A house has been used as an HMO, but after applying for a licence it was not granted and the instruction is to return the property to a single-family dwelling. It is currently operated by a reputable sub-let company who rent individual rooms to mainly minimum wage workers from Eastern Europe. To comply with the […]

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Universal Credit has become a lifeline for many households. In the first two weeks of lockdown alone there were over 500,000 claims per week, more than nine times the usual weekly level of applications. As of July, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) had 5.6 million people claiming Universal […]

Our Hon. Legal Counsel, Mark Smith, Head of Chambers at Cotswold Barristers will be presenting an overview of several landlords tax strategies at the pin Milton Keynes Wednesday 21st October The events will be held Online and Attendees can expect first-class speakers and great networking opportunities. For any Property118 readers looking to attend their first […]

The infamous words of Jenrick at the start of the pandemic: “No renter who has lost income due to coronavirus will be forced out of their home, NOR WILL ANY LANDLORD FACE UNMANAGEABLE DEBTS” Nothing more was heard about landlords only incessant campaigns for Private landlords not to evict, but to bear the financial loss, […]

In the NAPIT booklet EIRC Codebreakers 18th edition version Section 5.12.3 it states cables in walls not protected less than 50mm deep not RCD protected will be C2 failure. In the Electrical installation condition reporting: Classification codes for domestic and similar electrical installations Issue 5 it says on Page 14; Code C3 – Improvement recommended […]

If your strategy is to acquire further investment properties within a Limited Company structure, please do not settle for an “ordinary shares” structure. The existence of ordinary shares is often a clear sign of there having been no thought given to tax planning whatsoever. If you or your accountant purchased your company ‘off-the-shelf’ and then […]

Mr Mark Bradley from Gourock, Scotland, has been ordered to pay his ex-tenant £1,500 after failing to protect her deposit with an approved deposit protection scheme. On 4 September 2020, following a Case Management Discussion by the Housing and Property Chamber First-tier tribunal for Scotland, Mr Bradley was found to have not protected his tenant’s […]

Do you ‘Rent to Rent’ or Are you considering ‘Rent to Rent? ‘Rent to rent’ can be lucrative and many landlords and property owners have done very well from it: Property owners can earn an income from their property without having to do any management work Landlords can run a landlord business without having to […]

Those who believe that Government is not aware of the issues facing landlords in the PRS  may be surprised by the detailed analysis in the Briefing Paper published on 13th October by the House of Commons library. The summary is quoted below but I recommend reading the whole report, which can be downloaded if you […]

In a speech by the Director of Consumer and Retail Policy for the FCA, Nisha Arora, it was outlined how lenders should support borrowers forced into taking mortgage payments holidays during the pandemic. In the guidance below it sets out expectations for firms on how to support customers and work with them on their finances […]

A warning to Nottingham Landlords with Houses in Gedling Borough Council: Licensing are coming for you even in coronavirus times! For those that are aware, Gedling brought Licensing in for 2018, but only included 700 houses, arguably troubled streets. However, Gedling are now expanding the scheme to the areas below. I’ve only got about 12 […]

Hello all, I hope someone can help. I own 3 apartments in a block, the only apartments in that block with our own entrance. We do not own the entrance/hallway the freeholder/landlord does. The landlord owns the building and on the ground floor an estate agency with its own entrance. We are trying to allocate […]

Hi I’m looking for Rent Guarantee Insurance on my properties that are apartments in apartment blocks. I am having no problems obtaining Rent Guarantees for my other properties as long as I also take out building’s insurance as part of a package. However, with my apartments, I have to pay the building’s insurance as part […]

Just under half of mortgage intermediaries expect to write more buy-to-let business in the next 12 months, according to Paragon Bank’s Financial Adviser Confidence Tracker (FACT) Index. The index developed quarterly by the specialist lender, is evidence of the market’s current strength. When asked to describe the demand for buy-to-let mortgages at present, 48% of […]

Using text messages to remind tenants when rent is due and chase late payments provides a range of benefits, according to PayProp who say communicating via text not only saves time and resources, but also meets the needs of modern tenants, many of whom prefer not to receive direct phone calls.  Why is SMS an […]

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick has announced a support package to help keep rough sleepers and those at risk of becoming homeless safe this winter in the press release below: This will give local areas the tools and funding they need to protect people from life-threatening cold weather and the risks posed by coronavirus. Today’s announcement […]

There is no indication it is likely, or that the Bank of England will reduce the Base Rate to zero or a negative figure. However, a letter has been sent by Sam Woods on behalf of the Bank of England to selected firms’ CEOs asking about their operational readiness should interest rates move in that […]

The NRLA responded to the Chancellor’s announcement of furlough schemes where local lockdowns exist with, Ben Beadle, Chief Executive, saying: “The local furlough payments are not going to be enough to help renters who are already behind with their rent, because of the impact of COVID-19. “The impact of local lockdowns makes it even more […]

A lawyer recently told me that he thought there was a law whereby, if a tenant gives notice, but then does not move out at the end of their notice period, they can be charged double rent. Has anyone heard of this please or know what my position is under the Covid-19 emergency rules? My […]

The latest NRL A survey in England and Wales indicates the majority of landlords expect their rental business to be negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey of just over 2,000 members found that 48% felt they would face a ‘slightly’ negative impact to their business as a result of the pandemic and 18% […]

The NRLA’s submission to the government is calling for a package of financial support for landlords and tenants to assist with Covid-19 related rent arrears ahead of the publication of its Comprehensive Spending Review. Unlike the recent announcement by the Welsh government introducing a tenant loan scheme paid directly to landlords or agents there has […]