I understand that should we be unable to achieve an EPC rated at C on a rental property and I’m thinking of one property in particular where the last EPC was done in 2018 when it was given an E. We must be able to evidence that we have spent £10K trying to do so […]

The proposed new Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) regulations will mean that from 2025, landlords cannot rent their property on a new tenancy without an EPC rating of C or above. It is proposed that the penalty for not having a valid EPC, will be increased from £5,000 to £30,000. In order to achieve this, many […]

The Bank of England has published their assessment that out of the 8 major Banks in the UK sector there are none that are “too big to fail” and would need government support if they got into trouble again. If a major UK bank failed today it could do so safely, remaining open and continuing […]

Since the crash and subsequent restructuring of the BTL market, our business borrowing has gone from a business loan to a lot of “personal” loans that now appear on our credit searches. I imagine this is the same for all landlords unless you own your properties outright. Suddenly our creditworthiness has hit rock bottom, despite […]

Hi everyone, I was just thinking as a property investor renting out properties about being faced with the high costs of upgrading to meet minimum future energy efficiency standards (EPC). We are being led to understand we will need to carry out improvements by a certain date. However, in order to finance these costs I […]

How frequently do people on Property118 inspect their properties? I usually do it six months into a new tenancy and if all looks well then once a year. I am very careful with tenant selection. A niece of mine rents a flat (three years in possession) and her landlord’s agent insists on quarterly inspections. Nothing […]

We are extremely proud to introduce new functionality and a new look and feel to Property118 Member Profiles. One of the first things you might notice is that it’s now much easier to log in using Social Media. Also, you can now add a Bio to your Property118 Member Profile to tell other Members a […]

The latest figures from mydeposits show that while tenancy deposit disputes did see a year-on-year decline in volume during 2021, there was still an estimated £27 million worth of deposits held in rental disputes between landlords and tenants. At an average of £1,005 per tenancy, the cost of a deposit has fallen by 1.2% year-on-year. […]

I’m doing my research and coming around to the idea that transferring our BTL properties into a LTD company would be very sensible. I can see that Capital Account Restructuring using a bridging loan potentially means we may never have to pay high rate income tax again … Your article on this subject suggests that […]

Please do us a favour. As we continue to build the Property118 Editorial Team, to continue to deliver even more increasingly valuable content to our Members, we would really value your feedback by completing the Poll below. As one Member once said “none of us were born knowing how to boil an egg”. Property118 exists […]

Recent data shows an increase in the number of evictions issued in Q1 of 2022 when compared to the previous quarter and the same period pre-pandemic. According to Simply Business, an eviction costs approximately £2K and takes about 9 months to complete, plus tenants often stop paying rent during proceedings. Landlords who choose to evict […]

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 pin Essex meeting Tuesday 21st June. The Essex pin Meeting has returned to its physical venue The Thurrock Hotel, Ship Lane, Aveley, Thurrock, RM19 1YN Hosted by Reegan Parmenter […]

My friend allowed someone (call him X) to stay at her empty house from the end of June 2021 as he had nowhere to go. She was going to Spain for a few months and the property was in the throws of being repossessed as her husband had used her house, in her sole name […]

This week Property with Andrew and Linda Wright is answering another Permitted Development Question. Is it possible to convert the upper of a shop to residential using Class MA on a Locally Listed Building, which is also in a conservation area? In the past, we’ve talked about Grade 2 Listed buildings, Permitted Development and Prior […]

The HomeLet Rental index for May indicates annual average rental inflation stands at 10.6% with an average rent of £1,103 or £928 excluding  London. This is an overall monthly change of 1.1% with inflation the highest in Northern Ireland at 1.9%. Mike Dawson, Group Sales Director for HomeLet and Let Alliance said: “With pressure on […]

The latest UK Residential Market Survey (May), from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). In the lettings market, tenant demand continues to rise firmly according to a net balance of +48% of contributors – the same as in April. At the same time, landlord instructions continue to decline, with the latest net balance coming […]

Hi All, I have a question regarding the additional SDLT refund criteria. My wife purchased her property in November 2017 before moving into my property in January 2020. I have owned my owned property since 2013. In the last 30 months, whilst my wife has lived with me, my wife’s property has been let on […]

Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke at Blackpool concerning government plans to tackle inflation and the cost of living crisis. However, there was particular emphasis on home ownership and housing supply policies with the phrase coined in the speech of “Benefits to Bricks.” Outlined Policies for housing included: Expand the policy of Right to Buy to […]

This morning, the Housing Secretary, Michael Gove, described Housing Policy as a Mosaic as the Government announced several proposals, all of which have already been announced over the last 5 years. These policies include the ability of those on housing benefits to access mortgages to purchase their homes and the extension of the Right to […]

Failing social housing landlords could face unlimited fines and Ofsted-style inspections, under the Social Housing Regulation Bill set to be introduced to Parliament. The move will mean more people living in decent, well looked-after homes enjoying the quality of life they deserve. The Regulator of Social Housing will have stronger powers to issue unlimited fines, […]

Structural Warranty Insurance. (A.k.a New home warranties) and professional consultant certificates give financial institutions confidence that the building is in good condition and enables the end purchaser to secure the relevant mortgage. Section 6.7 of the UK Finance (UKF) handbook defines the steps when dealing with Building Standards Indemnity Schemes for new properties. In particular, […]