THE latest data from HomeLet shows demand for rental properties remaining high and in examining the data from the last five years, HomeLet has found that the UK as a whole has experienced a 13.9% growth in rental values (12.5% when London is excluded). Headlines from June 2019’s HomeLet Rental Index are: The average rent […]

In 2012, a change in law made squatting in residential property a criminal offence. The inevitable consequence of this was an increase in the number of cases of squatting in commercial premises.  Squatting has now become a real issue for commercial landlords and property managers, who need to make sure that they remove any squatters […]

Derby is an often-overlooked area when it comes to property investment. However, with the arrival of HS2 it will soon come into the limelight. Much of Derby’s property is undervalued but it is expected that the arrival of HS2 will push prices up significantly.  Between 2017 and 2018 property prices in Derby rose by 4.1% […]

Moneyfacts UK Mortgage Trends Treasury Report reveals that the average two-year fixed rate in July 2017 was 2.26% and the current average standard variable rate (SVR), is currently 4.90%. These figures mean that this month, the average difference between the rates that existing borrowers have been paying on their maturing two-year fixed deals and the […]

A recent study exploring the risks and impacts on the reliability of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) has uncovered a staggering amount of properties across the UK may be unwittingly let illegally. An extensive study using Spec technology has estimated that poor measurement standards currently used by the property sector has led to approximately 2.5 million […]

Landlords will have a major role to play in a court case considering the future of the government’s Right to Rent scheme. The government has decided to appeal against a damning criticism by the High Court earlier this year that the Right to Rent breaches human rights law because it causes racial discrimination that otherwise […]

Death is an unfortunate fact of life and occasionally a tenant passes away. Common sense dictates the Utility Company should just write off the bill, but no it puts the bill into the name of the Landlord. There then follows correspondence with threats of reporting to Credit Reference agencies. I have two current, with two […]

May Bank Holiday 2018 there was a large hailstorm in our area which caused damage to a number of conservatory roofs including my sister-in-law and mother-in-law’s. They successfully claimed and have new roofs. At the time I contacted my letting agent to ask them to contact the tenant in the property to have a look […]

Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission publishes interim report: From the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government and James Brokenshire MP. Town halls should encourage the redevelopment of retail parks and large supermarkets into communities that include homes, shops and businesses, a wide-ranging report for the government has found. The new “mixed use” communities should […]

Buy To Let: How To Get Started has now officially launched! On Friday 13th July 2018 I set myself a goal to get my first book officially published. Now, on Wednesday 10th July 2019, that day has come. I’m really proud of this book and I hope you will find it both enjoyable and helpful too. Buy To Let: How To Get […]

Greg Beales was quoted on 2 March 2019 as saying: “Shelter research shows that almost one in three renters receiving housing benefit haven’t been able to apply for a home they wanted due to discriminatory practices ranging from ‘no DSS’ adverts to total bans on people receiving housing benefit.” “But in the end, it will […]

After joining the EU in 2007 Romanian had UK work restrictions lifted 1st January, 2014 so their citizens were allowed to work in England 12 months of the year. Many started in the Horticultural Industry, and worked all hours under the sun. Fast forward five years and there is a much larger percentage with contracted full time […]

Hello, I’m in need of some advice re: letting agents knowing tenants are ‘naturally loud and animated’ people then letting a property to them in a small close knit community of terraced houses. This situation has arisen for a lady who lives near these tenants. The property these tenants are renting has always been rented […]

The Government (or at least the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG))  has got it into its head to interfere with tenancy deposits to make it easier for tenants to move house. They have issued a Call for Evidence (CfE), click here, asking for information. Some tenants struggle to find a second deposit whilst […]

This is a summary of a revealing article written by Joe Speye which you can view if you click here. He makes some ‘revelations’ about: Homelessness, Social Housing, ‘No-fault’ Evictions by PRS, N.H.F & Shelter and their ‘No DSS campaign’ and well, basically, a ‘Perfect Storm’ Joe’s report refers to the above interventions as “superficial, […]

The RLA have been heavily critical of plans by the Welsh government to increase the notice period after the fixed term of an AST from 2 months to 6 months. Effectively creating minimum 12 month tenancies. These new plans extending the period to a year before and landlord is able to take back possession of […]

I don’t know if anyone else had come across this, but a tenant was in arrears so Universal Credit were paying direct to me. The payments were for the period from the 19th of each month to the 18th of the next month and I used to receive the payment on the 25th. The tenant […]

I am a Leeds landlord. The council has decided to implement this in 2 areas. We made a detailed argument trashing their points, but they have lied their way past this and used the executive meeting to pass it even though they were thrashed in one of the 2 areas in the consultation. So we […]

Has anyone heard of Rosolite Mortgages? I got a letter today stating Mortgage Express/ Bradford & Bingley has been sold to Rosolite Mortgages and the completed transfer date is 15th July 2019. What benefit is this or is this going to mean increases of SVR etc? Many thanks Pat Editors Note: Update below from Bardford […]

For anyone with properties in Croydon, please find below: NOTES FROM CROYDON COUNCIL’S LANDLORD FORUM 18 JUNE 2019 Licensing Update: – Total applications received to end of March 2019: 35,014 (paid) – Number of LLs: 17K – New applications: 250-300 pm – Inspections: 12,029 since inception (Sept 2015) (so about 3,400pa or 68 per week […]

The government should “think twice” before changing the rules on eviction in the private rented sector, amid signs that the most vulnerable tenants on state benefits are likely to be the biggest casualties of the controversial new initiative, the National Landlords Association says today. Ministers are preparing to abolish Section 21 of the Housing Act […]