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, […]

S21 requires EPC, How to Rent Guide and CGC papers to be issued to a prospective tenant BEFORE the tenancy is agreed or started, or the S21 notice is INVALID. I have read somewhere that LATE service is now accepted so, I wish to legally check where this change, if correct, is stated. No use […]

We have been landlords for almost 15 years – specialising in students. There is always one AST for 12 months (we have no HMO licence and do not need one right now). We have never encountered any problems. We are good landlords, all paperwork is always in order and all repairs are done immediately (within […]

Housing Minister Eddie Hughes was answering written questions to Parliament and indicated that the Renters Reform Bill that includes proposals to ban Section 21 would be pushed back. After previously stating the White paper would be published this Spring he now seems to be much less certain on timescales. Olivia Blake,Labour MP, asked: “When the […]

Official data shows that of all private rented households in receipt of the Local Housing Allowance over half, 57%, have a shortfall. This amounts to just over 820,000 households. Regionally, the proportion of private rented households affected ranges from almost 41% in London (although based on a much higher number of claimants), through to 69% […]

The Halifax House Price index released today shows a minor inflationary cooling with month-on-month prices increasing by 1%, the eleventh consecutive monthly rise. Over the last 10 years, the average house price inflated by 74% to the current figure of £289,099. Russell Galley, Managing Director, Halifax, said: “The average cost of buying a home in […]

Most UK mortgage lenders and mortgage brokers do not fully understand the potentially disastrous implications of landlords taking on new mortgage finance at the point of incorporation of their property rental business. At Property118 we feel we have a moral obligation to share the linked PowerPoint presentation below, and we urge all landlords to share […]

I have a tenant who is subletting his room and is refusing to quit his tenancy and return keys. He pays his rent on time and in full every month. Its a single room with shared kitchen and bathroom facilities. We have tried since 2020 to work with him on this and get him to […]

Welcome to the pilot of ‘The Property Tax Show’ where myself and Tax Consultant Alex Norian From Property118 will be debunking common myths and misconceptions from all areas of property tax. If you have something you want to be covered in a future episode, simply comment below. The Property Tax Show is dedicated to covering […]

Despite announcing in 2018 that they were now pursuing landlords for failure to licence HMOs and breaches of HMO Management Regulations under the civil penalty regime, (see £16,000 fine given for non-licence HMO”) the local authority has instead taken this “Rogue” landlord to court where there was only a small £4,808 fine. What we are […]

An elderly (aged 80), long standing tenant told me on Thursday that she needs work done in her kitchen and I said I would get my builder to see what could be done. Then I looked in the kitchen – there were dirty dishes stacked around and in the sink. The drawers are totally smashed. […]

Two years ago I purchased a 4 Bed house for over £450k via a mortgage with Natwest. The house had a large footprint and my plan was the do an extension of the house. The extension resulted in a new frontage of the house, new outer skin brickwork, reconfiguration of layout, new truss roof..etc. total […]

Following on from the latest article, click here, and Propertymark’s survey of its members indicates the supply of property listed by agencies has halved since 2019 This is, as we have said on many occasions, the inevitable result of the onslaught against private landlords orchestrated by Shelter the homeless charity that doesn’t home the homeless […]

New improvements to fire safety guidance and building regulations to ensure tall buildings are made safer in England have been introduced as part of a wider package of reforms. The changes meet recommendations from Phase One of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and will strengthen the information available to fire and rescue services. All new residential […]

HMO properties are under rules from the councils such that HMO owners must include bills. With gas and electric bills doubling and doubling again, this makes most HMOs lossmaking. You’re only allowed to increase rents for inflation once in a year …. but the bills component is not part of the rent, or is it? […]

Some of my tenants have just moved and have forwarded across the Council Tax bill to confirm payments up to the end of the tenancy. However, on the paperwork, I have noticed that the Council Tax bill has been wrongly billed to band A and not band C as it should be for this property. […]