I’ve been quoted a figure to purchase the freehold for my semi detached house which I’m happy to pay. Has anyone any experience of purchasing the freehold interest in a house? Does it mean if I go to sell the house in future that I’m selling the house and the land it’s on, or does […]

It has been confirmed by Councils that these studio flat accommodation units (usually) do not need planning permission, and they would qualify for the 1 bedroom self-contained rate of Housing Benefit (Local Housing Allowance).  Best of all, these fully fitted studio units only cost around £15,000.  Where else could you get a studio flat for […]

You may be aware that a North East MP Phil Wilson has proposed to Parliament a new mandatory bill insisting that all private Landlords are registered, and so easily identified by the Police etc. You can hear the local Radio interview here with residents, police crimes commissioner and Phil Wilson here : http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05rygtw And also […]

I am wondering if anyone could offer some advice re section 21 (4) notice recently served on non paying tenant, because I am not sure if the expiry date is correct gulp! The tenant has been in since 2013 so it’s a statutory periodic arrangement now and no deposit was taken. I have given more […]

Average rents across the UK rose by 1.7% in December 2017 when compared to the same month a year previously; the average monthly rent is now £907 Rents in the South-East of England were 1.0% lower in December 2017 than in the same month of 2016; rents fell year-on-year in the region during every month […]

Our first ‘How To Corporatise Your Property Business’ workshop of 2018 will be held on Sat 17th Feb. The workshop takes you through the process of incorporating your personally held property portfolio into a limited company without capital gains tax or stamp duty, while retaining your existing mortgages intact. The workshop is hosted by seasoned […]

Rapid eviction of tenants from residential property Webinar hosted by the Sheriffs Office Thu, Feb 22, 2018 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM GMT In this CPD webinar we will cover the eviction of tenants from residential property by a High Court Enforcement Officer under a writ of possession. The webinar is designed for private landlords […]

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has instigated a consultation to give small businesses access to the Financial Ombudsman Service following a review of the protections available to SMEs as users of financial services. At the moment only individual consumers and approximately five and a half million micro enterprises can access the Ombudsman if they have […]

To say that I’m jaded with how the property rental business has been vilified and increasingly taxed, legislated against and reviled by public opinion over recent years is an understatement. I’ve had my fill and need to get out. I’ve been following Mark Alexander and his wife both here, and on Facebook, growing increasingly envious of […]

The Business Moneyfacts Awards are the largest finance awards ceremony in the UK and without doubt, one of the major highlights in the financial services industry calendar.   These awards look to recognise the providers, brokers and trade bodies that have made a positive impact on the financial services industry during the last twelve months The […]

Dorian Gonsalves, CEO of Belvoir, the UK’s largest High Street property franchise, warns that government interference in the rental sector is likely to result in a rise in rents throughout 2018 and into 2019. “As 2018 progresses, landlords and tenants will find themselves shouldered with an extra burden of cost due to continued government interference […]

We’ve been landlords of a 2 bed flat for almost 10 years now and have had wonderful tenants the entire time. We’ve recently branched out into running our first HMO, and this is a whole new ball game! We feel like we have much to learn. The HMO is our former family home, and as […]

Landlords who need to evict tenants will need to serve notice correctly and then obtain a possession order from the court before they can proceed. In this article we look at the pros and cons of choosing the accelerated possession procedure, which can be a faster option. However, it may not be used in all […]

News Update: MPs have today voted unanimously to pass the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation and Liability for Housing Standards) Bill 2017-19  this morning in the House of Commons and it now moves to the Committee stage, where detailed examination of the Bill takes place. Please Click Here to see full details of the Bill […]

A contact of mine, who has been in the process of securing grant funding for property improvement works, has just secured a large funding “pot” to provide a number of possible works which will not cost you or your tenant a penny! This is all part of the governments ECO scheme, which is designed to help […]

The high street  letting agent Haart does not believe the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation and Liability for Housing Standards) Bill 2017-19  goes far enough to protect tenants. The Private Members Bill brought to Parliament by Labour MP Karen Buck includes giving tenants the right to take legal action over the habitation standards of private […]

Last May, I received a call from my tenant’s ex-wife telling me that he had died. The following month, the tenancy ended and keys were handed back. The property has now been sold. The one problem I have been unable to resolve is returning the deposit (in full) to the next-of-kin, his daughter. I was […]

A new edition of the ‘How to rent’ guide written by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government has been released on 17th January 2018. Please Click Here to download the full document which must be provided by landlords and agents to all new tenants. The guide is for tenants and landlords in the […]

Having a good accountant to check your books, make sure you claimed for everything you should and nothing you shouldn’t is very important. At this time of year, we are all dealing with just that, our year end tax returns and paying our tax by 31st January. However, has your accountant taken time out to explain how […]

The Residential Landlords Association (RLA) has thrown its support behind the Private Members Bill brought to Parliament by Labour MP Karen Buck. The Bill includes giving tenants the right to take legal action over the habitation standards of private rental property. Please Click Here to see full details of the Bill drawn up so far. […]

Too Often now that term ‘Criminal landlord’ is bandied about by ignorant politicians and Councils for political gain . It is a vendetta directed against the PRS. It is high time that the public were appraised of the reality of the rental market, across the board. To that end I will impart some absolutely shocking […]