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Leasehold rights from freeholder property118.com

Freeholder administration charges for permission to let?

10th January 2023

Hello, I own a leasehold flat with 900 years lease, no service charges and peppercorn ground rent. My lease states I need to obtain permission from the management company in order to let the flat out, and they are entitled to charge surveyor’s fees of no more than 4 Guineas. After emailing my management company to […]

Landlords warn that energy efficiency plans are ‘dead in the water’

10th January 2023

Landlords are warning that plans to improve the energy efficiency of homes in the private rented sector (PRS) are ‘dead in the water’ because the Government has failed to respond to a consultation on the issue which closed two years ago. Originally, a target for all new tenancies in the PRS to have an energy […]

Landlord accreditation scheme closing property118.com

Landlord Accreditation Scheme closing?

10th January 2023

Hello, I’m interested in what your opinions are about this. I’ve received an email from my local Accreditation Scheme, advising that the council can’t afford to run it any longer. A decision is being made on 28th February! We apparently will get a pro rata refund of the annual fee. I wonder why it was […]

2023’s housing market will be ‘calmer’

10th January 2023

2023’s housing market will be a lot calmer than has been seen in the last two years because the economic downturn has hit both demand and sales, one leading real expert says. The managing director of Fine & Country, Nicky Stevenson, says that property trends appear to be heading back to those last seen in […]

Wooden house model beside a paper with the word “BENEFIT,” symbolizing housing benefit payments.

Why not pay Housing Benefit directly to Landlords?

9th January 2023

Housing Benefit is paid to tenants to cover their housing costs (sorry for stating the obvious). There would be numerous benefits to landlords, tenants, Gov.uk and local authorities if it were paid directly. So why is this not already official policy or on @RishiSunak’s To Do list? How would it work? A tenant who is […]

British Gas homecare checking boiler landlord servicing property118.com

Homecare maintenance contracts – alternatives to British Gas?

9th January 2023

Hello, I’ve had BG boiler plumbing and drains homecare contract cover for some 20 years now for a modest portfolio of London properties and the service has been good – things like appointments or 24 hour service so you can book plumbers in the middle of the night (the only spare time I get). I […]

Student tenants unpaid utility bill property118.com

Will student tenants leave the utility bill?

9th January 2023

Hello, my question is, I have a buy to let property, and have noticed my tenants’ gas and electric bill is outstanding at £2,600. They are overseas students so when they disappear will I, the landlord, be responsible for paying it? Thank you, Shahin

Burglar breaking in landlord insurance claim property118.com

Claiming back building insurance excess?

9th January 2023

Hello, I had someone break into my commercial property (let to a tenant). The Police were called as a passer-by was able to apprehend the guy and keep hold of him till they arrived (Well done that man!). The shop tenant was able to give full CCTV footage clearly showing it was the same person […]

Bathroom work not completed property118.com

Work not completing on time?

9th January 2023

Hi, I have provided a job for bathroom renovation. The guy took a huge advance of £3,000 two weeks starting work to order materials. He initially said it will be completed in 5 days. But he started and did not come for 3 days and cited various reasons. In 11 days over 3 week period […]

covenant explanation deed of property118.com

Lodger or not a lodger?

9th January 2023

Hi everyone, In 2010 my mother gave me the family home (transfer of equity) the solicitor at the time suggested adding a covenant to affect that I couldn’t evict my mother when the transfer was complete. This was never my intention. Fast forward to 2017 when I met my girlfriend. I moved into her home […]

House sale profits exceed £100k for the first time

9th January 2023

Despite a slowing market and a recent drop in prices, it has been revealed that house sellers are racking up more than £100k in profit for the first time. The figures from Hamptons show that for 94% of sellers who sold up last year, they sold for more than they had paid – and they […]

Rents fall by £1 but tenants look set to struggle

9th January 2023

The rents for new tenancies in the UK fell in December for the first time in more than a year, figures reveal. According to HomeLet, the average rent dropped 0.1% – or £1 – since November to £1,174 – though every region continues to see annual rent price growth. Tenants in London saw rents fall […]

Plumber repairs landlord's boiler nrla property118.com

NRLA unveils tie-up with YourRepair

9th January 2023

The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has launched a new partnership with a leading provider of flexible boiler and emergency cover, YourRepair. As a result, NRLA members will be able to get comprehensive boiler cover enabling them to call on YourRepair should they need urgent assistance. In addition, members will also benefit from a discounted […]

Meet Mark Smith (Barrister-At-Law) Landlord tax planning strategies – PPN Stratford

6th January 2023

Our Hon. Legal Counsel, Mark Smith, Head of Chambers at Cotswold Barristers, will be presenting in person an overview of several landlord tax strategies at the Progressive Property Network Stratford meeting Tuesday 10th January. Workable, 19th Floor 1 Westfield Avenue, Stratford London E20 1HZ Welcome to PPN Stratford! Our PPN in Stratford is a unique […]

Important news about property investment in 2023

6th January 2023

In 2023, many investors will choose to give up, and sell up, before they run through their cash savings entirely, and that’s without mentioning the recession, falling house prices (coming soon), and rising rent prices (happening already). What does this mean for property investors? Beyond the doom and gloom, there’s a lot to get excited […]

Knight-themed Landlord Crusader logo symbolizing landlord advocacy

Landlords: Give this article about future renting problems to your tenants

6th January 2023

As the headline says, landlords who want to explain just how difficult life is right now to their tenants should give them this article. For tenants who believe we should have a rent freeze and all landlords are evil, then be prepared for a shock. It’s a new year and we can expect critics to […]

property prices, rents,

The UK’s house price hotspot is revealed

6th January 2023

According to Rightmove, average asking prices for homes were 5.6% higher across Great Britain at the end of 2022 than they were at the same time in 2021 – but one area did exceptionally well. In a list dominated by towns in the South East, it was a small town in Nottinghamshire that picked up […]

council tax bill resolving landlord or tenant liability property118.com

Council tax liability?

6th January 2023

Hello, My tenant had a two years AST but she left after 18 months. The council made her liable for council tax and she appealed. I was not involved in the tribunal hearing. She won the appeal saying the landlord agreed to end the tenancy, which I did not. The council then put the council […]

Letting agents predict 2023 will be tough for tenants

6th January 2023

The private rented sector (PRS) will endure a tough 2023 with rising rents and more tenants falling into arrears, the UK Association of Letting Agents (UKALA) warns. A survey of 1,100 members in England, Scotland and Wales is predicting that tenants will find the next 12 months increasingly difficult with 79% of agents predicting that […]

The UK’s house prices continue to fall

6th January 2023

Average house prices in the UK have fallen for the fourth consecutive month with the prospect that an annual price fall is likely, Halifax reports. In December, average house prices fell by -1.5% and the annual rate of growth dropped to +2.0%. According to the data, the average UK property now costs £281,272, that’s down […]

Bernie Wales: Why leasehold law is never boring

5th January 2023

He’s a well-known character among landlords and for anyone interested in leasehold property management, he is the ‘leasehold guru’. And with 40 years of experience in the sector, Bernie has built up lots of experience. He also warns that many leaseholders will need to take note of a new law taking effect that could have […]