Hello, I’ve been a BTL landlord for over 6 years but in that time we have had tax changes, legislation changes, and now increased interest rates/running costs and possibly stricter letting rules to come. Is it even worth the risk of expanding now or is it best to invest somewhere else in the meantime? In […]

Despite forecasts of a downturn due to rising interest rates, average house prices in Scotland continuing rising, data reveals. Estate and letting agents DJ Alexander, show that average house prices rose by 1.57% between June 2022 and May 2023. House prices in Edinburgh grew by 3.35% with an average price of £334,118 – that’s the […]

The latest data reveals that rents have risen in every region of the UK with the average price now at £1,243 in July – that’s up 10.3% in a year and 1.1% from June. The figures from Homelet also reveal that rents outside of London are now £1,037. But tenants in the capital are facing […]

Hello, I own a 1900 solid brick small workers’ cottage. It’s been fully renovated, new roof, new DG and electric heaters with no mains gas. My EPC is currently an E. I ask the assessor if I put in mains gas central heating how many points would my EPC increase by. He said he couldn’t […]

Hi, According to my agent, my tenants have said they would like to re-carpet throughout at their expense which they say would cost them about £2,500. In view of the expense, they have asked for a guarantee of a long term agreement, although they have not specified a period. At the moment I have no […]

The housing market faced yet another setback as the average house price saw a decline of -0.3% in July, Halifax reports. Its data shows this is the fourth consecutive monthly drop, and it is an average drop in value of £1,000. However, signs of resilience are emerging, driven by increased market activity, though Southern England […]

In a strange situation, a letting agency has asked a landlord to be a guarantor for their own tenants. This means should the tenants stop paying the rent it will be the landlord who covers their payments. The PRS redress schemes make it clear in their conduct codes that guarantors are separate to landlords and […]

Tenants should be protected from eviction for six years after their home’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) has been improved to help encourage them to apply for grants to help pay for the work. That’s the verdict of Generation Rent which says that energy efficiency grants have been provided to owner-occupiers at a rate five times […]

Hello, I have a tenant who is 6 months behind in rent.  To my shame and embarrassment, I’ve only just noticed as it is a block of flats and I own them all so the bills were still being paid. I noticed there wasn’t as much money in the account as I expected yesterday and […]

New government figures on Capital Gains Tax (CGT) point to a significant number of landlords leaving the buy to let sector, according to one wealth management firm. Quilter says the data reflects a wave of landlords who are exiting the market due to rising mortgage rates, reforms in the private rented sector (PRS), and the […]

With interest rates on the rise, landlords may face some challenges, particularly those without fixed mortgages. However, amidst the potential uncertainties, there are also opportunities that can be harnessed within the Private Rented Sector (PRS). One immediate benefit is the increased demand for rental properties. As interest rates fluctuate, the housing market remains unpredictable and […]

Landlords! Are you fully up to date with the law? Are you worried that you are not complying with all of your legal obligations? Would you like a quick refresher course? Starting on 7 August 2023 – Landlord Law will be running a new 20-part FREE email series to bring you up to date with […]

We’ve all been hearing about the government’s green plan for the private rented sector. But are the plans actually as ‘green’ as they make out to be? The government believe heat pumps could be the answer to help tackle the energy-efficiency problem in PRS homes. This Property118 investigation looks at all the details to do […]

Hello, I have a long lease on a purpose-built flat in London which I occupy. Other flats in the block have been let by their leaseholders on ASTs. The block has become very rundown and requires extensive work. Some of the ’renters’ (those with an AST) have complained to the local council about the conditions […]

Landlords who own properties with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D or lower are actively planning to improve their ratings to at least a C, research reveals. The findings from Landbay’s quarterly landlord survey indicate that nearly two-thirds of landlords (65%) currently possess properties rated D, E, F or G. However, 34% of […]

Generation Rent claims that three in five private renters (60%) have experienced higher rent demands in the past year – but 40% of tenants HAVE NOT seen their rents rise. The organisation’s survey also reveals that the number of tenants reporting rent hikes due to rising interest rates has tripled since the last survey in […]

Hello, the order for possession (accelerated procedure) orders the tenant to pay me fees. However, it also gives the following warning to the tenant: “If you do not pay the money owed when it is due and the claimant takes steps to enforce payment, the order will be registered in the Register of Judgments, Orders […]

Questions are being asked over a new government initiative that offers free expert legal advice – including having a lawyer in court – for tenants facing eviction or home repossession. Known as the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service, the scheme will provide legal support for up 38,000 people every year. The renter can access the […]

Hello, I rent out a residential property to a senior citizen. There is a garage which is full of her stuff from her previous house. The problem is the garage has a leaky roof which is corrugated asbestos. I have engaged a roofer to replace the asbestos with metal sheets and remove the existing (using […]

The Bank of England has implemented its 14th consecutive interest rate hike to address surging prices. The UK’s interest rate now stands at 5.25%, up by 0.25% from the previous 5%. The move marks the first time since April 2008 that the base rate has reached this level. While lower than July’s dramatic rise .5% […]

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted by a closer majority than last time of 6–3 to increase Bank Rate by a quarter of a percent, to 5.25%. Two MPC members voted to increase the rate by 0.5% and one member preferred to stabilise and make no change. This is with the backdrop […]