Page 426 – Property118

Purchase of property in Shildon?

26th March 2021

Hi All, I’m in a discussion with a property consultant to purchase a property in Shildon, County Durham (Thomas Street). It is a terraced house freehold. I’m looking for some review on the area since I’m looking into this for investment purposes only. The house is around GBP 33,000 and currently tenanted at GBP 325pm. […]

95% Mortgages Explained – And its not just for First-time buyers!

26th March 2021

Help To Buy is out and the new 95% mortgages are here. With just a 5% Deposit, you can take out a mortgage on a property with a value of up to £600,000 AND it’s not just for first-time buyers! Join me in this video where I explain why this is not just good for […]

One year on from the first ban on the repossession of rented homes

26th March 2021

One year on from the first ban on the repossession of rented homes, new analysis shows that more tenants are likely to lose their homes in the long term as a result. Research for the National Residential Landlords Association has shown that there are an estimated 840,000 private tenants who have built rent arrears since […]

HMO Covid-19 rent reduction conundrum?

24th March 2021

Hey 118ers, I have a contract with a letting agent for my HMO which has a guaranteed rent of x amount pcm. Recently, they have been asking me to reduce the rent due to the Covid-19 situation and in their words ‘the huge amount of people leaving London’. To save the hassle I have agreed […]

Do I have a right to know who lives in my house?

24th March 2021

I recently rented out my property and instructed a letting agent to fully manage it. As we are a family of tradesmen, I like to do any of the maintenance/gas safety checks/electrical certificates myself using my family. Today the letting agent contacted me to say that the gas check was due. I said that I […]

EPC required for HMO where rooms are on seperate tenancy agreements?

24th March 2021

I can’t find a definitive answer and would like some help. I have a non-licensed HMO’s (licence not required) and let the rooms out on separate tenancy agreements. Do I need to provide my tenants with an EPC? As they share all the facilities and only have exclusivity in their individual rooms an EPC seems […]

Alarming Mortgage Transfer Letter?

24th March 2021

I have just received a letter from Amber Home Loans saying that in the transfer of my BTL mortgage to Skipton Building Society I have to accept a change of terms in which the SVR will switch to Skipton’s BTL SVR – currently 4.6%. I can either pay off my mortgage or accept a hike […]

Gas safety certificate should be a legal requirement for all households?

24th March 2021

So, you’re on this property forum because you are probably a landlord, and therefore probably own 2 or more properties either by choice or fate. Back in Dec 1996 I brought my first property to live in and a few years later while trying to help my family I became a landlord. As with life […]

HM Treasury ‘Tax Consultation Day’ – Nothing on CGT or Stamp

23rd March 2021

HM Treasury has published more than 30 tax updates, consultations and documents to, as they declare, ‘strengthen policymaking and modernise the UK tax system’. Click here to read the Command Paper Of potential note for Landlords: In England, many holiday lets are liable to pay business rates, rather than council tax, when an owner declares […]

Membership Renewal – Why would I?

22nd March 2021

Today I received a renewal reminder from NRLA. Although it is true, when I was a new Landlord I found the original NLA useful and supportive, I do not feel they represent the Landlords any longer. Where is their voice for us? It is certainly not being heard – anywhere. Maybe they never represented us, […]

Free Lockdown Learning – 10 tips for dealing with telephone and video hearings

22nd March 2021

Our next webinar is with housing barrister Robert Brown. In this webinar, Robert will be looking at ten tips for landlords for dealing with telephone and video hearings. Bearing in mind that failure to license properties can result in very severe penalties. Essential details: Date: Thursday 25 March 2021 Time: 12.30 – 1.00 pm Cost: […]

Government expects pets to ‘act in a tenant like manner’?

22nd March 2021

Most AST agreements now contain a clause similar to “Not keep any animals, reptiles, insects, rodents or birds at the Property without our written permission (which will not be unreasonably withheld)”. With the government wishing to encourage greater flexibility in the approach to pet ownership, two issues are of concern to landlords: 1. Housing Minister […]

Liquidator costs of transferring from LLP to Ltd?

22nd March 2021

Hi, I used an accountancy firm and 3 years ago now we transferred my 6 London rental properties into an LLP. A liquidator was appointed and the LLP is in liquidation. There was a long delay as the liquidator wanted annual accounts. Now that’s done horrendous fees are being asked by the liquidators+ their solicitors […]

Where do I start with unravelling this council approved mess?

22nd March 2021

I have just found out that a tenant has moved their two sons into my property. The tenant is on Housing Benefit, not Universal Credit, and I understand I am legally obliged to report this (I have no doubt there is a false claim/s as a result). It now transpires that the Council have known […]

Councils given power to build more homes

22nd March 2021

Councils in England will have more freedom on how they spend the money from homes sold through Right to Buy, to help them build the homes needed in their communities, under reforms announced 20 March 2021 by Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick. Today’s package will make it easier for councils to fund homes using Right to […]

Home building figures pick up

19th March 2021

The number of homes being built since the lifting of the first period of national coronavirus restrictions continues to rise, latest housebuilding figures published show. New data shows new housing starts were estimated to be 42,110 in the latest quarter (October – December 2020), a 16% increase on the previous quarter (July – September 2020). […]

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

Lockdown keeps inflationary pressure low – No change to Base Rate

19th March 2021

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee has voted unanimously again to keep the Bank Base Rate at 0.1% with no change to the quantitative easing programme. The inflation rate is not expected to return to the target of 2% until late spring and remain there until past the 3rd quarter. Therefore, it was unsurprisingly […]

Property Partnership change of split and Form 17?

19th March 2021

Hi, I have a Property Partnership set up with my wife for the last 2 years with 50/50 split but due to personal change in circumstances, we need to change this to 75/25. Considering the income is from rental properties, so Investment income and not trading income, we can’t make a simple change on the […]

When can I re-let room after tenant has done a runner?

19th March 2021

Hello – I had a tenant who rented a room in a shared house. She received housing benefit and was supposed to pay top-ups of £10 a week or so, which she rarely did – around £1,000 owing. She did a runner last month, leaving the place in a dreadful state suggesting abandonment, but with […]

UC office assisting housing cost fraud?

19th March 2021

Dear members, On 16.03.21 I have emailed the following letter to, scotland.complaintsresolutionteam1 @dwp.gov.uk, for a new formal complaint to them regarding the UC housing cost of one of my tenant which is a situation I face regularly with tenants on UC during an end of the tenancy. The circumstances are no less than benefit fraud […]

Welsh Eviction Ban extended to end of June

17th March 2021

The Welsh government will extend the current restrictions on evictions, which are due to expire on 31 March, to the end of June 2021 although the restrictions will, as with other coronavirus restrictions, be subject to regular review during that time. The restrictions will prevent, except in specified circumstances, attendance at a dwelling-house for the […]