With tenancy deposits coming under fire recently, Eddie Hooker, CEO of Hamilton Fraser, parent company to mydeposits, looks at whether alternative insurance products, offering a deposit free solution, protect both landlords and tenants, and if they improve the Private Rented Sector (PRS). To address these questions and many more potential issues, mydeposits has today released […]

I have a buy to let in Newham and I have a Selective Licence. I rented out my property to a family of 2 and their family friend so that’s 3 tenants in total in May 2017. I included all the names of the tenants in the Tenancy Agreement. Newham Council Enforcement Team have told […]

I own a property that was purchased by my parents in 1992 and I need to establish if it is still on a private road or adopted highway? The property was one of only five properties on a private lane that leads to a farm at the end. The property sits at the beginning of […]

Why is the SDLT treatment of partnership property different to individually owned property at the point of incorporation? Property118 Limited has raised this very important issue with HMRC in an open latter dated 28th June 2017, the content of which reads as follows:  This request for clarification is a follow up to our letter dated […]

I bought a 4th floor flat off plan in 2014 which is scheduled for completion at year end 2017. In view of the cladding issues I am wondering if the cladding will be compatible with current fire regulation thinking? Does the local authority need to sign off on the building before I pay the o/s […]

I have had a limited company running for around 10 years for my main work, in the last few years I have purchased some properties for cash in order to rent out. Last year I bought a flat and spent around £4k changing the kitchen, bathroom, some new electrics and generally giving it a paint […]

Sir Thomas House is enviably located in central Liverpool close to many university campuses, prices for units in this student accommodation development start from £75,000. A rental income of 8.4% for two years is assured. This is an eye-catching development is in the best city centre location. The grand arches and period façade are distinguishable […]

Many landlords are still using coin sub-meters to charge tenants for gas and electricity. These will not work after 15 October 2017 when old pound coins cease to be legal tender, and many landlords and agents might be tempted to remove the old meters to modify them. However, the legislation changed in October 2016 and […]

As if the recent heatwave wasn’t bad enough, Theresa May has been enduring sleepless nights since her nightmare snap election. Whatever your political beliefs, there’s no denying that May lost impetus at the finish line, particularly with a resurgent Corbyn snapping at her heels. Labour made inroads across the country, stealing a 9.5% increase in […]

I have discussed an increase in rent with one of my tenants. They have verbally agreed (and are indeed very happy as they thought the increase would be more!) This particular tenant has been with me for 5 years and I have not increased the rent during that time. There is no clause relating to […]

Barnsley Council – Selective Licensing scheme Lets hope all the local landlords challenge this! Another dysfunctional Council that are way behind in Selective Licensing. Money for nothing, a fee which only burdens and no benefits to a good Landlord. “We’re proposing to introduce a Selective Licensing Scheme across four key areas of the borough. It […]

Before I start, please don’t confuse me with the other more knowledgeable and financially astute Neil Patterson on this forum! I can see the merits of holding property in a limited company given the changes to the tax treatment of mortgage interest. However, I’m hitting a problem in practice. I’ve recently remortgaged a property held […]

SWEENEY V LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL. FIRST TIER TRIBUNAL MANCHESTER CASE REF MAN/OOBY/HML/2016/0005. The tribunal has released its decision dated 22/6/2017. There were a number of arguments advanced in the above case, and while Liverpool technically could appeal , the tribunal has ruled that the Council must amend all its landlord licences. The Local authority expended […]

I have nasty neighbours who think they own the street and have been repeatedly accused of scamming/stealing from people – unfortunately my property and gardens adjoin theirs (in an L shape) so there is no escape. I have just come home from a day out and they have painted their tarmacked driveway with driveway paint […]

My 12 year old daughter has inherited a substantial amount of money from a relative, we want to invest this for her in property. We have a few rental properties already and would like her to have an interest in these by giving us some of her money. We will also be purchasing additional property […]

Housing charity Shelter have campaigned for increased legislation and bureaucracy and supported punitive increased taxation for private landlords. Much of the cost of this is inevitably passed on to tenants, with those least able to afford it suffering the most. The chickens are now coming home to roost. The Guardian article reported, see>> https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jun/24/social-housing-poverty-homeless-shelter-rent “Housing […]

Thank you to Simple Landlords for putting together this excellent video and also to all of the ladies who participated in it. For many Property118 Readers, this will be the first time you get to see one of our best campaigners ever, Dr Rosalind Beck. When the first very short video finishes there are others […]

One of the biggest hurdles faced by Buy to Let investors is achieving the level of borrowing they need to buy the property they want. This has become a bigger hurdle in recent months thanks to the PRA Supervisory Statement (SS13/16) which came into force at the beginning of this year and imposed mandatory minimum […]

Hi guys I am moving to London in August. In Ireland I sublet a number of properties on air bnb, all with the landlord permission and I take full responsibility and pay for all insurance that is required on my behalf. I also pay for any upkeep that is required on the properties.The landlord benefit […]

Readers of Property 118 will recall my previous article about the terrible tragedy of Grenfell. I pointed out that the reason Tenants in Local Authority Housing suffer inferior conditions to those in the PRS, stems from the Housing act 2004 and the exemption from licensing for Local authorities. Grenfell shows us that the act needs […]

HF Resolution Ltd, a subsidiary of Hamilton Fraser, has acquired one of the industry’s leading tenant eviction solicitor firms, Landlord Action Limited. Landlord Action was founded in 1999 as the first ever fixed-fee tenant eviction service. Led by Founder Paul Shamplina, Landlord Action has since acted in more than 35,000 problem tenant cases, become a […]