralling […]

Managing risk is a fundamental concern for both business owners and financiers. A well-thought-out ownership structure can significantly reduce risk and enhance financial stability. One key element in this risk management strategy is adopting a tax-efficient ownership structure. In this blog post, we’ll explore why having a tax-efficient ownership structure is essential for mitigating risk […]

An industry body is urging all politicians to have an urgent re-think on tax policy for landlords. The Association of Inventory Clerks claims the recent tax rule changes are a major reason why landlords are leaving the private rented rector. The industry body argues that landlords are being treated unfairly over current tax arrangements. In England […]

Paragon Bank has unveiled a major product refresh that has seen rates reduced across 22 buy to let mortgage products, with fixed deals now starting at 4.59%. The rate cuts apply to a range of loan-to-value (LTV) bands for both portfolio – landlords who own four or more buy-to-let properties with mortgages – and non-portfolio […]

The government needs to focus on its tax policies so that landlords in the private rented sector (PRS) are incentivised to remain and help house people and not be forced out. That’s the verdict of Propertymark which is highlighting the steps that need to be taken now to boost investment and help reduce rents. And […]

Birmingham city council says that 80% of landlords in its private rented sector (PRS) covered by the new selective and additional licensing schemes have not yet applied for a licence. The city’s new licensing scheme came into effect on 5 June 2023 to improve the standards and management of PRS properties. The scheme covers between […]

After the government announced a review of permitted development rights in a bid to shake up planning rules and build one million new homes in England by the end of the current Parliament, landlords say they doubt the move will deliver the homes. Permitted development rights allow certain types of building work to be carried […]

Are you a landlord or holiday let owner who has built a successful portfolio and want to share your story? Then, Alexa Phillips, the personal finance reporter, for The Telegraph would like to speak with you. Alexa wants to speak to landlords and holiday let owners who have built successful portfolios and would be happy […]

The rental market remained ‘boiling hot’ in August, with the cost of rent up 10% year-on-year, according to the latest rental index from Goodlord. Despite average rents dropping slightly after a record-breaking July – where average prices went over the £1,300 mark for the first time – tenants continue to face high prices. Void periods […]

Hello, our situation we have had a tenant in place at one of our properties for around 5 years – never increased the rent (single mum – two kids – you try not to make people’s lives harder than they need to be) – always done repairs – always acted as a model landlord. The […]

Hello, just watched a video by Nigel Farage who was talking about Europe filling up its gas tanks with LPG from Russia. A big point was we haven’t in the U.K. filled those tanks. So it got me thinking. What if we have a cold winter and we get gas rationing? In my house we […]

Hello, I have recently had a house fire caused by a tenant. The fire investigators deemed it was an accident so no malice was involved. Can I sue the tenant for damages for any costs that I might be liable for that the insurance company may not pay? I don’t know what these may be […]

Hi everyone, I need some advice, please. I am in search of new tenants for a 3-bed house and have been approached by a tenant who says they are looking for a property for two related families. They have two brothers, their wives, and 2 small children. I am aware that the definition of HMO […]

Housing associations are being urged to check building specifications for reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) The call comes after some schools in England have been forced to close because they contain the dangerous concrete. One social housing law firm warns that RAAC poses a serious risk to social housing tenants. Act on RAAC for tenant […]

While it’s been a tough year for the property market, activity is likely to pick up in the coming Autumn months, according to new research. A study by property lending specialists Octane Capital reveals mortgage approval rates have fallen dramatically but an ‘autumn boost’ is beginning to improve things. Over the past five years mortgage […]

We understand that Paragon Bank is now interviewing some if not all new clients who are applying for new BTL mortgages and that one of their questions is whether incorporation has been considered. We want to understand this better, so if you’ve had one of those interviews please reach out to us in the comments […]

The Nationwide House Price Index for August indicates a monthly fall in prices of 0.8% feeding through cumulatively to an annual drop of 5.3%. The average price of a property (not seasonally adjusted) now stands at £259,153 down £14,600 from the last August peak in 2022. Market activity in the first 6 months of 2023 […]

The Scottish property market has seen a slight dip in average house prices over the last year, but newbuild and detached homes have bucked the trend and recorded positive growth, data reveals. The findings from lettings and estate agents DJ Alexander show that from July 2022 to June 2023, the average house price in Scotland […]

Around 170 university students in Huddersfield have found themselves in a desperate scramble to secure new accommodation after being abruptly evicted from what was once touted as ‘luxury’ housing. The purpose-built student accommodation, which boasted a cinema room, gym and other student amenities, is reportedly being repurposed to house hundreds of asylum seekers. The affected […]

Two private landlords who breached planning laws and ignored council warnings have been handed hefty fines of more than £250,000. Ealing Council acted in the two unconnected cases after the landlords failed to follow planning rules and ignored the council’s planning enforcement team over warnings for properties in Southall and Perivale. Ealing Council’s cabinet member […]

Hello, I am a landlord of a flat within an estate and have been paying service charges to a property management company (Company B). The maintenance for the estate appears to be controlled by a limited company (company A) which had three directors and the property manager co-acted for company A in doing the maintenance […]