A three storey 78 unit development based just north-east of Bristol’s city centre meaning it is convenient for students who attend either the University of Bristol, or the University of the West of England (UWE), both of which are reachable either on foot or via direct public transport links. Collectively, the universities have over 51,000 […]

I wonder whether anyone has thought of putting money into a SIPP to mitigate some of the fallout of the way that mortgage expenses are to be accounted for from the current tax year. I appear to be hit hard. I have a salaried income of 35K, plus 25K in rental income, with 15K in […]

On 29th December 2017 I published an article about how UK landlords could be criminalised and even face prison sentences as a result of their tenants failing to use the correct recycling dustbins, and other matters. Here is a link to that article, which has been the cause of outrage for many more reasons than […]

Can anyone please assist with my situation? My sister would like to transfer a property as a gift to my brother and I, the property does not have a mortgage and was not purchased with one. The house has always been used as a rental property with a Private Rented Property License issued by a […]

Having raised more than £58,000 for local charities across the last three events, ‘Rumble with the Agents’, the white-collar charity boxing event which was set up in 2015 by founder of Landlord Action, Paul Shamplina, will return for a fourth year. Now a permanent fixture in the property event calendar, the team are once again […]

Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Housing, announced yesterday his Government’s support for new legislation proposed under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation and Liability for Housing Standards) Bill 2017-19. The Private Members’ Bill brought forward by Labour MP, Karen Buck, includes giving tenants the right to take legal action over the habitation standards of private rental […]

Our Landlord has just remortgaged and said he needs to prove he is getting a higher rent than we actually pay. He wants us to go to agent and sign a new agreement for a higher rental amount, but says we can continue to pay existing (lower) rent. He says it is a Buy to […]

I had a fairly high maintenance tenant who was causing so much grief after 2 years I served a section 21. Eventually they left my property and put the keys through the door. I recently contacted her about some furniture, two broken wardrobes and a corner piece of her sofa and after she tried to […]

I had a tenant who appears to have left the property three months ago, at least that’s when he stopped paying rent or answering his phone. The house is still occupied by a woman who wasn’t on the original tenancy and I assume she’s his girlfriend. Ive contacted a solicitor and set about gaining possession. […]

My client has just set up a new Ltd Co with which they wish to buy and manage several rental properties. They are using a new solicitor to do the conveyancing who is supposed to be an expert in Ltd companies and  buy to let’s. The Ltd Co has only been in existence 5 days […]

The National Landlords Association’s (NLA) latest research shows that 20% of its members plan to reduce the number of properties in their portfolio in the next year – the highest level of intended property sales in 10 years. The NLA believes this is due to recent tax changes, and has created a series of videos […]

From April 2018, landlords of privately rented domestic and non-domestic property in England or Wales must ensure that their properties reach at least an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E before granting a new tenancy to new or existing tenants. Now as a Landlord I had not taken too much notice of this looming […]

In August 2017 a neighbour telephoned me to say that there had been a police involved incident at the property that I let. I went to the local police station to tell them that I was the landlord and enquiring about the incident. They replied that it had nothing to do with me. I said […]

I thought, this will be right place to ask this particular question, so here it goes: My son has just turned 18 and I am thinking of buying a property for him on Buy To Let basis whilst he is in full time education. I am aware that, 3% surcharge is not applicable as long […]

Dear P118 readers, I wonder if anyone has had experience with this issue lately? I am using Foxtons to let a property (as they had an offer on at the time) and the fixed term (18m) is coming to an end in 60 days. I was called by Foxtons asking if I wanted to renew […]

I am quite confused with SDLT tax. Here is our situation, My wife and I own two buy to let properties (50:50 split joint tenant) at the moment. I am thinking of changing to tenants in common with 99:1 split. The mortgage on each property is quite low (one is 54k, another one is 46k). […]

After a pipe leak caused a £130k claim (not quite yet settled) I find myself unable to find tenanted insurance. The letting agent insists on landlord insurance and my obligation to provide it is written into their standard tenancy agreements. The insurance lapsed in June 2017, but I couldn’t get meaningful cover while renovations were […]

I’m delighted to start the New Year with a piece of good news for those of you who make use of the Alternative Payment Scheme (APA) to secure redirection of the tenant’s “housing costs”. DWP has just confirmed its staff have been instructed “explicit consent” will no longer be required in relation to the progressing of APA requests. Prior to this, it […]

I had to review the service charge breakdown for two apartments in one development this year, as this and last year service charges have risen to almost double from all previous years. What I found is interesting and these are the biggest items; Management fee 70k Building insurance 128k Fire door audit 34526 (an audit […]

Baroness Valentine, a former banker and the wife of a venture capitalist, is the latest to have a go at private landlords (a common enough diversionary tactic to have a go at an unpopular group when you yourself are amongst the most privileged in society). In a debate on Industrial Strategy she made the following […]

At the first pre-legislative hearing by the Communities and Local Government Committee on the Draft Tenant Fees Bill, Professor Ian Loveland of the City Law School, told MPs allowing local authorities to impose fines of up to £30,000 on letting agents and landlords without a conviction could breach the Human Rights Act. Professor Loveland said: […]