Can legal costs be recovered from the tenants using Money Claim Online? You can claim the court fee costs but unfortunately not any other legal fees. The nature of the small claims court is that it is easy to use so therefore legal assistance should not be necessary. Can I use HCEO if occupant doesn’t […]

We are very sorry to report that the TDS Head Office was destroyed by fire yesterday evening. Thankfully it is reported that no one was hurt in the incident involving the Progression Centre business complex in Hemel Hempstead. 35 fire fighters and 6 fire engines were called to the scene. TDS gave a statement to […]

THE average UK rental values continued to grow towards the end of 2018, according to the latest data from HomeLet, with December showing a continuation of the steady rise seen throughout the year. The HomeLet Rental Index – the UK’s most comprehensive and up-to-date data on rental values in the UK – is showing a […]

I recently bought a property and wanted to rent it a 6 months on short term assured tenancy. I have been using the local council with my other property and had no issues in the past as they would always pay the rent to me directly. This time I used a neighbouring borough. The housing […]

Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS), the private rented sector’s longest establish deposit protection scheme, has appointed Margaret Doyle as its new external Independent Complaints Reviewer, the first in its industry to do so. The role of the Reviewer will be to look at the way TDS has investigated complaints about its service in order to ensure […]

Following the Caridon Property Ltd v Monty Shooltz case in February 2018, if a gas safety certificate is not provided at the start of a tenancy, before the tenant moved in, landlords may find that any Section 21 notice served during the term is invalid. At the Central London County Court, landlord Caridon Property failed […]

I have four flats above a retail shop on two floors. The property was built in about 1900 and the conversion was undertaken in 2016 with full planning and building control approved and signed off. My managing agent says I must have a fire inspection which I have had done and the report “recommended” certain […]

Carmarthen Bay hotel is a successfully trading hotel which boasts a private pathway leading down to the beach, private function and conference rooms, a pool, a spa and first-class restaurant that serves up fresh produce. Due to its success, developers have purchased the adjacent building with the aim of increasing the hotel’s capacity to 75 […]

Hi, has anyone bought or viewed one of the prefabricated houses being built in a factory by Legal and General? (listen to Radio 4 “In business” programme) I’d welcome your thoughts on their construction, reliability and the ease of getting tenants and mortgages for such properties. Thanks in anticipation. Peter Editors Notes: From L&G >> […]

As usual with so many competing publications we try to normally report on the mortgage industry benchmark of the Halifax House Price Index as used by many lenders. – Prices in the three months to December were 1.3% higher than in the same three months a year earlier. Up from the 0.3% annual growth rate […]

I’ve recently came across a a land registry title with something I’ve never seen before: It states under Section B RESTRICTION:No disposition of the registered estate, other than a disposition by the proprietor of any registered charged registered before the entry of this restriction,is to be registered without a certificate signed by the applicant for […]

I bought an off-plan, new-build apartment in the Adelphi Wharf (Fortis) development in Salford back in 2015 and after a whole year’s delay my apartment was finally finished in November. Or at least that is what I was told by PLS Solicitors, the firm acting for me (and probably most of the other buyers) when […]

In January last year Shelter launched a cross party commission into the future of social housing to address crucial issues highlighted by the Grenfell Tower fire. It is chaired by Reverend Mike Long of the Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell,  and its panel includes Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Ed Miliband MP, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Lord […]

The information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham has serious questions to answer. The National Landlords alliance has written to her on behalf of its members and with respect to two specific complaints by members one of whom is an elected public official. The ICO has attempted to fob off the Alliance. Our message for Ms Denham is […]

I provided my tenant with a Form 6A / Section 21(1) form in October with the agreed date of 3rd Jan 2019 to vacate the property. At the time, she seemed agreeable to the arrangement and was understanding of my change in circumstance which meant I needed her to vacate the property. I liaised with […]

I have a friend who rented out a house to 2 girls, one girl is working earning 4 times the rent, the other girl is pregnant and not working. After 2 months the income earner has health problems and will leave work. With no income, the girls approached the housing association and have been advised […]

If you are renting out a property in England or Wales the government provide a summary of landlord responsibilities which many landlords will be completely familiar with, but it is still common to find the basics missed. Click here for the full .Gov web pages. Make sure you are on top of what is required […]

As Scotland is leading the way in bringing more uncertainty to an uncertain future for the PRS I am faced with a puzzling question. I am currently advertising a vacant property, but notes of interest are coming from prospective tenants looking to secure a property in September 2019. Basis I cannot assure a future tenancy […]

Dame Colette Bowe and Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia have been appointed as external members of the Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee (FPC), the Chancellor announced today (3 January 2019). Dame Colette Bowe is the current Chairman of the Banking Standards Board, a trustee of the IFRS foundation, a trustee of the Nuffield Foundation, and a […]

Hi everyone, Thank you for adding me into this community. I really hope to be able to contribute going forward. First of all, I’d like some advice please. I bought a BTL property 5 years ago. I live in rented accommodation myself. 2 years ago, after the changes to the Stamp Duty rules, I bought […]

I have an investment property where just I am named on the title deed and we have a Declaration of Trust where my wife is a 50% beneficial owner. The solicitors who set up the Declaration of Trust also placed a ‘joint proprietor or trustee restriction’ with the land registry. I am now trying to […]