Page 415 – Property118

Risks of Inflationary Interest rate rises

21st December 2021

As I am sure you are aware, it was announced on Wednesday that the consumer price index was 5.1% for the year to November, a level that the Bank of England predicted the economy would not reach until April next year. The prices of fuel, clothing and footwear rose the fastest. Reduced supplies were one […]

NRLA commission London School of Economics survey on Landlord tax

20th December 2021

Unsurprisingly, over half of private landlords responding to a new survey say recent tax changes in the rental market have had a negative impact on their investment plans. That’s the finding from a new study by the London School of Economics (LSE) for the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA). Based on responses from over 1,400 […]

Home Office Right to Rent update

20th December 2021

The way in which Biometric Residence Card (BRC), Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) and Frontier Worker Permit (FWP) holders evidence their right to rent is changing. From 6 April 2022, BRC, BRP and FWP holders will evidence their right to rent using the Home Office online service only, presentation of a physical document will no longer […]

Don’t spoil Christmas with a Boundary Dispute

20th December 2021

For most Christmas is about spending time with friends and family, but for nearly 2000[1]  in England and Wales who are involved in boundary disputes each year, the ongoing questions over poorly maintained fences or who owns what land might well spoil the festive mood altogether. To help more neighbours break out the mince pies […]

Can I charge a Management Fee for my essential services as a Freeholder?

20th December 2021

I own the Freehold of a block of three tenanted flats. I own two of the flats. I have been performing my Freeholder ‘duties’ – arranging for a new roof, communal hallway decorations, front garden maintenance etc for the last 6 years. However, this is becoming onerous, especially as there is impending licensing for communal […]

New build standards will require a 30% reduction in CO2 emissions

17th December 2021

New homes and buildings in England will have to produce significantly less CO2 under new rules announced by the government to help the country move towards net-zero. Under the new regulations, CO2 emissions from new build homes must be around 30% lower than current standards and emissions from other new buildings, including offices and shops, […]

DPS Statutory Declaration to rub salt into the wound?

17th December 2021

Hi guys. I’ve been a landlord for around 15 years, managing my own small portfolio, for the first time I’ve had to go back to DPS to claim a deposit in full (£650). The tenant who left around 4 weeks ago, an old lady who doesn’t like tech, been with me for over 12 years, […]

Do you think the reality is dawning at last?

17th December 2021

Hallelujah! At last, the Council (or in this case Council’s) are realising that the risk is way too high for a private LL to ‘give’ their property to the Council for a fixed period if all they are going to do is put in a benefits tenant, pay the base rate LHA and then walk […]

Small strip of land causing massive leasehold issue?

17th December 2021

I am looking for advice/support please for a colleague whose property sale is being compromised by a leasehold issue. Can anyone suggest a way forward or recommend a legal specialist who may be able to assist, please? The circumstances relate to a small strip of land at the side of the house. When my colleague […]

All landlords are property tycoons with deep pockets?

17th December 2021

Proposals to force landlords across the country to pay up to £10,000 to improve the energy efficiency of rental properties requires a rethink, according to the national body for landlords. In a consultation which closed in January, the Government proposed that by 2025 all new tenancies in the private rented sector should be in houses […]

Bank of England emblem symbolising decision to hold the Base Rate at 5%

Bank Base Rate increased to 0.25%

16th December 2021

It has started: The Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted by a majority of 8-1 to increase Bank Rate by 0.15% to 0.25%. They did however vote to maintain Quantitative Easing (QE) at the current levels and not take any liquidity out of the market. Twelve-month CPI inflation rose from 3.1% in September […]

Plans for basement with separate dwelling stalled?

16th December 2021

I own two mortgage leasehold titles in a house that is split into two flats – A and B. I also own the freehold title which doesn’t have a mortgage, which I am looking to transfer into a company structure. Flat B on the ground floor has a basement, which is not included in the […]

The PERFECT Property Investment Strategy For 2022

16th December 2021

I’m going door to door to let you know the PERFECT property investment strategy for 2022. At Christmas, you tell the truth, and the truth is the market is changing in the new year. What would you say if I rocked up on your doorstep? Please click on the video below:

HM Land Registry October house Price Index

15th December 2021

The HM Land Registry House Price Index released today for October is indicating the average price of a property in the UK is now £268,349 up 10.2% from last year. Month-on-month October saw prices actual fall 1.1%. However, the monthly index figure compared to baseline January 2015 of 100 for the UK was 140.7. At […]

Law student sues landlord – But wait?

15th December 2021

Reading an article on the BBC today about a Law student, who successfully sued his landlord for breach of contract. According to the article, the student moved into his accommodation only to find it in a sad state of disrepair, with workmen still on site. He was therefore in effect living on an active building […]

The Landlord Law 20th Anniversary

15th December 2021

There are few online services which go back longer than about 10 years or so – but Landlord Law is one of the exceptions!  It was started way back in 2001 by solicitor Tessa Shepperson. Just after the collapse of the dot.com bubble! “Back then,” Tessa told us “membership sites were not even a ‘thing’ […]

elegraph logo used in rebuttal to article on landlord tax structures

Landlords who agreed tenancies via Purplebricks could be liable for large tenant payouts

14th December 2021

Hi, my name is Melissa Lawford, and I am the property correspondent at The Telegraph. I’m writing about how landlords who arranged tenancies via Purplebricks could now have to make large payouts to their tenants because they were not served necessary legal (prescribed) documents about their deposits. I’m keen to talk to landlords who have […]

Hazard Awareness Notice?

13th December 2021

Due to excess heat in some flats in a block (where I have a couple of units) some tenants contacted the local council who appeared and are now proposing to issue a Hazard Awareness notice (cat 1) on the Freeholders. We are in the process of a RTM (successful) but do not take over until […]

Tenants spending their own money on improvements as they have more time at home

13th December 2021

New research reveals over a third (34%) of renters have spent money doing up their landlords’ properties, with almost one in seven (14%) of them having spent over £1,000 each. This is driven mainly by increased time spent at home and difficulty getting on the property ladder Decorating (49%) and buying furniture (48%) are the […]

Rightmove predict a closer to Normal 2022

13th December 2021

Rightmove has released its House Price Index for December with the price of property coming to market seeing its usual December dip, down by 0.7% (-£2,234) this month. While fully available stock for sale has hit a new record low this month, valuation requests from home-owners are 19% up on this time a year ago, […]