I have a leasehold of a flat with Ground Rent of £250 that increases by either £250 or the rate of inflation every 10 years. 10 years are up next year, so Ground Rent will be a minimum of £500. Then the following 10 years will go up a minimum of £250 and so on. […]

We have a couple of ground floor flats, a one bed and two bed which up to now have been let to fully able-bodied tenants who have no special mobility requirements. Both tenancies will be ending shortly and I am acutely aware that these are sought after properties as a direct result of being directly […]

It was an evictions ban that was due to end on the 31st March, but the government has announced an extension to the ban on evicting tenants. A survey conducted by This Is Money showed that 70% of landlords have been contacted by tenants worried about paying rent. Tenants that can’t pay rent, and Landlords […]

From 1 April 2021 the Regulations for Electrical Safety Standards apply in all cases where a private tenant has a right to occupy a property as their only or main residence and pays rent. This includes assured shorthold tenancies and licences to occupy. Exceptions include social housing, lodgers, those on a long lease of 7 […]

From 1 April 2021, a 2% Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) surcharge will apply to purchasers of residential property in England and Northern Ireland who are not resident in the UK. Click Here The 2% surcharge applies to all ‘non-resident transactions’, even if you intend to live in the property when you buy a major […]

I am sure we all have friends, and or family members, who are First-time buyers facing the challenges of getting onto the property ladder, not the least of which is finding the deposit. However, there are a number of solutions currently available. Mortgage Guarantee Scheme:  A new Mortgage Guarantee scheme is being launched in April […]

The new polymer £50 note will be issued for the first time on 23 June 2021, which coincides with Alan Turing’s birthday. The note contains advanced security features, completing our most secure set of Bank of England polymer banknotes yet. Like the £20, incorporates two windows and a two-colour foil, making it very difficult to […]

It can make a massive difference to your bottom line whether you choose to invest in flats or houses. It can also make a massive difference depending on where in the country you are. Watch this video for a full breakdown on the pros and cons, and for recommendations on what type of investment property […]

The latest Nationwide House Price Index for March with prices down 0.2% month–on–month, after taking account of seasonal factors. Commenting on the figures, Robert Gardner, Nationwide’s Chief Economist, said: “Annual house price growth slowed to 5.7% in March, from 6.9% in February. “Given that the wider economy and the labour market has performed better than expected […]

Many people have spent more time than ever before at home over the last year. Some have been trying to work from home with children, dogs and cats to look after. And what of the neighbours? Perhaps your tenant has only just realised how noisy or disruptive they are but what can they do about […]

I’d appreciate any thoughts and experiences on this matter, but I think it might take a binding court case to settle the question, and then some! I’m hearing of landlords who gave their tenants rent discounts during the first lockdown, without specifying whether the difference was to be paid back and in one or two […]

Responding to a report published today by MPs on the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the private rented sector, Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said: “We welcome today’s report which calls for a proper exit plan for the private rented […]

In 2020, as part of government restrictions to protect tenants during the pandemic, the number of residential evictions fell by an estimated 20,000 (74%). County Courts are facing an ‘eviction avalanche’ when the ban on bailiff-led evictions comes to an end on 31 May and courts are faced with processing and enforcing the backlog, in […]

We are delighted to invite you to join us live on Friday 2nd April for a Virtual Property Exhibition, featuring 12 property industry experts, for a full day of online training to update you on the current property market and opportunities. This exhibition is being run by property investors network (pin) and will include various […]

Confused.com has conducted Freedom of Information requests to the 100 biggest cities in the UK to find out the number of noise complaints over the last 12 months, to find out who has the loudest neighbours. The research also includes a survey of over 2,000 residents across the UK. The 10 noisiest cities to live […]

My company owns the freehold of a block of 18 flats and also owns one of the flats. An RTM Company took over the management of the block about 12 years ago, just after we had served s.20 notices about forthcoming works. Since that time the RTM has not undertaken necessary repairs and the block […]

Moneyfacts.co.uk highlights a growth in choice of Buy-to-Let (BTL) product options, but warns that interest rates are on the rise. For the fifth consecutive month, BTL availability has continued to improve; with 2,333 products available, the sector has recovered to 81% of pre-pandemic levels (compared to 68% recovery in the residential sector) and now offers […]

As students look to secure a place to live ahead of the new academic year UniHomes researches which areas are showing the highest level of tenant demand. The Student Rental Hotspots Index looks at the UK’s top 100 universities, highlighting which are currently seeing the highest demand for student rentals. This demand is based on […]

Colleagues, any ideas? I have a very difficult tenant who has refused access for my builders last year and now won’t allow access for an EICR on Monday. It’s 2 days left before the deadline, and I’ve been trying to do repairs on the house along with doing the electrical cert. Could be that they […]

I am a member (director) of an RTM in a small block of 7 leasehold flats. 3 of the leaseholders are also Directors and 3 are non Directors leaving one leaseholder yet to join the RTM. We mostly agree on necessary maintenance works and split the costs between ourselves individually. We also have a management […]

We need to revalue our properties as we are planning to change our business structure. So we are trying to plan ahead before a final decision is made on what to do next. Should the properties be valued as vacant possession, or should they be valued with sitting tenants? Which is the most cost-efficient way […]