Page 317 – Property118
Puzzle pieces highlighting partnership values like collaboration, trust, and goals

Why Might UK Landlords Consider a Partnership?

7th March 2023

UK landlords may consider a Partnership structure for a number of reasons, including: 1. Cost: It might be prohibitively expensive to sell properties to a Limited Company for tax planning purposes, especially if HMRC wouldn’t regard them to be qualified as a Business Partnership for at least three years. This is because a significant amount […]

Pic of for sale does landlord need epc cert for sale property118

Do I have to renew EPC?

7th March 2023

Hello, Can someone please help? I am in my 70’s and only let two properties, I’m not an experienced landlord. I have had a tenant in a property for 7 years and never put the rent up in all that time. I wanted to have the property back to sell and allow us more money […]

Business leader discussing UK property market outlook amid Budget uncertainty

PRS will drop £224bn in value if ‘accidental landlords’ leave

7th March 2023

If amateur or accidental landlords are eradicated from the private rented sector (PRS), there would be 383,600 fewer homes to rent – and £223.5bn would be wiped from the value of the PRS market, research reveals. The findings from specialist property lending experts, Octane Capital, suggest that a string of legislative changes could lead to […]

legal letter from tenant to landlord about mould in flat property118

Evidence from solicitors?

6th March 2023

Hello, I have a tenant who has contacted a solicitor regarding the condition of the flat’s drainage problem, mould, damp and mice infestation. I received a letter from her solicitor just after Christmas regarding the problems she says she has. In the letter, they said they would be sending out a surveyor within five days […]

Pic of Govt poster to highlight mould complaints in social housing property118

Flagship government campaign empowers social tenants to complain

6th March 2023

A new government campaign will urge social housing tenants to complain about substandard housing as part of its flagship ‘Make it right’ campaign. Housing Secretary Michael Gove is urging tenants to make their voices heard by complaining to their landlord before escalating an issue to the Housing Ombudsman if they are unhappy with the landlord’s […]

EPC accuracy and financial decisions?

6th March 2023

Hello, Landlords are relying on an EPC to be accurate. Significant decisions are being made based on the EPC information. These decisions will affect tenants. I did comment in the following thread: Two-thirds of landlords doubtful about purchase of non-EPC compliant properties I wasn’t being prickly. I am genuinely trying to understand. We had an EPC […]

BTL investors see a surge in product choice

6th March 2023

BTL product choice has recovered from the market chaos that followed the mini-Budget in September with landlords and investors now seeing the number of buy to let mortgages available reaching levels not seen since August last year, research reveals. The analysis by Moneyfacts.co.uk shows that BTL mortgage availability, both fixed and variable, has been improving […]

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Fire test certificate needed?

6th March 2023

Hello, I let a 5 bed semi detached. The house is over 2 floors, ground and first. I have radio controlled fire safety fitted in the hall and landing. My local authority is asking for a fire test safety certificate. I have never been asked before. I have had a licence for the last 10 […]

NEW Paragon 5 yr fixed rate for single units, HMOs and multi-unit blocks

6th March 2023

Paragon Mortgages have introduced a new 5-year fixed rate mortgage to their Buy-to-Let portfolio product range. With a fixed fee of £2495, this is perfect for larger loans which usually have to pay a % of the loan amount as an arrangement fee to the lender. For example, a typical 3% lender’s fee on a […]

Rent Controls – Should we be scared?

5th March 2023

At the time I sold my last business in 2013, I was renting a house. I had owned, extended and refurbished many homes before and had also owned a portfolio of flats. But when the money from my business sale hit my bank account I did not own any property. It was a life-changing sum […]

PropSourcer website looks just like ours

5th March 2023

This is a heart-warming story of how a potentially very nasty contentious litigation battle was not only avoided but was also transformed into something that could well become a lifelong friendship and lucrative two-way business relationship. It began around six weeks ago when I was doing some keyword research for SEO marketing purposes and stumbled […]

Are councils acting illegally when telling tenants to stay put?

3rd March 2023

Are councils following the law when telling tenants to stay put when they are facing eviction to protect them? Or is the council simply kicking the can further down the road? The simple answer is – no-one seems to know. And this Property118 investigation highlights the confusion and mystery that surrounds the stance taken by […]

The number 1 skill for property investors… Not what you think

3rd March 2023

What’s the #1 most important thing you need to be a successful property investor? For 9 out of 10 people, the answer is always the same: Money… After all, more money, more deals, right? But not so fast… Because in reality, even the richest investors run out of money (never mind the rest of us). […]

City council urges ‘Awaab’s law’ to cover ALL rented homes

3rd March 2023

Planned legislation known as ‘Awaab’s law’ that will make councils and housing associations fix reported health hazards – including damp and mould – within strict new time limits should be extended to private rented homes too, one council suggests. Oxford City Council is following in the footsteps of Citizens’ Advice which made a similar call […]

Close-up of a tenancy agreement being signed by a tenant

Proof of tenancy for UC?

3rd March 2023

Hello, My excellent tenant of 8 years standing wishes to apply for universal credit. The requirements state : We will only accept the following documents: up-to-date tenancy agreement letter from your landlord or landlord’s agent rent book rent receipts The original agreement made in 2015 was a 12 month AST and is now monthly periodic. […]

Remortgaging landlords hit with high rates after failing affordability tests

2nd March 2023

Up to one in three buy-to-let landlords are struggling to remortgage after failing their lender’s affordability test, a BTL mortgage broker has revealed. The research from Mortgages for Business shows that some buy-to-let investors are being forced to accept variable rates as high as 9.5% because they have failed remortgaging affordability. The broker also reveals […]

Landlords are quitting the PRS because of Government ‘indifference’

2nd March 2023

A property expert has slammed the government’s ‘indifference’ for the growing crisis in the private rented sector (PRS) as landlords flee and fewer investors step in. That’s the view of Jonathan Rolande of the National Association of Property Buyers. He said: “Landlords are in the peculiar position of being a minority apparently hated by all […]

Portrait of a business leader in suit and tie

House prices in Scotland start to flatline

2nd March 2023

Scotland’s average house price is flattening – but some property types have not yet peaked, one firm of lettings and estate agents says. DJ Alexander says that Land Registry data for last year show that while average house prices began to flatline at the end of 2022, there are geographic areas and property types which […]

Tax incentives for energy efficiencies urged for landlords in Wales

2nd March 2023

Tax incentives that would help landlords deliver energy efficiencies in private rented housing should be introduced in Wales, a report by MSs urges. That’s according to a new report from Members of the Senedd on decarbonising private housing. The Senedd’s Climate Change Committee argues that the Welsh Government should look at how to use Council […]

Educating tenants and property visits are key in fighting mould

2nd March 2023

Landlords should be educating their tenants and inspecting properties regularly in a bid to combat the issues that come with dangerous mould, one organisation says. No Letting Go also points out that ‘proactive ventilation’ can help reduce the risk of damp and mould in rental properties. The inventory specialists warn that letting agents and landlords […]