I use the Tenancy Deposit Scheme insurance-based scheme. In my opinion, I would sooner pay a small premium to hold the deposit than have to jump through hoops trying to get payments for damages through the custodial scheme. If as a fait accompli you make a deduction from a deposit that you hold, the onus […]

Does anyone know how we stand regarding damage caused to our property by invasive plants in our neighbour’s garden? We’ve cut it back on several occasions over the years, but now it’s grown into the soffits at the back of the house where it’s hard to see, and caused damage. Can I ask them to […]

We are no strangers to councils imposing Mandatory Selective Licences. We make representations at every opportunity even though we know they aren’t considered at all. I don’t generally disagree with the reported aims of such schemes, but there are few landlords who agree that the measures imposed do anything at all to help achieve those […]

There are three main methods of financing a Buy to Let business incorporation. However, one of them is fraught with risks and high costs and it unlikely to be the method you might think of as being risky at first either. The three methods are: – The acquiring company provides an contractual indemnity to the […]

Tough new measures that will force industry to pay to remove cladding and protect leaseholders from exorbitant costs have been unveiled by Secretary of State for Levelling Up Michael Gove. For those in industry not doing the right thing, the government will be able to block planning permission and building control sign-off on developments, effectively […]

I have two pony paddocks of about 3 acres with our house and garden (1.5 acres). The paddocks have development potential with neighbouring land being already built on, or with recently approved planning. I am trying to work out what is the most tax-efficient way to exit, the options I see are as follows: 1) […]

Hi all, I am a new private residential landlord. The property is jointly owned 90%-10%. I am now looking for a definitive answer on how I should be splitting our allowable expenses for tax purposes. I’ve looked everywhere online and can’t find an answer. Do we need to split it 50/50, or can we split […]

Thinking of adding extra floors onto your property? Airspace Development may now be a little harder as a result of last week’s High Court Ruling curtailing development opportunities. Last year, new Permitted Development rights were introduced to great fanfare as the biggest shake-up to the planning system. Although described as Permitted Developments, they are actually Prior […]

One of Scotland’s leading country property experts has issued an urgent appeal to rural landlords to become involved in the consultation process which has just begun into the Scottish Government’s proposed New Deal for Tenants. Jennifer Campbell, Head of Estate Agency at Baird Lumsden, the rural property arm of DM Hall Chartered Surveyors, said many […]

After implementing the strategies recommended by our Property118 Tax Consultant my husband and I were asked to leave a Testimonial comment. However, just a few short sentences were not enough for me, so I have decided to submit this Readers Question instead. First though, I think a bit of background is in order. When we […]

The UK needs almost 230,000 new private rented homes a year to meet government housing targets across the UK, according to a new report by the economics consultancy, Capital Economics. The report, commissioned by the National Residential Landlords Association, observes that Government targets would amount to the need for 340,000 new homes a year across […]

Rough sleepers across the country will be supported off the streets and into long-term homes with £174 million funding boost, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has announced. The funding, which forms part of the government’s Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme, will create over 2,900 move-on homes between 2021 and 2024 as part of […]

Is there anything stopping you from asking your prospective tenant to do their own credit referencing etc. and give you copies of the details? Wouldn’t this take away the cost and time of the landlord searching for this info and speed up an application? With competition so rife for rentals, surely the best candidate who […]

I have a very difficult and combative tenant who is quibbling over my proposed rental increase of just over 3%, at the lower end of current increases. After verbally abusing me, he is now trying to negotiate. I met him halfway in the negotiations and have suggested an increase of just under 3%. He has […]

What do you do if an Article 4 is announced before you have built your HMO? A popular HMO Article 4 question we get asked a lot is while your HMO is under construction, we are regularly asked “How does an Article 4 affect my proposed HMO.” We are back again with Linda Wright, who […]

When you convert a commercial building to residential use under permitted development rights (PDR), how much will that residential property be worth? £100,000? 500,000? perhaps a £1,000,000? Yes, a pie shop to resi conversion is actually worth a million pounds. Today I’m joined by Andrew Roberts to discuss whether this may be a conversion too […]

Shelter warns in their latest press release that more renters are likely to get into financial difficulty in the coming months as living costs continue to rise. New government figures show that 14,123 landlords in England started court proceedings to evict tenants from their properties between October and December 2021, up by 43% on the previous quarter. Shelter […]

Hi, I have a young member of staff who purchased a flat in a housing association block of flats. He did not realise that when purchased, he could not sublet. Has tried to sell his flat and the purchaser wants the right to sublet! The other flats are all the housing association’s tenants! It seems […]

Got a strange situ here – I have 2 licensees who originally rented 2 rooms in a shared house. Then they got together. The other 2 licensees moved out before Christmas and these remaining 2 asked if they could rent the whole house. I agreed reluctantly as they’ve been a pain with late payments and […]

Hi everyone, I may be in a bit of a situation. I have an agent who I have used for one of my properties who it looks like took a 3k deposit from tenants, didn’t protect it, and are now about to go into liquidation… The AST contract signed with the tenants is between them […]

Demand from tenants in the rental market continued to rise, according to a net balance of +64% of respondents, representing the strongest on record since 1999, whilst landlord instructions remained in decline according to -15%. Given this ongoing mismatch between tenant demand and property supply, a net balance of +59% respondents said they expect rents […]