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Houses of Parliament in London viewed from across the River Thames

BUDGET DAY: What the PRS wants the Chancellor to do

14th March 2023

Landlords and property investors will be watching Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to see what is in store for the private rented sector (PRS) in tomorrow’s Budget. Among those urging the Chancellor to help landlords is the National Residential Landlords’ Association (NRLA) which is calling for a tax review of how private rented housing is taxed. Its […]

Virgin Media – Landlord Wayleave Form?

14th March 2023

Hello, My tenant has just sent me an email from Virgin Media asking for her to gain permission from the landlord to allow her to have internet set up at a flat. Virgin Media want me to sign a Wayleave Form. On the one hand its nice to be asked for a change – I’ve […]

Buildings insurance for leaseholders

Implications of a bankrupt freeholder?

14th March 2023

Hello, does any one know the implications for myself and 4 fellow leaseholders of the freeholder of our lease being declared bankrupt and his affairs now being under administration by insolvency agents? Our buildings insurance is up for renewal in April. We have a management company, initially instructed by the freeholder, but they have not […]

Popularity of ‘bills included’ rental properties soars

14th March 2023

As the cost-of-living crisis continues, it is causing a massive increase in people seeking bills included rental properties. In a study of Zoopla data, Money.co.uk has revealed the top 10 cities in England and Wales for bills included rentals. Areas in the UK with highest percentage of rental properties with bills included Preston was the […]

Renters worry about how interest rate rises will affect them

14th March 2023

Two-thirds of tenants say they worry about the impact of rising interest rates on their rent – and whether they will have a home, a survey reveals. The findings from Finbri highlight another survey carried out by them revealed 53% of landlords are planning to raise rents if interest rates rise. And now 63% of […]

MPs back Ben Beadle after Guardian slam claims of landlord exodus

13th March 2023

MPs have backed the National Residential Landlords Association’s Ben Beadle after the Guardian newspaper claimed he was ‘making up stories’ about a landlord exodus from the Private Rented Sector (PRS). In its report, the Guardian said Mr Beadle made the claim as part of a lobbying effort last September to change the tax rules for […]

Landlords reveal likes and dislikes about the PRS

13th March 2023

A massive 72% of landlords believe the private rented sector is fit for purpose, according to a new survey. The findings from the Property Redress Scheme reveal that the main reasons for their satisfaction was that the private rented sector (PRS) provides a regular income, and the current regulations offer landlords protection. However, of the […]

Pic of frustrated landlord because a tenant will not leave.

Tenant refuses to leave until council re-house her?

13th March 2023

Hi, I have an issue with a tenant who is refusing to leave after I served a section 21 notice. I am forced to sell as my mortgage has soared over £3,000 a month and rental income is only £1,600! I have sold the property at a massively reduced price for the same price I […]

One in five landlords have negative feelings about the PRS

13th March 2023

One in five landlords (19%) feel negatively about their business and point to government interference, market uncertainty and negativity about landlords as the reasons why, a survey reveals. The findings from Landbay found that 46% of landlords remain positive about the future of their buy-to-let business and investments, while 35% are neutral. Of the landlords […]

Opportunities for UK Landlords to take tax efficient ‘time out’

12th March 2023

Did you know, there are currently 15 countries where UK landlords can get a special visa to live for a year or more, pay no tax in those countries, and potentially benefit from significantly lower taxation in the UK? The above could be very appealing, especially if you can find a way to run your […]

Knight-themed Landlord Crusader logo symbolizing landlord advocacy

Can landlords afford a rent freeze in the UK?

10th March 2023

I can’t say that I am surprised at the news that Labour Mayors, trade unions and rent activists are calling for a rent freeze – not on the grounds of saving tenants a few quid, but because landlords can afford it. The latest wheeze underlines my prediction that a rent freeze or a rent cap […]

Portrait of a business leader in suit and tie

Eviction moratorium ‘sham’ as eviction cases soar in Scotland

10th March 2023

Scotland’s moratorium on evictions has been branded as a ‘sham’ by critics after revelations that the number of tenants facing eviction is more than double the usual number. This week, the Scottish Government announced that a rent cap and a ban on evictions would remain until September. However, the number of eviction cases being listed […]

Homeless charity joins with home furnishing company

10th March 2023

IKEA has teamed up with Shelter to reveal the ‘realities’ of the UK’s ‘housing emergency’. The furniture giant and the housing charity have launched a campaign to raise awareness of the real-life living conditions of people who are forced into temporary accommodation. The ‘Real Life Roomsets’ in four IKEA stores will show the cramped and […]

Waiting for the ‘right’ moment to invest?

10th March 2023

Fact: In the last 50 years, property prices have only fallen during four of those years. So, if you were waiting to time your run to perfection to invest in property with the exact moment prices hit rock bottom, think again. You know what they say… Strike while the iron’s hot. But when investors wait, […]

Extending lease on a flat with Nottingham City Council?

10th March 2023

Hello, I’ve been reading a thread from August 2021 about experiences of extending leases. The information from Mick Roberts was very useful but it’s not clear how the lease extensions concluded. I’m involved in a similar process, extending a lease on a one bedroom flat (90 yrs left) with Nottingham city council. I’d be interested to […]

Paragon Bank unveils its new limited-edition five-year fixes

10th March 2023

Paragon Bank has announced the launch of four limited edition five-year fixed rate buy-to-let mortgages. The new products are available to portfolio landlords – that is those with four or more buy-to-let mortgaged properties – in England, Scotland and Wales. The products have up to 75% loan-to-value (LTV), with a maximum loan of £4 million […]

pic of woman landlord struggling with selective licensing forms property118

Landlords criticised for not completing Selective Licensing forms

10th March 2023

A council has criticised landlords in its area for not completing its selective licensing forms properly and says that out of 700 applications they have received, three quarters are missing vital information. That then leads to a delay for the council in granting the licence because the landlord has to be chased to supply the […]

Propertymark reveals confusion over regulations

10th March 2023

Since the launch of the ‘biggest shake up’ in Welsh Housing law, there have been concerns from landlords around the confusing regulation, Propertymark says. The Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2011 made several key changes to housing law in Wales, and now works alongside the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019. Propertymark says whilst the […]

Houses of Parliament and Big Ben overlooking the River Thames during overcast weather, supporting article on UK housing standards

Renters Reform Bill – Free webinar March 21st

10th March 2023

The Renters Reform bill is gathering pace and could enter parliament as early as May. There are 12 proposals being put forward that could significantly effect the way Landlords currently run their property businesses. Are you up to speed? If not, join our free upcoming webinar on the 21st March where I, will be joined […]

Self-managing landlords looking to switch to agents

10th March 2023

Fears about the future of the private rented sector (PRS) are leaving many landlords considering whether they should sell up or switch to using an agent, research reveals. The findings from Uswitch highlight that 63% of private landlords would consider using a property manager or a letting agency. And almost a third (29%) of landlords […]