Page 626 – Property118

How to deal with tenant subletting to cousin in breach of AST?

17th January 2018

We have tenants (a couple & their two children) in our B2L. They look after it and pay the rent on time and I’d like them to stay. We had a big void before they moved in and we accepted a significant discount on the market rent. When I inspected the property in June, there […]

Facebook debate invite requested by MP on Housing Standards Bill

17th January 2018

Labour MP, Karen Buck, who brought the Private Members Bill ‘Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation and Liability for Housing Standards) Bill 2017-19’ to Parliament is requesting feedback from tenants on Facebook. However, there is no request to include feedback from Landlords! The Facebook page, Click Here to view, asks: Tell us your stories of being […]

New rent reporting system that links tenants’ rental payments with their credit report

17th January 2018

A new proptech platform has launched today that links tenants’ rental payments with their Experian credit report and provides a full rent reporting service for letting agents and landlords. The Credit Builder platform is designed to help tenants improve their credit history by building up a validated rental record which they can share with future […]

DWP Service Testers Required

16th January 2018

DWP are making improvements to the current version of the UC47 form.  The form is widely used by landlords when applying for direct payment of the claimants Housing Cost. The UC47 will be moving to an online version where the form will be completed and submitted online. On Tuesday 6th  February 2018 and Wednesday 7th […]

Finally – A Rare Bristol Investment

16th January 2018

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 […]

SIPP in the context of reducing the agony of Section 24 tax changes

16th January 2018

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 […]

An Apology to Auschwitz Memorial @AuschwitzMuseum

16th January 2018

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 […]

Transfer of property between siblings

16th January 2018

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 […]

‘Rumble’ returns for the fourth year

15th January 2018

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 […]

Government backs Bill giving tenants powers to sue landlords for unfit properties

15th January 2018

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 […]

Landlord wants us to sign tenancy agreement for more than we pay?

15th January 2018

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 […]

Tenant’s ceiling fans destroyed after surrendering keys?

15th January 2018

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 […]

Evicting tenant’s girlfriend?

12th January 2018

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. […]

Are Ltd companies excluded from SLDT relief for 1st Property?

11th January 2018

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 […]

20% of landlords plan on selling up

11th January 2018

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 […]

New EPC rules set To upset the PRS as well as me!

11th January 2018

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 […]

Injustice of police damage, rent arrears and eviction notice!

11th January 2018

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 […]

Stamp Duty On my Son’s First Purchase of Buy To Let?

11th January 2018

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 […]

Legality of Renewal fees for Periodic Tenancies?

11th January 2018

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 […]

Do we need to pay SDLT changing to tenants in common?

11th January 2018

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). […]