The latest data by rental deposit replacement scheme, Ome, has revealed which areas of the UK have seen the biggest uplift in deposit disputes, as well as the areas with the highest number of total disputes raised. Research shows that London is home to the highest proportion of rental disagreements between landlords and tenants when […]

The RLA is claiming claiming that a string of data released today demonstrates the failure of government policy for the private rented sector. The Royal Institution for Chartered Surveyors is warning that private sector rents are set to increase by 2% over the next year as a result of the demand for such housing exceeding […]

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 Liverpool Meeting property networking event Thursday 27th February 2020. The event will be held at The Shankly Hotel, Millennium House, 60 Victoria St, Liverpool, L1 6JD The Event hosts are […]

I recently read the shocking story about Mr Valentine-Brown who was murdered by his landlady, her partner and two accomplices when they decided they would take the eviction process into their own hands.  Although an extreme case, this story serves to highlight just how quickly problems can escalate when emotions are running high and landlords […]

The Welsh government have introduced a Renting Homes (Amendment) (Wales) Bill that amends the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. The new law would give tenants in Wales a guaranteed minimum of 12 months’ protection against eviction at the start of a new tenancy if they have not breached the terms of their contract. The Bill […]

As painful as the planning process is – the council have approved our plans, but scuppered us with the worse possible restriction if we proceed. How they can come to such a conclusion and feel it is a viable solution. Basically the property is in London (NW10). It is a large Victorian property and we […]

I have a friend who bought a property 11 years ago, but had to add his mother to the deeds and the mortgage to be able to get the mortgage amount needed. The plan was, or should have been, to hold the property as tenants in common with his mum only owning 1%. However, from […]

Help! I have taken a tenant to court (section 8) rent arrears and the court provided the tenant with a solicitor. The tenant is now claiming that the property is not fit for purpose as it has damp mould in various places ( this has never been reported to me). The court case has now […]

I am an overseas landlord and have a property that needs minor fixes and gas safety certification. The tenant claims to be a busy person so he can not accompany(open the door) for our contractor to get those done. However, he is willing to charge us £1000 for the time he accompanies(open the door) our […]

I’m looking to buy an ex-local authority flat on the first floor of a 10-storey block in Hackney. The building has several lifts and, in general, is in good condition.  There is no deck access – the corridor where you enter the flat is closed to the elements. But only 16% of the flats in […]

I am at an advanced stage of selling a flat in a building with 6 storeys, but at this late stage my buyer has come forward to tell me their lender will not progress the sale unless my managing agent can produce a certificate confirming the building does not have high risk cladding. This would […]

A national trade body has warned landlords to be on guard as milder winters drive a rise in rats. Cold winters create a ‘natural cull’ of the population, but warmer weather in recent years has seen numbers increase. Now British Pest Control Association (BPCA) has published a new online guide to help businesses prevent problems […]

The Immigration Minister, Kevin Foster MP, responded to a written question by Alex Norris MP (Labour, Nottingham North) asking what plans the Home Office has to update the Right to work checks and Right to rent document checks guidance to allow digital forms of identification to be accepted. Kevin Foster, responded: “When an individual undergoes […]

On the 7th of February 2020, the Government announced plans to cut the cost of a proportion of new build homes by 30% for first-time buyers in order to ‘turn the dial on affordability’. However, the latest research by new home specialists, Stone Real Estate, has revealed that the latest Government initiative, the First Home […]

A BBC investigation has suggested that some letting agents are not providing tenants with the full picture when selling deposit alternative schemes, resulting in ‘hidden costs’ later being charged to tenants. While some tenants have found themselves foul of as much as a month’s rent for not following the guidelines, these replacement schemes otherwise offer […]

I am in the process of the purchase of a traditionally built 3 bed house freehold title. I Am using a new solicitor on this banks panel. We are near the end of the conveyance with mortgage offer, searches done etc. The title has standard restrictions put in by the Council such as only occupied […]

I have a property which is let on a 12 month AST jointly to 3 sharers. All are named on the tenancy agreement and are specifically jointly and severally liable for rent, compliance with terms of the lease, etc. The break clause, which can be exercised after 6 months is written as follows “….that either […]

Norfolk Property Network’s first meeting of 2020 will be Wednesday 19th February at the Oaklands Hotel Norwich. I will be joined by Mark Smith (Barrister-At-Law) Hon legal Counsel to Property118 and the co-designer of a range of solutions for business structures wherever you are on your property career. Effective landlord tax planning utilises all available […]

Scottish Government have issued a further consultation to mandate EPC Band C on all homeowner’s properties offered for sale or which undergo major renovation by 2024, 6 years ahead of the previous target of 2030. The current average rating in Scotland is D61, being 9 SAP Points below the proposed threshold. This is in the […]

Taking professional advice on the optimal ownership structure for UK landlords is arguably the most overlooked aspect of their financial planning. It is probably fair to say that most landlords do a fair amount of reseach when buying properties to consider the potential for capital appreciation and cashflow. They also research the mortgage market for […]

How much do people get fined for driving a vehicle without a driving licence? I ask this question because recently a landlord was fined £90,000 for not having licences despite his properties being faultless! It makes me think that no landlord should take the risk of owning properties in their own personal names these days, […]