Page 588 – Property118

I don’t think I need to be concerned about GDPR

5th May 2018

I don’t think I need to be concerned about GDPR, here’s why. I live overseas and whilst my property rental business in the UK is a substantial one, I keep no records either written or electronically in regards to any of my tenants. The day to day liaison with tenants is all dealt with via […]

Funding More Billboards

4th May 2018

The billboard that Property118 member David Heard paid for out of his own pocket, out of pure frustration, has caused quite a stir here on Property118 and also on Social Media (Facebook in particular). Several members have suggested we start a Fundraiser to pay for more of these, which David and I think is a […]

Bill requiring rented homes to be fit for human habitation

4th May 2018

Karen Buck, Member of Parliament for Westminster North, is to deliver the keynote speech at the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health’s (CIEH) housing conference on the 9th May, where she will discuss her Private Member’s Bill on landlords and the private rented sector. Having received cross-party support, Ms Buck’s bill seeks to update the law […]

Client Money Protection compulsory from April 2019

4th May 2018

The good news is the government have finally announced that it will be a requirement for all property agents to belong to an approved Client Money Protection (CMP) scheme as of the 1st April 2019. CMP is an insurance product that protects the rental money tenants pay their letting agents to pass onto their landlords […]

My own landlord’s GDPR policy

4th May 2018

GDPR is something that WILL affect almost every landlord in the UK. The new legislation comes into effect on 25th May 2018, by which time all landlords (and other businesses) will have to have registered with the ICO and have a GDPR Data Protection Policy. We have spent the past couple of months preparing for […]

Tax self assessment on tenants in common

4th May 2018

Dear all, we currently have a tax return self assessment problem here. My husband and I bought a house in tenants in common which he is holding 1% and I am holding 99%. We are not quite sure what documents we need to submit when doing our self-tax assessment. 1. Do we have to submit […]

Is the Trust deemed to be a landlord?

4th May 2018

I hope you may be able to shed some light onto the following situation please. A family Discretionary Trust owns a house among its assets.  There are three Trustees and one of them lives in the house as their Principal Private Residence, rent free, and is also a Beneficiary of the Trust.  As that person […]

Tenant fees ban to cost between £77m and £274m

3rd May 2018

It has now been announced that the Tenants’ Fees Bill is now formally starting its progress through Parliament and is due to be implement in Spring 2019. An impact assessment of this ban on charging tenants fees has estimated it will cost letting agents between £77 and £274 million in the first year and lead […]

Tenant hoarder leaves landlord in a financial crisis

2nd May 2018

Ex-social worker and professional landlord of 30 years, Leslie-Ann Franklin, is facing having to sell the rental property she lives next door to in March, Cambridgeshire, after a complex case involving an extreme hoarder has left her in financial ruin.  With her story due to be aired on this week’s ‘Bad Tenants Rogue Landlords’ (Thursday […]

Axe The Tenant Tax

2nd May 2018

Axe The Tenant Tax was a campaign set up by landlords Chris Cooper and Steve Bolton. The main purpose of the campaign was to raise awareness of a new form of taxing businesses, but applied only to individual landlords. “Axe The Tenant Tax” group also raised funds for a Judicial Review of the tax reforms […]

This is what’s happening to your money

2nd May 2018

Dear Chancellor, Thank you for your email asking for my support in the local government elections. Unfortunately having been a Conservative Party voter for 40 years I can no longer support it. Either locally or nationally. I can’t bring myself to vote Labour either. In fact I feel quite marginalised as a voter these days. […]

Section 24 Tax Reforms

1st May 2018

Thank you for your interest in the Section 24 Tax Reforms, which will result in:- Massive rent hikes (as proven when a softer version was introduced in Ireland and is now being reversed) Landlords selling their rental properties (causing homelessness for tenants) Less private sector investment into building more homes Section 24 Tax Reforms increases […]

West Brom expiring BTL – with nowhere to go!

1st May 2018

I have a West Brom buy-to-let mortgage expiring (actually it has already expired on 1st April). I was part of the Property 118 action group that reclaimed thousands of pounds from them following their unlawful interest rates rises a few years ago. They have now exited the buy-to-let market and therefore have no product for […]

Paying tenants to quit early – tax deductible?

1st May 2018

I’m about to offer my tenants a few hundred quid to voluntarily surrender their tenancy early. Can I legitimately deduct that money as a rental business expense, assuming that my tenants issue a written receipt for it? Thanks in advance. St Jims

What makes someone pay for a billboard?

1st May 2018

What makes someone pay for a billboard advert to get their message across? Frustration!  That’s what. After having exhausted all other avenues to get my MP to listen and do something about the Government’s outrageous attack on the private rented sector (PRS), I decided to pay for a billboard. Although my MP, Penny Mordaunt certainly […]

Sajid Javid pressed on Right to Rent

1st May 2018

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has today written to new Home Secretary Sajid Javid to outline its concerns regarding Right to Rent. In a letter to congratulate Mr Javid on his appointment as Home Secretary the NLA used the opportunity to press the former Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government head to review the […]

Keeping old records?

1st May 2018

Hi all, whilst getting myself organised regarding the new GDPR regulations, it’s got me thinking about all the information I still hold for previous tenants. Eg, old tenancy agreements, notices etc and I still have details on DPS for previous deposits I have lodged. Does anyone have any ideas on how long we should be […]

Sincerity Among Landlords And Tenants

30th April 2018

If you think positive relationships and fair solutions need to be shared more in the media and elsewhere then please feel free to download a PDF version of this article via THIS LINK. You could save the PDF and email it to people (e.g. your MP and local Newspapers) or you could print it and […]

Suing a Freeholder – Anyone with experience?

30th April 2018

I would really appreciate any advice on this issue please.  A few years ago due to unemployment and a prolonged period without any rental income, I got into arrears with my service charge. Nothing too big £350. After resuming the monthly payments and contributed towards the arrears, I noticed discrepancies on my accounts. So I […]

James Brokenshire is new Housing and Communities Secretary

30th April 2018

In the never ending game of pass the housing parcel, James Brokenshire has been announced as the government’s new Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. This follows Amber Rudd’s resignation as Home Secretary and her replacement being the previous Housing and Communities Secretary, Sajid Javid, who only took the Ministerial role in […]

Windrush Right to Rent Government update

30th April 2018

In a knee-jerk response to the Windrush scandal the government has posted new Right to Rent guidance for Landlords and Letting agents below: Landlords: guidance on right to rent checks on undocumented Commonwealth citizens – Updated 25 April 2018 This information is for landlords wishing to rent private residential property in England to Commonwealth citizens […]