Page 564 – Property118

Shelter’s strategy for 2019 – 2022

25th October 2018

Shelter have documented their strategy for the next three years 2019 – 2022: click here to view the full document. Their purpose: Shelter exists to defend the right to a safe home. (note not to provide a safe home) How they will achieve change: “A nationwide movement demanding social housing and defending rights – In […]

Welcome Landlords – Have 0% for three months!

24th October 2018

The Leeds building society is offering a welcome start of 0% for Buy to Let purchasers on their new range of ‘Easy Start’ products. Welcome is designed to allow BTL customers breathing space when their finances are most stretched after the initial cost of purchase. Leeds Building Society’s director of product and distribution,Jaedon Green, said: […]

Zero entries in government ‘Rogue Landlord’ database

24th October 2018

It has been revealed by the Guardian and ITV News that the hidden government database of registered ‘banned landlords’ has remained empty. This was verified by independent means after two FOI requests got the response that the database contents should remain a secret and the reason they should remain a secret is a secret. Click […]

Refusal to award fixed costs and contractual costs

24th October 2018

I have been in court again! The case was heard in Canterbury County Court yesterday, Wilson v Manser and Manser, which went in the landlord’s favour. The Judgement itself is not of particular interest, but the refusal of Deputy District Judge Eyley to award fixed costs and contractual costs is of considerable importance to the […]

Please help with confusion over Building Regs and HMOs

24th October 2018

I so need some help as I just cannot Lose anymore money on professional services to be told different things by different people. I feel permanently anxious as my husband recently died and left me to manage a small portfolio which has untold problems which is causing me much stress. One big problem I’ve asked […]

Minor ACM Cladding = unmortgageable

24th October 2018

My niece has been trying to buy a flat in Hackney Wick, a relatively new development next to the Olympic Park. One flat was rejected by all lenders as it had ACM cladding in the block – not on the flat she wanted to buy but on the attached 5 storey block. It had been […]

Pragmatic and straightforward commercial approach

23rd October 2018

The commercial, Buy to Let, Development and Bridging finance market is maturing and developing to match the needs of the new more professional property investor post credit crunch. Some of the commercial lenders we now work with are taking a far more pragmatic, straightforward and commercial approach looking at projects much more on their individual […]

Millennials would rather save for a holiday than a house

23rd October 2018

42% of 18-25 year olds prioritise saving for a holiday over a property. New research by leading price comparison website MoneySuperMarket today reveals that the profile of a typical first-time buyer in the UK is changing, while the overall number of people getting on the property ladder has dropped by a staggering 45% since 1994[1]. […]

80% LTV for Trading Ltd co. Buy to Let

23rd October 2018

Keystone Property Finance now have a very landlord friendly product and criteria range. In particular they will consider Trading Limited company applications (not just SPVs) for up to 80% Loan to Value and they will stress test the portfolio at a notional 5.5% and 125% interest cover. This means you can borrow £174.55 for every […]

The Right to Manage or not?

23rd October 2018

I simply would like to know the best way to change the management company of a small block of 3 flats? I am one owner and and the other owner owns the other two flats. We don’t want to manage the block ourselves, but we do want to get rid of the inept management company […]

Tenant requiring some advice please

23rd October 2018

I am a tenant in a private rental and my landlord is a friend of mine. We have lived in our property for 3 years now. I recently employed a cleaner for about a month or so, she came weekly. On her last time here she had arranged to clean the oven whilst I was […]

BTL property pick

22nd October 2018

We are delighted to offer readers this fantastic opportunity to purchase a contemporary, 3 bed, new build, semi-detached house, with lots of extras in St Helens, near Liverpool. We have already sold 4 plots at this popular development, which is almost build complete. Currently being advertised on Rightmove for £145,000, we have negotiated a discount of 16% […]

RLA call on banks to end Benefits discrimination

22nd October 2018

The RLA is calling on the majority of Buy to Let lenders to stop discriminating against lending to Landlords that let to benefits tenants in their criteria. They are citing and example where a landlord had their Buy to Let mortgage called in, because it was discovered they were letting to a benefits tenant. Click […]

Freehold maisonette above a shop – mortgage nightmare?

22nd October 2018

I’m hoping that the well informed members of the forum will be able to help me with my problem below. I unfortunately bought a freehold maisonette that resides over a flower shop below just over 2 years ago. I own the freehold to the whole building with the shop owner owning a long lease below. […]

Private rent to buy agreement?

22nd October 2018

I want to sell a property I’m currently renting to the tenant that lives there. The tenants are looking into getting a mortgage but they are unable to raise a deposit. Can I let them rent the property for 12 months and I accept rental income this as their deposit to buy? Is this legal […]

Patrick Collinson has got it wrong yet again!

20th October 2018

Last year I described how Patrick Collinson had misunderstood two reports with big numbers in them: Patrick Collinson “Guardian of Housing Ignorance” Patrick Collinson has done it again! This week he has blindly quoted the press release for a report – with small numbers in it – which was designed to deceive policymakers: Click here […]

Open Letter to Landlords and Shelter

19th October 2018

Landlords, Our sector is under attack like never before. Politicians and pressure groups who want to tax and regulate the PRS out of existence are causing unbelievable hardship for tenants. The new UK tax on turnover goes against all the basic norms of accountancy rules. I wish here to address all the P118 readers who […]

Homelessness Reduction – Four Simple Ideas

19th October 2018

This is an article that I recently published on my Linked In page – Homelessness Reduction: PRS co-operation Homelessness, and severe housing need, is on the increase, there is a huge shortage of social housing, and no matter how much the Government say they are investing (even if you believe the figures), they cannot keep […]

AST renewal post agent?

19th October 2018

I thought this was going to be a simple, but there is so much conflicting information on the web. My property is currently let on a 12 month AST that was set up via an agent. The agent has been useless and I am in constant discussion with them about other issues so I am […]

Generation Rent tries to hoodwink policymakers

19th October 2018

On Tuesday Generation Rent published a paper by its Director, Dan Wilson Craw. He proves – to his own satisfaction at least – that the Law of Supply and Demand does not apply to the UK’s private rented sector. The paper is called “Do measures that discourage buy-to-let investment increase rents?” Click here He claims […]

Shelter’s website says Section 21 does not cause homelessness

18th October 2018

Last Friday Melanie Onn MP had an article published in The House, Parliament’s Magazine. Melanie Onn is Labour MP for Great Grimsby and shadow minister for housing. Towards the end she wrote “We’d also tighten up tenancy rules to help prevent private evictions, now the leading cause of statutory homelessness, by banning section 21 evictions.” […]