Page 337 – Property118
Woman looking up at a question mark sticky note on her forehead, symbolising uncertainty about renting through a Ltd company

Where is the Landlord registered?

15th February 2023

I hold the registered title of Absolute Guarantee to long residential Under Lease to flat and parking space. The residue of the Superior Lease transferred by the Developer to the Right to Manage Company (RMC) a registered limited company subject to a trust in which Leaseholders are Unitholders each hold a £1 paid-up share and […]

Stressed landlord reviewing bills and finances with calculator on desk

NRLA call for tax regime change as landlords face higher mortgage costs

15th February 2023

A third of private landlords with a buy-to-let mortgage face the prospect of higher costs this year, according to the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA).  The Bank of England has warned that by the end of the year, monthly repayments for buy-to-let landlords are expected to rise by £175. A fifth of landlords with such […]

man and laptop and graphs Property market predictions property118.com

Positive start to 2023 for property market?

15th February 2023

The housing market has seen a positive start to 2023 according to recent research from Rightmove and TwentyCi. Rightmove’s latest price index showed the average asking price for a property jumped 0.9% in January, up £3,301 from the month before. The Office of National Statistics (ONS) showed house prices were up 10.2% in the year […]

Warning signs highlighting tenancy fraud risks for landlords

54% of tenancy fraud involves fake payslips

15th February 2023

Over half of fraudulent rental applications in 2022 involved fake or doctored pay slips, according to new research.  The findings from Goodlord analysed 300,000 tenancy applications submitted by people looking to rent homes in 2022. Whilst only a tiny fraction – just 1 in 1,000 – of these applications were proved to be fraudulent, 54% […]

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Revealed: Largest number of house price reductions are in this area

14th February 2023

The South-East is home to the highest proportion of asking price reduced properties, according to new research.  Quick-buy firm House Buyer Bureau, says 21% of properties in the South-East are being reduced in price by almost 20%. The firm analysed the latest statistics on asking price reductions across the market in Britain using figures from […]

Full Management agent wants to charge me to complete a deposit claim?

14th February 2023

The managing agent I have been using on a Full Management basis is dragging its feet in making a deposit claim. It is now declaring that in order to present the statutory declaration there will be charges to be paid to them. This does not include any legal fees to have it witnessed although I […]

Home Office reveals landlords do not discriminate against tenants

14th February 2023

Landlords do not ‘systemically discriminate’ against tenants, according to a new Home Office report.  The government has published the findings of a evaluation into the operation of the Right to Rent Scheme. The scheme requires landlords of privately rented accommodation to conduct checks on all new tenants to establish if they have a legal right […]

Tenant claims deposit was given in cash?

14th February 2023

We are in dispute with a tenant that upped and left over a mouse in the house. That’s another story. However, they failed to read the meter on leaving and the electrical company have refused to refund them. They demanded we pay their electric bill and return their deposit. We have no record of a […]

Telegraph Property 118

Daily Telegraph wants to talk to landlords about regaining possession of their homes

14th February 2023

Are you a landlord who has recently experienced difficulties regaining possession of your property? Then, Alexa Phillips, personal finance reporter for the Telegraph, would like to speak with you. Alexa wants to talk to Property 118 readers about: Which eviction process did you use (eg section 21 or section 8)? What are the challenges you […]

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Tenant lied about receiving S8 Notice hearing adjourned?

14th February 2023

S.8 Notice was hand delivered and also posted 1st class, proof of postage and pictures showing delivery by hand were submitted. The Duty solicitor quoted Enfield v Devonish (1996, CofA) which the Judge had not heard of and was clearly frustrated and said it is not in dispute that the notice was served but there […]

Are you bold enough to show me yours?

14th February 2023

We are all feeling the effects of Section 24 and there is definitely some comfort in sharing the warmth and knowing you are not alone. I am always interested to hear stories of how much things have changed for our clients over the last few years and more latterly this has obviously centred largely around […]

Rent price increases easing

Prices still high but rent rises easing

14th February 2023

High price rises in rental sector to continue in 2023 but signs show it may soon slow down, predicts agency chief.  Figures point to a loosening of supply constraints that have been driving record rental increases. Rightmove reports the number of available homes to rent in the final quarter of 2022 was up 13% with the number of new properties to […]

Rear view of a woman with paint brush painting a wall

Making good to the original decor?

13th February 2023

I currently find myself in quite an unusual situation, please could I kindly ask what, if any experience, do the readers have of this? My Tenant of 4 years has given notice to end the tenancy.  The original letting agent closed their offices in the town some 3 years ago, the company went into bankruptcy […]

Client Money Protection rule breaches carry heavy fines

13th February 2023

There are six Government-approved Client Money Protection (CMP) schemes available to agents including one run by Propertymark The insurance schemes are designed to reimburse landlords and tenants if client money is stolen by a third party, lost, a letting agency misappropriates it or the business goes into administration. The Government made it compulsory for English […]

Thinking of moving your properties to a limited company? – Webinar 21st February

13th February 2023

We’re pleased to announce yet another addition to our ongoing series with Alphaletz, the Property Management Software for Landlords. If you’re considering moving your properties into a limited company for whatever reason, you’ll find this webinar incredibly helpful. We’ll talk about how this can be done, taking the necessary steps, and avoiding all the shortfalls […]

APPI – the ethical landlord’s organisation

13th February 2023

If you are an ethical landlord with concerns about how the private rented sector is viewed and care about your tenants, then the Association of Professional Property Investors (APPI) could be for you. The organisation’s Michelle Montgomery says there is a need for ethical landlords to work together to change the perception of the sector […]

Rent increase notice with calculator on top of tenancy letter

Section 13 rent increase and the Tribunal?

13th February 2023

Hello, my tenants are on a periodic tenancy, only because they refuse to sign a new Tenancy Agreement. Recently I served a section 13 to increase the rent up to the current market value, but the Tenant only offered fifty pounds, which I declined. Now he has gone to the Tribunal, and this is what […]

Guarantor liability questions post tenancy ending?

13th February 2023

Hi everyone, I am a guarantor on a 3-year AST ending this month, I would like to understand my liability after the contract ends. Unfortunately, the tenant has accumulated arrears and stopped paying in the last 6 months and also stopped any contact with the landlord and the agency. When I asked the tenant about […]

Shelter attacks large rise in Section 21 evictions

13th February 2023

Shelter has attacked Section 21 evictions as the leading cause of homelessness.  Chief Executive, Polly Neate, has highlighted the 143% rise in ‘no fault evictions’ recently revealed by new government figures. Up from 792 households between Oct and Dec 2021 and 1,924 between Oct and Dec 2022. The figures on repossession and evictions released by […]

heating complaints, property 118

Housing Ombudsman reveals unprecedented rise in Social housing heating complaints

13th February 2023

The Housing Ombudsman has seen a massive 60% increase in heating and hot water complaints in Social housing, according to a new report.  The Housing Ombudsman report noted a significant increase in heating and hot water cases with 1,491 complaints already received in 2022/23 in the social housing sector. This year the Housing Ombudsman has […]

HMO licence questions under caution?

13th February 2023

I’ve been very foolish. During a time of family stress, I allowed a couple, at viewing, who then became a couple and a friend when we started the paperwork, to rent a lovely 2-bed flat. I am 6 months into the 12-month tenancy. I have had letters from the HMO licensing, yes we are article […]