Are private landlords in Wales being set up to fail with the new legislation? The recently implemented Renting Homes (Wales) Act has automatically replaced all existing ASTs with a new “Occupation Contract” from 1 December 2022. All landlords are now required to issue “Written Statements” (effectively replacement contracts) to tenants (now called “Contract Holders”) within […]

Do most landlords realise the impact of the cost to get to a level C EPC if this becomes legislated as a requirement? We have a property that was fully renovated 5 years ago to full building regs. It had 100mm insulation added in the floor and ceiling, 50mm insulation in the walls and fully […]

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has today (23rd Dec) announced a £654 million funding package to be shared with all councils in England from the Homelessness Prevention Grant to provide support for those who need it the most in their local areas over the next 2 years. The money will be used […]

We need some suggestions as to which way we should go next with a mistake made by a solicitor. Until recently, we owned 2 rental properties, in addition to our own home. I am a higher-rate taxpayer, and my wife is a stay-at-home mum, working a few hours part-time. It made financial sense to have […]

A major house price index says that the UK’s house price inflation is continuing to slow down – leading to property asking prices being slashed. According to Zoopla, house prices in November rose by 7.2% over 2022 but the slowdown in prices is ‘gaining momentum’. The price rise equates to £17,500 on average over the […]

Freezing temperatures and snow-hit travel disruption had a cooling effect on the country’s rental market, research reveals. Vouch and Goodlord have looked at the figures and say that after heavy snowfall on 12th December, the number of tenancy applications being processed fell compared to 2021 levels. It might be a coincidence, but the weather was […]

An Agent has forwarded an application to me for consideration: A 21-year-old to rent a flat. In a job since July so financially on paper can afford the flat. Woking for 4 years before that apparently. Can pay own deposit and RIA. Her foster parents are moving away but she wants to stay close to […]

Just come across something of interest and certainly a discussion point. You can opt out of the EPC register if you do not want other people to be able to see your EPC. (Contact the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).) There has already been a debate about if an EPC is private […]

Hi everyone, I am looking to replace a central heating boiler in a property with a new one and considering the new future-proofed options may be viable. I note that most central heating manufacturers are now supplying hydrogen-ready boilers to the market. The ongoing trials for these that are currently going ahead must be showing […]

What is the tax allowance for Christmas Parties for UK limited companies? ANSWER (provided by “Artificial Intelligence”) In the United Kingdom, limited companies are generally allowed to claim tax relief for the costs of entertaining employees, including the costs of Christmas parties, as long as the entertainment is provided for the benefit of the employees […]

We have received an offer to vary a lease that originally contained a doubling clause by the developer. It has already been varied to increase by RPI to avoid that initial clause. The new offer from the developer born of the new rules introduced by the CMA is limited and we are excluded by virtue […]

Rogue landlords and letting agents have been hit with fines that averaged £90,000 per month in 2022 in a sign that council enforcement is on the rise. The findings from tech firm Kamma reveal that more than 12% of all fines in Greater London were handed out in the last 12 months – that’s an […]

Stamp duty tax receipts in England surged by 19% between April and November to £14bn – an increase of £2.2 billion compared to a year ago, HMRC has revealed. In April, the levy was ‘dramatically higher’ after the stamp duty holiday ended in September 2021. In November’s Autumn Statement, Chancellor Jeremey Hunt announced the reinstatement […]

A survey has revealed the gap in how landlords and tenants see the private rented sector – with most landlords saying they feel unfairly penalised, but tenants want more regulation. The findings from Market Financial Solutions (MFS) found that 63% of landlords feel that the Government has introduced too much regulation. However, 73% of tenants […]

We asked the Artificial Intelligence program we are using to write a Christmas poem. The brief we provided was as follows: – “Create a Christmas poem from Mark Alexander, Neil Patterson, and our Team of Tax Planning Consultants and Barristers, to send to all landlord Clients of the Property118 and Cotswold Barristers Tax team” This […]

I had tenants move out with no notice, and no keys returned.  Eventually, I decided they were not coming back as they cancelled the Council Tax and I was told they had been given a council property. The gas and electric meter are key top-up payment types and the gas is a top-up card. I […]

Hello, I have a regularisation certificate for a dormer window extension to an existing loft. I first applied for planning permission and got it under permittable development. The building regs surveyor for the council came on a number of occasions to inspect and made me take up a section of flooring to inspect and was […]

Government plans to reform the student rental market will lead to chaos and confusion because students won’t know if there will be any housing available for them. The warning comes from the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) which says that widespread uncertainty will occur at the start of each academic year. The organisation says that […]

Strengthening economic headwinds will hit market momentum and house sales to push property prices down by 5% in 2023, Nationwide warns. The UK’s largest building society says that a ‘relatively soft landing’ is still possible for prices since the housing market is proving to be resilient. Looking at what is in store for the housing […]

The renting situation in London for tenants is laid bare with figures highlighting that 15 renters are competing for every new property, one firm says. The figures come from Foxtons and their rental index which shows that the number of tenants competing to secure a property for November is 31% lower than in October – […]

Not only was 2022 the most competitive rental market ever, but during peak periods there was four times the number of tenants enquiring about rental properties to move into than there were homes to rent. That’s according to Rightmove who analysed the data for the year to find out what tenants are looking for. The […]