Page 325 – Property118

The UK’s best and worst rental yield spots revealed

31st March 2023

Research that could help landlords and potential property investors alike has been published that highlights the best and worst rental yield spots in the UK. According to Track Capital it has never been more important for investors to weigh up the facts before choosing an area that is right for investment. That’s because landlords need […]

pic of extractor fan for a tenant's bathroom landlord question property118

Do I need a bathroom extractor?

31st March 2023

Hello, I have a flat in a listed building with an existing window in the bathroom which is suitably sized. IF it is opened as needed there would be no need for an extractor. Two previous tenants lived here, a single guy and then a family of 4 with no issues of excessive condensation, ie […]

Complaining tenants are ‘twice as likely’ to be evicted – Shelter claims

31st March 2023

A private tenant who complains to their landlord about the state of their property is more than twice as likely to be evicted than a tenant who does not complain, the homeless charity Shelter says. The organisation has carried out research and found that a renter who has complained to their landlord, local council or […]

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Landlords will have until 2028 to hit EPC target – claim

30th March 2023

Landlords will have five years to reach planned EPC targets for ALL rented homes, and the new cap on costs will be £10,000, a newspaper reveals. The Telegraph says the government will announce the new deadline after responding to fears that landlords do not have time to meet the proposed 1 April 2025 target. And […]

Pic of Newham - HMO flat dilemma for landlord

HMO dilemma?

30th March 2023

Hello all, We have a 7 bed flat which will eventually be split in 2 small units. However, we have been approached by an individual who is keen to take the property on as an HMO. They have a few currently and will become the licence holder. We have been advised verbally by licensing (Newham) […]

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Property sales ‘plummet’ after interest rate rises

30th March 2023

Property sales have plummeted by up to 40% in some areas of the UK, according to new research. The findings from Moverly reveal the average number of monthly transactions have dipped by 25% since interest rates first started to climb in December 2021. Those rate rises have now seen a reduction of 40% in the […]

Pic of a contract of employment for tenant referencing landlord question property118

Ever seen a McDonald’s employment contract like this?

30th March 2023

Hi all, Has anyone ever come across a McDonald’s work contract in the course of tenant referencing? This is the one that was sent to me earlier this week: Dear N Employment details We’re delighted to confirm your appointment as Crew Member with McDonald’s at our restaurant situated at BRISTOL …. [address that follows is incorrect […]

England’s hottest rental market is…

30th March 2023

Landlords with properties to rent in Cornwall currently have the nation’s hottest rental market, a rental demand index reveals. The findings from estate and lettings agent, Barrows and Forrester, show tenant demand is not the highest there – but the county has also seen the largest increase in 2023. The index gauges tenant demand for […]

Landlord opening trickle vent to ventilate a rented property

Can I remove the inner trickle vent covers?

30th March 2023

Hello, I have a tenants that will not open the trickle vents. Most of the trickle vents seem to be open along with the windows when the letting agent or myself is visiting the property for repairs or checks to make it seem as though they are ventilating the property. I had the windows replaced […]

Renters are struggling to meet rent increases – The DPS

30th March 2023

Half of the renters who moved home in the past year say they worry about paying higher rents – with their bill rising between £51 and £200 more every month, The DPS says. The Deposit Protection Service (The DPS) says that just under a quarter (23%) of the 2,000 tenants it questioned in England and […]

Pic of house reinstatement demolished property118

Time for your re-instatement building quote? Read this first!

30th March 2023

Hello, If it’s time for your re-instatement quote for your block building insurance please learn from our mistake. We have just had our insurance re-instatement done which involved a site visit by the insurance broker. Our block of 7 flats and 1 commercial unit are in Harrogate town centre, North Yorkshire. Imagine my astonishment when […]

Landlords selling up will keep rent inflation high

29th March 2023

The latest rental market report from Zoopla offers tenants little hope that rents will begin falling any time soon – as landlords ‘rationalise their portfolios’ or leave the market altogether. Zoopla says that rent inflation in March has slowed to 11.1% – down from the high of 12.3% that was recorded in the middle of […]

Person calculating housing expenses with receipts, calculator, and financial documents.

Advice needed about a letting agent’s full management contract?

29th March 2023

Hello, I have full a full management service with a letting agent who conducts property inspections and sends me a copy of their report, along with any recommendations. However, a few months after their inspection, the council conducted their own inspections and identified six recommendations for repairs that were not included in the letting agent’s […]

More than half of rents in the PRS have risen in the last year

29th March 2023

“Runaway rents” are crushing the finances of tenants, according to Hargreaves Lansdown. A report by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on changes in the PRS from February 2022 to February 2023 has revealed that 51% of properties surveyed had seen a rent increase. The average hike was 10% – up from 7% a year […]

Estate agent executive commenting on government housing policies

Slowing market hits homebuying activity

29th March 2023

A slowing house market in the first quarter of the year has seen homebuyer activity drop by 22% compared to last year, an index reveals. The homebuyer demand index by GetAgent.co.uk also shows that homebuyer demand slipped by 5.7% in the first three months of 2023. The estate agent comparison site looks at the property […]

Pic of landlord legally removing a tenants car property118

How to legally remove a vehicle belonging to a deceased lodger?

29th March 2023

Hello, a licenced lodger passed away in January 2023 and left damage which I had to completely replace and his car is in the allocated parking space. He was separated from his wife since 2019 and she is now the executor of his estate. She has cleared the flat of his belongs. Four weeks ago, […]

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Large unexpected rise in buy-to-let mortgages

29th March 2023

While the mortgage market might be declining, buy to let investors and those remortgaging have delivered the largest uptick in activity, research reveals. However, Octane Capital says that home movers remain the largest category within residential mortgage lending. Shift in the landscape The lender’s chief executive, Jonathan Samuels, said: “The residential mortgage sector is yet […]

Pic of locksmith changing night latch for tenants who pays property118

Emergency lock change (faulty lock) – Is the tenant liable?

29th March 2023

Hi, Last Sunday evening, our lock decided to fail (ERA night latch). All of a sudden, the key would not be able to turn the lock. My flatmates, who were inside, could not open the door either, the latch was simply stuck and would not turn despite countless attempts at it. When it was clear […]

Businessperson tearing a contract in half, symbolizing termination of an agreement

Right of Cancellation for a property management service?

28th March 2023

Hello, I invoked a Right of Cancellation for a property management service within the 14 day period, using the method defined in their terms of business and based on the The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 recommendation. I welcome peoples’ view of the defence points raised to my money claim online, […]

‘Difficult times’ predicted for Scotland’s tenants with new First Minister

28th March 2023

Tenants in Scotland could face ‘difficult times’ with the announcement that Humza Yousaf has won the race to replace Nicola Sturgeon as leader of the SNP and First Minister. One critic says that Mr Yousaf’s ‘negative attitude’ to the private rented sector (PRS) will see higher rents, more tenant evictions and fewer homes to rent. […]

Landlord concerns grow over capital gains tax changes

28th March 2023

Nearly half of landlords are concerned about capital gains tax changes, according to a new survey. The findings from Finbri reveal that 45% of landlords have expressed concern about the potential impact of capital gains tax (CGT) on their investments. In the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement on 17 November 2022, it was announced that capital gains […]