Page 476 – Property118

How do I cut the agent out of the DPS deposit return loop?

4th May 2020

My daughter rented out her flat through lettings agent. The tenant subsequently left and the property was checked. The Agent used a third party to undertake the check. The flat was left with a number of faults , the main one being that the front entrance door had been jimmied open breaking the main door […]

Lockdown rental stock shortage will see rents and deposits climb

4th May 2020

Research by rental deposit replacement scheme, Ome, has highlighted how a lockdown reduction in rental stock entering the market could result in higher rental and deposit costs for UK tenants. Ome investigated the percentage of buy to let mortgage loans approved over the last five years as a percentage of all loans. The figures from […]

UK Landlords – Want to Retire Abroad?

1st May 2020

– Why Would A Property Investor Leave The UK? – How Can Moving Abroad Help Someone Withdraw Money From their portfolio? – What Are The Rules For Someone Who Still Has Ties to the UK? – What If You Have A Business In the UK That Needs Operating? Please see my video below with Mark […]

Washing Machine Recall

1st May 2020

Whirlpool have again recalled some makes and models of Hotpoint/ Indesit/whirlpool washing machines and have added further models to the list of recalls. We would suggest that all landlords advise their tenants to do a quick check of their installed appliance following the outlined process below to see if it is one of the makes […]

SDLT and CGT regarding new build and title split?

1st May 2020

We purchased land under a company name and built two semi-detached houses. We are trying to re-mortgage the properties, but the mortgage company is asking us to split the title in two so each house will have a title of its own. Our solicitor has advised of the need to move one house from our […]

Citizens Advice report is irresponsible!

1st May 2020

Research out today by Citizens Advice suggesting that some 2.6 million private renters have missed a rent payment, or expect to do so, owing to coronavirus is potentially a long way wide of the mark and irresponsible says the NRLA. Citizens Advice appears to have extrapolated this figure from just 25 renters who said in […]

FTSE 100 winners – Metals, minerals, pharma and food making

30th April 2020

The current pandemic has caused problems for businesses in a multitude of sectors, with big high street names including Debenhams, Carluccio’s, Brighthouse, Chiquito, Laura Ashley and Flybe having already gone into administration. Gatwick Airport, Rolls-Royce, Cairn Energy and Finsbury Food Group are also feeling the pinch but peer to peer lender, Sourced Capital, has looked […]

On demand recording of the April 2020 Baker Street Property Meet

30th April 2020

Over 1,100 landlords watched the April 2020 Baker Street Property Meet event LIVE on YouTube. The content must have been engaging because the audience levels were maintained for nearly two hours. The live comment feeds also support that. I must correct myself on two silly mistakes I made. The first is that HMRC’s internal manuals […]

tenancy agreement form, Property 118

Mislead by tenants subletting?

30th April 2020

My son has a HMO property which was let in January to four overseas students who claimed to be two married couples. Having done the Right to Rent checks, their documentation appeared to be above board. The passports were valid and had the correct student Visas and they had evidence of student registration at universities. […]

Setting up a Management Company make sense?

30th April 2020

So, a while ago someone told me that you can set up your own management company. And use this company to , 1, Collect Rent 2, Manage Visit’s 3, Manage Repairs The management company then takes a fee and you get paid the difference. Of course you will then pay tax on both earnings. Does […]

NRLA argues benefits should cover rents

30th April 2020

Responding to news that the Department for Work and Pensions has suspended until 10th May deductions from Universal Credit payments for rent arrears, service charge arrears and council tax arrears Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords Association said: “At such a difficult time the priority should be to do everything possible to […]

Labour want ‘Triple Lock’ for tenants

29th April 2020

A new Covid-19 Housing Delivery Taskforce to tackle the challenges Covid-19 poses to the London housing sector has met for the first time and is chaired by Labour’s Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development, Tom Copley. The group will consider how the sector can adapt and maintain resilience and also look at specific support […]

Could pensions be taking a heavier toll from Coronavirus than property investment?

29th April 2020

The average pension fund fell by 15.2%, its worst quarterly performance on record and only 11% of pension funds avoided posting a loss during the quarter. The Average annual annuity income fell by 6% to an all-time low with the average retirement income for someone saving into a pension fund and opting for an annuity […]

Business person pointing at a glowing question mark, symbolising uncertainty about leaseholder rights

If you were a lender how would you look at a request for a holiday?

28th April 2020

I had an Agreement in Principle (AIP) for a Client declined by Paragon yesterday due to credit issues,  BUT the credit file is more or less a perfect score, no missed payments, long historical residency, no CCJ’s etc etc i.e. no adverse. I spoke with Paragon about this and we couldn’t work out what the […]

Right to Rent Appeal – Legal Cases Webinar

28th April 2020

Landlords and agents have had to carry out right to rent checks under on tenants since 2016 (and in some areas since 2014) – but is the right to rent scheme inherently discriminatory? And if so, is it an unlawful? This was the view taken by the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) […]

One in seven mortgages are now subject to a payment holiday

28th April 2020

Lenders have given over 1.6 million mortgage payment holidays to support customers facing financial difficulties due to coronavirus meaning one in seven mortgages are now covered by payment holidays following steps taken by lenders to help households whose finances have been affected by the Covid-19 crisis. Lenders continue to offer product transfers enabling existing customers […]

New small business bounce back loans 100% government backed

28th April 2020

The government has announced that a new fast-track finance scheme providing loans with a 100% government-backed guarantee for lenders is designed to benefit small businesses. The loans will be interest free and capital repayment free for the first 12 months and the simplified application forms will be self certified subject to not committing fraud. The […]

Has anyone ever successfully sued a District Council?

28th April 2020

Has anyone successfully sued a District Council? Like all stories this one begins with a fairy tale and ends as a nightmare. The only trouble is this is no story, it’s all true. Two years ago my husband and I wished to help our daughter and her husband of five months as they found themselves […]

Post Covid-19 Property Opportunities – Baker Street 29th April

27th April 2020

Join me, Shaf Rasul from Dragons Den, Simon Zutshi and Ranjan Bhattacharya live for an online Baker Street Property Meet at 7pm on 29th April 2020. 1000+ property investors will be attending, so secure your spot now. REGISTER HERE IT’S FREE! I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I am to be o the […]

Property Redress Scheme launches tenancy mediation service

27th April 2020

Property Redress Scheme has launched a tenancy mediation service for residential and commercial landlords, or their appointed letting agent, and tenants, to aid finding a resolution over issues which have arisen during a tenancy.  The service was in planning prior to COVID-19, but has been brought forward to support landlords and tenants struggling with the […]

HMO tenant not abiding by lockdown

27th April 2020

I was hoping for some ideas on how I should be dealing with a situation where one person in an HMO is failing to abide by the lockdown social distancing rules. It’s a 4 person house and the other 3 tenants are extremely upset and worried as according to them the 4th person keeps going […]