Hi all, Is it only me getting a bit sick of getting the blame for damp and mould in Victorian terraced properties, especially the solid stone walled type? Cold walls = condensation = eventually mould. When I inspect adjacent windows, the seals clearly show mould too, so a lack of ventilation. I think we should […]

House prices in the UK have fallen at their fastest rate since July 2009, a major house price index reveals. The data from Nationwide shows that prices are down 3.1% compared with March last year – the biggest fall in 14 years. It is also the seventh consecutive month that prices have fallen. Every region […]

You may be surprised to know that life insurance isn’t always about death. There are several different types of insurance, they all do different things and are made to cover certain aspects of finance. If it’s not for leaving millions of pounds behind, it’s for making sure your financial commitments are met. Or maybe to […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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) […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

“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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]