We had commercial shop premises available for lease in February 2020. Our agent found a prospective tenant and heads of terms went to solicitors with a completion date of 27th March 2020. The Welsh Assembly (in line with the other 3 home nations) put Wales into full lockdown on the 23rd March 2020 and therefore […]

I could do with some input, please. I’m buying a tenanted property and I don’t want to use the existing agent, but the tenants are still in the tenancy agreement with them, as set up under the previous owner. The tenants have already paid rent for the next two months to the agent who are […]

My tenant has asked to change their rent payment date as they have a change of wage payment date, which I am happy to do if it helps the tenant. Do I need to produce a variation of the terms document for them to sign as the rent payment date is stated in the rental […]

One of my tenants found an unknown vehicle parked in his allocated car parking space. After extensive enquiries, we found out that it was another tenant of mine who was responsible for this. Despite promises from the other tenant to move this car, she has still not done so, and the block management company say […]

My Government will help more people to own their own home whilst enhancing the rights of those who rent. Laws to modernise the planning system, so that more homes can be built, will be brought forward, along with measures to end the practice of ground rents for new leasehold properties [Planning Bill, Leasehold Reform (Ground […]

Responding to the Government’s commitment in the Queen’s Speech to publish a White Paper later this year on reform of the rental sector, Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords Association said: “We welcome the Government’s commitment to publish a White Paper on reforms to the rental sector and consult widely before introducing […]

Around six million people across the UK are currently receiving Universal Credit, a financial benefit payment provided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) intended to help those out of work or on a low income with daily living costs. As the pandemic continues to impact the economy, financial uncertainty is undoubtedly set to […]

Capital Home Loans (CHL), you may remember them, the specialist buy-to-let lender is now lending again in England and Wales, through a select number of brokers. They are offering competitive rates and consistent criteria with a customer-centric approach. CHL will consider lending to Individual BTL investors, Portfolio Landlords and Limited Companies. The good news is […]

I am a Freeholder and Shared Freeholder of two Victorian conversions, each with 3 flats over 3 storeys including the ground floor. Whilst we abide by standard fire safety rules for example 30 minute fire doors, wired smoke alarms, no blocked access along fire escape route etc, I am wondering how liable we would be […]

We have had problems with a tenant who has caused malicious damage to our property. With unpaid rent and the damage, it amounts to around £4,500. I have been told by my insurance broker that my landlords content insurance doesn’t cover malicious damage, although I haven’t, as yet, submitted a claim directly with the insurers. […]

I am a leaseholder of an apartment with a defined car park space in the basement. The RTM has re-introduced a local car park management company to ‘police’ the car park area. I always park in my allocated space. There is no public access to the car park as the entrance is by key fob. […]

My wife has a part-time job earning 12,000. Her mother signed over her house in 2002 giving half to my wife’s sister and half to my wife. My wife’s mother died in February, and they decided to sell the house. My wife’s mother was living there all the time apart from the last six months […]

Following the massive election disappointments in England last week, Sir Keir Starmer’s shadow cabinet reshuffle has included replacing Thangam Debbonaire as Shadow Housing Secretary with Manchester MP Lucy Powell. Lucy Tweeted: “Really pleased to become the Shadow Housing Secretary – some really big issues to tackle from cladding, housing crisis, private rented sector, homelessness and […]

We own an apartment with a share of the freehold in North London. The block has 9 flats and we are on the top floor. Over the past few weeks another owner has made a request to the block management company that they require a stairlift for easier access. The person is quite elderly but […]

The current Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) holiday has helped deliver a property market stimulus that has far outweighed the immediate response to the 2007/08 financial crisis, according to new analysis by Search Acumen, the property data and insight provider. Despite causing an uplift in activity, the current SDLT relaxation has so far triggered a 7% rise […]

The latest Halifax House Price index reflecting April figures is showing house prices were 8.2% higher than in April 2020 with the average house value now £258,204. On a monthly basis, house prices in April were 1.4% higher than in March and in the latest quarter (February to April) house prices were 0.9% higher than in […]

I had an EICR assessment in October, which stated the property required rewiring. Since then there have multiple failed attempts to get this work started and completed. The tenant had Covid-19 multiple times, then her boyfriend has had it, then a boyfriend’s relative bereavement, relative has changed (the boyfriend is not a tenant), then the […]

The Bank of Englands Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has voted unanimously to maintain Bank Rate at 0.1% and current levels of Quantitative Easing. This was due to the fall in inflationary pressures caused by global economic activity being more adversely affected by the pandemic than predicted. Twelve-month CPI inflation rose from 0.4% in February to […]

In this month’s UK Property Prices and Housing Market Report, I explain why I believe the current house price boom is set to continue. In this video I share: The eight reasons why house prices are booming – Why The house price boom will continue – When the boom will end What you need to […]

Data analysis by Address intelligence is showing the average return on investment for renting out a property in the UK is 5%, but this varies drastically when broken down city by city. Investing in a rental property in Sunderland can earn an investor 7.27% back in rental payments in year one. The average monthly rent […]

People in England and Wales struggling to pay debts or rent could be eligible to use the Breathing Space scheme, and Government expects around 700,000 people to benefit in the first year of the scheme. Creditors (landlords) are not allowed to contact tenants directly to request payment of the debt or take enforcement action to […]