A study has found that while 53% of private tenants subscribe to a TV streaming service like Netflix, only 51% have contents insurance for their rented homes. The findings from general insurance provider Paymentshield, highlight that this proportion increases to 60% for those aged between 25-54. Although the percentage of renters with contents insurance has […]

HMRC’s latest data reveals a staggering drop in UK property transactions, signalling a potential slowdown in the housing market. In April 2023, the provisional non-seasonally adjusted estimate for residential transactions plummeted to 67,220 – that’s a 32% decrease compared to last year. And it is a 29% decline from March 2023. The seasonally adjusted figures […]

Hello, I have a property which is rented out via a letting agent with full management service. The current agreement was signed by both parties in 2018 with a monthly % management service fee and fixed costs for renewals there is no end date to the contract. The latest terms of business were requested in […]

The Renters’ Reform Bill is a prime opportunity for landlords to reassess their property portfolios and objectives before the proposed legislation reshapes the private rented sector (PRS), one firm says. Guy Coggrave, the managing director at GSC Grays, says now could be the perfect time for landlords to restructure their investments or explore new opportunities. […]

Hello, 99% of landlords have an Electrical Installation Conditions Report (EICR) in place, which determines the electrical condition of the property’s electrics. However, I am still going into properties that have older-type fuse boards – some even with rewireable fuses. This goes down as a code 3 (needs improvement) but a code 3 does not […]

Taking a farm building that had fallen into disrepair and turning it into a stunning double barn conversion shows that Hunnings Homes has gone above and beyond to win Commercial Property Conversion of the Year at the Property Investors Awards. The award recognises investors who demonstrate excellent project management and social impact in the property […]

Hi all, I am in the process of moving abroad. My income from overseas would be considerably larger and I was planning to invest it into Buy to Let in the UK. The broker I usually speak to practically said it would not be possible as an expat with income abroad to get funding for […]

On Wednesday 24 May, inflation was announced at 8.7% short of the 8.2% predicted level and a gaping gap from the target of 2%. Core inflation (inflation minus food and energy) increased from 6.2% to 6.8%. Food inflation is currently running at 19.1%, the highest for over 40 years. This resulted in 2-year Swap rates […]

Birmingham City Council, the largest council housing landlord in the country, has come under fire for failing to meet regulatory standards and adequately maintain its homes. The Regulator of Social Housing has revealed that the council, responsible for managing 60,000 properties, has breached the Homes Standard and the Tenant Involvement and Empowerment Standard. During their […]

Landlords searching for the perfect buy to let mortgage deal are in for a shock as growing numbers of lenders are pulling their products from the market, research reveals. The latest analysis by Moneyfactscompare.co.uk found that dwindling options are available to both residential and buy-to-let borrowers, with a significant impact on average mortgage rates. In […]

A whopping 75% of landlords are in a furry fury and will raise rents in response to the upcoming Renter’s Reform Bill which aims to make it harder to refuse tenants with pets, a survey reveals. Mortgages for Business, a specialist buy-to-let broker, surveyed landlords and discovered that 17% plan to increase rents without altering […]

Hello, I am in process of selling a 1 bed flat and need to extend the lease. The lease has approx. 53 years to run. The flat is valued at around £170,000. The lessor has proposed a premium of around £28,000 for an extension of 72 years. Is it usual/possible to negotiate the premium? Does […]

Lettings agents in The Guild of Property Professionals are sounding the alarm bells, claiming that the Renters’ Reform Bill could be the knockout punch that forces countless landlords out of the private rented sector (PRS). One agent has dubbed the proposed legislation as the ‘straw that broke the camel’s back’ because the proposed ban on […]

Faced with rising mortgage rates and mounting costs, a wave of landlords is opting to sell their properties, leading to a surge in the availability of affordable homes, Zoopla reveals. The housing platform says that 11% of homes currently listed for sale were previously rented out, marking a decline from the pandemic-driven peak of 14% […]

Propertymark has thrown its weight behind proposals for stricter regulations to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning in residential properties. The organisation for letting agents has teamed up with cross-party think tank Policy Connect and the All-Party Parliamentary Carbon Monoxide Group. The move comes after the Welsh Government’s consultation was unveiled on the mandatory installation of carbon […]

Hello, We rent an annex to our property, which has access to our garden. It is not possible to block this, but we have always had a verbal agreement with tenants that they have use of a private fenced off terrace outside their kitchen but not the main garden. Never had a problem. In the […]

Hi, I have a tenant that has been here for about nine years. I replaced all the carpets throughout the property a couple of years ago and he replaced the kitchen flooring with laminate. He has just messaged me to say he’s completely infested with carpet moths and they have seriously damaged all the carpets. […]

Hello, I had a heat source air pump salesman visit 3 properties. My case was very clear – I’m only doing the work if it’ll make the EPC move from a D to a C – otherwise its pointless. He said – 2 houses forget it. But on 1 house … it’ll be worth it. […]

In a call that will cause dismay among landlords in the capital, one organisation is urging for MORE devolved licensing powers to be handed to London’s councils. A think tank called Centre for London has published a report entitled: ‘Licence to Let: How property licensing could better protect private renters’. The report says that the […]

The tax benefits associated with retiring or otherwise relocating to Malta can be significant. This is something I know firsthand because my wife and I took that leap back in 2016. Below is a very short summary of some of the tax benefits my wife and I have enjoyed whilst living in Malta. You can […]

Many landlords are reporting that it has become increasingly difficult to remortgage as a result of higher interest rates affecting lenders’ affordability calculations. Last week I spoke to one landlord whose mortgage interest is now greater than his gross rental income, even though the LTV across his whole portfolio is only 54%. This is becoming […]