The lettings market appears to have cooled down with rents dipping in every region for the first time since June and most areas seeing an increase in voids, a rental index reveals. The findings from Goodlord show that average rental costs in England dropped by 11% during October, taking rents down to their lowest levels […]

Consumer demand for help and advice from The Property Ombudsman (TPO) rose by 15% in 2021 to 45,007 enquiries – and has risen by a staggering 48% since 2019. The organisation says that the rise underlines the demand from consumers for justice and to have their issues taken seriously. They also point out that the […]

The nation’s rental market could be in for a boom as historic housing market trends show that a decline in property sales also leads to a boost in the private rental market stock. That’s according to Alliance Fund, the end to end real estate fund, which analysed both the sales and rental markets during the […]

Hello, I have a six bed / three bathroom property near Wolverhampton which I am looking at turning into an HMO. I am looking for a company to take on the management of this HMO with a guaranteed rent including covering for void periods Does anyone have advice or experience of this or recommendations of […]

The student property market in Leeds is evolving at a quick pace, with landlords making significant changes to attract student tenants, says estate agent HOP. Their research shows that Leeds now has more student properties than anywhere else in the UK and in the coming weeks estate agents across the city will release and begin […]

The annual UK house price growth slowed to 7.2% in October, from 9.5% in September, Nationwide reports. Its house price index reveals that prices fall 0.9% month-on-month – the first monthly decline since July 2021. Robert Gardner, Nationwide’s chief economist, said: “The market has undoubtedly been impacted by the turmoil following the mini-Budget, which led […]

Just 11% of one-bedroom properties in England are now affordable to renters on Local Housing Allowance – that’s down from 17% in April, research reveals. That’s when Crisis and Zoopla last conducted their analysis which also reveals that the proportion of affordable two-bedroom properties has fallen to just 7% from 11%. For three-beds, just 6% […]

MPs say that the current system of exempt accommodation, a type of supported housing that is used to house a range of people with support needs, is a ‘complete mess’. Not only is it failing too many residents and local communities but doing so at the expense of the taxpayer, the cross-party Levelling Up, Housing […]

2022 has been an incredibly turbulent year with Interest rates rising, the economy crashing and recession on the way. Now is as important a time as any to make sure that your property business is structured properly for the times ahead. Today I’m joined by Alex Norian & Nicky Kita, the property tax specialists, from […]

The Telegraph’s personal finance reporter, Alexa Phillips, is looking to speak to landlords who are selling (or have recently sold) their buy-to-let properties. This includes either people who are reducing the size of their property portfolio or leaving the rental market altogether. The story is looking at how rising interest rates and regulatory changes are […]

Hello, I have an income support tenant (with considerable savings) who has been angling for a section 21 notice for the last few months. She is convinced that she can get a central London council house (unlikely). I refused to give her sec 21 notice as I didn’t want to end up paying for court […]

Hello, I am told that in English law there is no such thing as a legal right to a view, (established in Aldred’s Case 1610). However, if a tree is allowed to grow uncontrolled and too large, resulting in the loss of a valued view, is there a potential legal challenge on the grounds of […]

Hello, I have a tenant who has been with me for 20 years or so (AST) in a 2 bed flat. He lives like a hermit and over the years the place has got v dirty and messy. I’ve done what I can or need to; new boiler when old one became unsafe according to […]

Families struggling with the cost-of-living crisis could receive a cash boost so they can pay their rent, Michael Gove has hinted. The Levelling Up secretary was speaking on the ‘Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg’ show when he revealed that ‘targeted support’ could be on the table to help families pay their private landlord. However, Mr Gove […]

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has called for an immediate rent freeze to deal with tenants struggling in the cost-of-living crisis and growing homelessness in the capital. He says that the numbers sleeping rough have risen by 21% over the past year and without government intervention, the progress made in housing homeless people since […]

Our Hon. Legal Counsel, Mark Smith, Head of Chambers at Cotswold Barristers, will be presenting an overview of several landlord tax strategies at the pin Reading meeting Thursday 1st November. The Reading meeting will be held at The Crowne Plaza Reading, Caversham Bridge, Richfield Avenue, Reading, RG1 8BD Hosted by Simant Soni on the 1st […]

Hello, We let our property to a couple with a baby in 2019, with 90% of their rent paid by the council through a housing benefit. They immediately fell into arrears, not paying the rent at all, so the council told me they would pay the 90% direct to me. Since then the 10% payments […]

Hello, We agreed to be guarantor for our son’s ex-girlfriend as she was having his baby. Subsequently, it has turned out not to be his. My question is, we are now getting to the end of the first year of tenancy and I contacted the agent to say to we will no longer be guarantor […]

The UK’s house prices are set to fall by 5% next year on the back of rising mortgage interest rates, says Zoopla. The platform says the increase in mortgage rates represents the largest interest rate shock for new buyers since the late 1980s. And, despite signs of slowing, mortgage rates will not return to the […]

Would you like your next property acquisition to be a high cash-generating HMO (House of Multiple Occupation), but don’t know how to do it? You should be considering HMOs because they are a recession-proof strategy and also generate high cash flow, which means rising interest rates are not as much of a concern as it […]

Looks like Hallowe’en has come early for landlords with the announcement that Michael Gove has returned to the Government fold. And, for me at least, that’s a huge shame. Because while Gove has a strong reputation for getting things done – he is poised to undo the private rental sector. My big fear is that […]