Hello, I have a flat in a small block which has a wall mounted integral fire alarm system in the communal hallway. My flat also has a ceiling mounted smoke alarm in the kitchen/dining area. When the last tenant left he said it didn’t work, but I suspect he disconnected it as when he burnt […]

Propertymark has opened compliance cases against five letting agent members following the latest HMRC publication of businesses who have failed to comply with anti-money laundering (AML) regulations. The list of businesses who haven’t complied with the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 during the period 1 January […]

Following my divorce, I would like to purchase a new property as my main residence and need to find out if the standard rate of stamp duty applies or if the ‘second home’ 3% surcharge applies to me. I have had various answers, my solicitors have said ask my accountant and my accountant says to […]

Hi, I am in the process of looking into my dad gifting his house to me and wanted some advice on the info below if possible? 1. Would my dad have to pay any capital gains tax if he gifted me the property? 2. Any restrictions for me selling or refinancing the property in the future […]

News that the government is looking to ‘shelve’ its plans to abolish Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions has led to more organisations making their feelings known. The report in yesterday’s Times saw several organisations expressing an opinion – and more have now joined the fray. Alicia Kennedy, of the campaign group Generation Rent, said: “No-fault […]

It has been revealed that when accounting for inflation, renters are better off today than they were a year ago despite nominal rent increases of up to 14%. The research from Ocasa, the specialist rental platform, found that without adjusting for inflation, the average price of rent in the UK is currently £1,143 per month. […]

There has been a huge rise in the number of rental applications not being approved by letting agents, research reveals. According to data from lettings experts Vouch, recent months have seen a massive spike in agents cancelling tenancy applications. Vouch has been collecting data from the start of the year and they found that between […]

The personal finance reporter for the Telegraph, Alexa Phillips, is looking to speak to landlords and non-landlords alike who are aiming to buy property at the moment about their experiences. Alexa would like to know how you are approaching the market, how are you looking for good deals – that type of thing. The Telegraph’s […]

Hello, Assisted Sale and CGT query – and specifically what do solicitors and accountants consider the price to be – the actual sale price on market or price agreed in assisted sale document? Accountant’s advice will be formally sought but before I get this I’d like to check out what others think of this scenario […]

Hello, I had a selective license that ran for less than 5 years. I now need to apply and pay for a new selective license. I have been told there was a Court case that set out that my original license should last for 5 years. Has anyone heard of this? Thank you, Chris

The government is looking at shelving legislation that would ban no-fault evictions, a newspaper reports. According to The Times, the move to end no-fault evictions which enable landlords to end a tenancy without reason will not only be shelved – but may be scrapped completely. The Prime Minister, Liz Truss, is looking at measures that […]

Can someone please advise me whether a deed of variation for a will is our best option? My mother-in-law died leaving her house worth approx £480,000 to my husband who was her only child. He would like to gift it jointly to our 2 sons who wish to live in it but is worried that […]

While the rise of holiday lets in the UK has met the growing boom in staycations and led to impressive yields for landlords, there is an issue over damage caused by guests. According to one insurer, one in ten (11%) holidaymakers have accidentally caused damage to a UK holiday home, and one in five (19%) […]

The new law that will see rents being frozen and evictions banned in Scotland will see a drop in the number of homes to rent ‘in the coming months and years’. That’s the view of Scottish Land & Estates who point out that the new law has led to a ‘disproportionate shift in the balance […]

Landlords who want to express their views about the Government’s Decent Homes Standard proposals have until Friday to do so. That’s when the six-week consultation period ends and opinions about the new standard that was unveiled in the Fairer Private Rented Sector White Paper will see social housing sector standards being met by the private […]

Hello, The access to the front of my property is through a neighbour’s garden. It is an agreed width – 12 ft. We own the boundary. The properties are at the end of a cul de sac, up a narrow drive. Their ‘garden’ is their car park. Our front garden has space for a car […]

Hello, In recent months I purchased several residential rental investments in Wales. The rents for a few of these are currently significantly below market value. When I purchased these, it was my intention to ease the rents up over the next 12 to 18 months, unless there was a change of occupier. As it is […]

One of the unintended consequences of the Government’s recent mini-Budget could be more demand in the rental market, says one leading industry figure. That’s the view of Nicky Stevenson, the managing director of Fine and Country, who adds that with the prospect of rising interest rates, would-be purchasers may opt to ‘wait and see’, choosing […]

Hello, I have a leasehold flat that I bought 4 years go, it’s about 50 years old, above shops. I thought I had parking allocated as there is parking which we’ve been using, and we were told parking was included, recently they have outsourced management to a parking company. Unfortunately, I didn’t read the lease […]

Hello, I have a few properties tied into mortgages. I will be selling due to S24, the White Paper and EPC regs due to come. My question is: Can I serve a S21 now to my tenants but with a date to move out in approx two years time to avoid problems evicting them? Would […]

Letting agents are leaving themselves open to fines or imprisonment if they fail to comply with the new guidelines for Right to Rent, one technology firm says. From 1 October, the UK government introduced new rules for both Right to Work and Right to Rent but Credas Technologies says there is a potential lack of […]