It’s a theme that’s becoming ever more common, if you were in any doubt, now is the time for us to sell up our portfolios, cash in and retire while the market is still high, and before the window closes. Many of us have hit our fifties and sixties and have been in the landlord […]

The EPC on a top floor flat has recently been downgraded from an F to a G with a score of just 19! The three suggestions for improving that score are : 1. Increase loft insulation to 270 mm at a cost of £100 to £350 (Score 24 i.e. F) 2. Internal or external wall […]

The annual rough sleeping statistics, published 24 February 2022, show that rates have fallen for a fourth year in a row with a 9% reduction in rough sleeping compared to last year. Numbers have fallen in every region of England, taking levels to an 8-year low overall. The number of people in emergency accommodation has […]

Research Rentd, has found that the earnings of the average tenant sit below the rental affordability threshold in five of the nation’s nine regions.   The research looked at the current average income of a tenant and how it compared to the average level of rental affordability based on the benchmark of two and half times […]

I recently started to rent out a room in my home. At first, the person seemed reasonable, but sadly I came home from work one night and found she was smoking cannabis at the entrance to my property. I share this main entrance with two other properties in my block. I spoke to her and […]

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has just presented his Spring Statement to Parliament, focussing on the cost of living crisis and its exacerbation by immediately falling into another crisis, supporting global economic sanctions against the war in Ukraine. The Chancellor’s policies to relieve the cost of global inflation to households included: The threshold for paying National Insurance […]

As most Property118 readers will be aware, properties where there are three or more occupiers forming more than one ‘household’ will be classed as an HMO.  Making landlords liable for extra regulation. Properties, where there are five or more occupiers forming more than one household, will be subject to mandatory licensing. Other HMOs or indeed […]

Hello, there, I’m looking for some advice, please. I own a flat in a block of 160 flats where the Freeholder owned the management company that dealt with the service charge, after a battle for many years we eventually got the RTM. We found out that the Freeholder owns quite a few flats within the […]

Here we go again…another Council rubbing their hands with glee looking forward to a windfall of £’M’s which will improve absolutely…. NOTHING, but just serve to increase rents further. Click here The fact that Shabrana Hussain, believes a private Landlord will be expected to ALSO address issues that are decreed in the licence ranging from […]

Hi, Does anyone have the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) address for returning overpaid rental income? I have seen a phone number advertised, but I would much rather write to them and then be able to transfer the overpayments via bacs bank transfer to ensure my repayment goes through and have a clear record […]

Fifteen businesses that had bought freeh­olds from housing developer Countryside have now given formal commitments, known as undertakings, to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to remove terms that cause ground rents to double in price. These terms, which kick in every 10 or 15 years, mean people often struggle to sell or obtain a […]

This has been a very widely commented on topic with Mick Roberts’s article, Can I really house the Ukrainian People? I want to, however….., so the latest government FAQs have been included below: Click here For sponsors: Anyone registering online on Homes for Ukraine will be kept updated. Our guidance will include information on the […]

We have owned a particular 2-bedroom apartment for around 8 years. In September 2021 we took on some new tenants via our letting agent. A couple of months into the tenancy, we started to have some issues with mould. We found that the tenants were not ventilating the property, they had closed the window vents […]

Interesting article stating that social housing providers are having to divert money put aside for essential property maintenance to adhere to safety reforms: Click here Have they forgotten about private landlords here too? This is going to cripple the private sector without adding in the fear of heavy fines and prosecution (for which SHP’s seem […]

If a tenant leaves the property in a mess that requires cleaning and walls repainted, can you charge them rent whilst you get the flat ready for the next tenants? The flat was redecorated and professionally cleaned before tenants moved in, and they’ve only been in the flat 1 year – contract says return flat […]

There’s no doubt that this year is shaping up to be a difficult one for landlords, with almost every news source reporting yet another issue for our buy-to-let portfolios, it’s hard to find the silver lining to continuing to own so many properties. It’s left many of us questioning: are the looming bills, regulations and […]

The National Residential Landlords Association is sad to confirm that its Deputy Director for Policy and Research, John Stewart, passed away over the weekend after being diagnosed with cancer. Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the NRLA said: “We are desperately sad to learn of John’s passing. “During his time at the NRLA, and prior to […]

Today, in its Shadow Wales White Paper, the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) sets the future direction necessary for a fairer, more inclusive PRS in Wales. The Shadow White Paper, entitled “The Future of Private Renting in Wales”, sets out the NRLA’s proposals including an analysis of why the introduction of rent controls would have […]

I have just had a tenant move out. My understanding is they should leave a place as they found it. Immaculate when she got it, but now it’s a dirty tip, belongings everywhere (which I can deal with no problem) looked like it hadn’t been hoovered or cleaned in over a year. I expect a […]

Will helping Ukrainian refugees lead to thousands of homeowners and renters being prosecuted by councils for unlicensed HMOs (Like councils prosecuted those who housed the homeless during Covid)? Thousands of people appear to be being set up for prosecution by uncaring and revenue greedy councils on the back of the UK response to the humanitarian […]

I had a leak in one of my rental flats and the neighbouring flat had a bit of dampness on the wall. My builders came round and tidied up the leak and offered to repaint his side too for the little bit of discolouration. He didn’t say anything. It all went quiet, and now he’s […]