Page 635 – Property118

My Loft space Vs Freeholder’s will to build more flats?

9th June 2017

I’ve recently purchased a lease hold, top floor flat, with a leasehold stating the loft space is part of the flat. Moved in couple of weeks ago, and settling in. Two weeks later (yesterday) i received a call from the freeholder himself wanting to arrange a meeting about buying the loft space, so he can […]

What does a Hung Parliament mean for Landlords?

9th June 2017

It is official the 2017 General election will be a Hung Parliament. What Does this mean for Landlords? With the two major parties both being Anti-Landlord could this be a Good thing? Will any new minority Conservative or Coalition Government find it difficult to implement further new Anti-Landlord agendas? What would potentially a Softer Brexit […]

SDLT penalising landlords taking the plunge to move out from parents homes!

8th June 2017

After a lot of research I have unfortunately learned that the new SDLT rates with a 3% surcharge will apply to myself. I am currently a landlord, but still living with parents. I am in the process of buying my first main residential property however, as I am not selling any home ‘disposing’ and only […]

Common Tenant Deposit issues answered

7th June 2017

During our recent webinar on the eviction of private tenants, we received a number of questions relating to tenant deposits. In this article, our guest presenter Yezdan Izzet from Bolt Burdon answers all the deposit-related questions that were raised. If a deposit has not been registered is it worth registering it prior to the hearing […]

Holiday Lets avoid Section 24 mortgage interest relief reductions

7th June 2017

The increasing tax burden on Buy to Let is encouraging many landlords to investigate alternative ways of investing in property and an increasingly popular option, particularly with the rise of Airbnb, is to purchase property as a holiday let. Running a holiday let is treated by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) in the same way […]

Leasehold Property and Alterations

7th June 2017

“Who repairs what?” and “Who owns what?” These are two fundamental questions that any leasehold owner looking to do works to their property must ask and get the answers to. The answer will be found by reading and interpreting your lease. For instance, a common enquiry relates to wanting to develop into the roof space. […]

Approached by compensation firm about Mortgage Securitisation?

7th June 2017

Is anyone aware of the Mortgage Securitisation issue that has arisen with “promises” of “up to 8 out of 10 UK Borrowers could qualify for a reduction in their mortgage by up to 70% if mortgage was sold by lender without borrower being told”?   I have been cold call approached by a mob seeking to […]

US portal Zillow cuts out agents trying to do an ‘Uber’

7th June 2017

Could it happen in the UK? US property portal Zillow has a new Instant Offer program which allows sellers to receive offers direct from purchasers. It is being piloted in Las Vegas and Orlando. The hundred billion dollar US traditional Real Estate industry is seeing this as an attempt to displace or disrupt the status […]

Landlords and Class 2 National Insurance

6th June 2017

The outcome of the due diligence of our professional advisers on this matter was that Landlords are NOT obliged to pay Class 2 National Insurance, regardless of whether they are running a business, unless they are also a trade. Furthermore, payment of Class 2 National Insurance also has no bearing whatsoever on claims for incorporation relief under Section […]

Revised Memorandum of Understanding between redress schemes to coordinate against rogue agents

6th June 2017

The three government approved redress schemes; The Property Ombudsman (TPO), Ombudsman Services: Property and The Property Redress Scheme have today issued a revised version of their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Established to support the ongoing communication between the three redress schemes where relevant, the MOU ensures that any agent with an outstanding award with one […]

Confusion over rental market prices and demand

6th June 2017

Homelet’s recently released rental index shows UK rental prices have fallen in May for the first time since 2009 by 0.3% with the average rent now at £901. This may not be statistically significant over a one month period, but the biggest regional fall was in London of 3% compared to May last year. Martin […]

What to do with my Buy to Let property now I’m married

6th June 2017

I’ve just got married and I’m wondering if this changes how I should manage my buy to let property. I own a buy to let property with a mortgage (both solely in my name). The property is worth approximately £350k and the mortgage is £262,500 and 75% LTV – the monthly mortgage payment is about […]

SDLT on BTL serviced student accommodation?

6th June 2017

Can anyone tell me if one is exempt from the additional 3% SDLT levy on a new house we bought after the change last year? We use it as a serviced accommodation to students providing breakfast and Dinner or just breakfast depending upon the students. Does that exempt it from the SDLT surcharge? If not […]

Transfer of beneficial ownership from spouse – No mortgage?

5th June 2017

My wife is a basic rate tax payer and solely owns one property (with no mortgage) which she rents out. I also solely own one property (again with no mortgage) which I rent out. Annual rentals are around £6,000 per property. I currently have no other income apart from the rent of £6,000 from my […]

Council forcing new front doors onto leaseholders of ex-council flats

5th June 2017

We are the leaseholders of an ex-council flat in a block of 12, roughly 50-60 years old, and the council is the freeholder. Their fire risk assessors claim that the front doors of the flats (open onto the communal stairwell) do not comply with current fire safety regulations, and so they want to force all […]

How would a Trust work for grown up children and section 24?

5th June 2017

I have 8 buy to let’s which have interest only mortgages 0f about £480,000 producing an income of around 68k of course that’s gross without any agent fees repairs or interest. Can I place them in a Trust for my 4 children. Also will the section 24 still apply. Children are 34 25 23 and […]

Skeptical over Lease Option agreements

5th June 2017

Can any member comment upon their experience using ‘Lease Option Agreements’ to build a property portfolio? A friend of mine has just returned from a 3 days intensive training course run in Wolverhampton, and is full of enthusiasm based upon what he learned. I’m just a wee bit skeptical over the ease in which this […]

Rumble with the Agents raises £18k for Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice

2nd June 2017

On Thursday 25th May 2017 ‘Rumble with the Agents’, an annual white collar charity boxing event in association with Landlord Action and sponsored by Hamilton Fraser, raised £18,000 for Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice. The sell-out event, which took place at The Holiday Inn Finchley Central, brought together a room filled with property professionals, including estate/letting […]

Evicted lodger belongings?

1st June 2017

Hi my lodger been evicted yesterday, I gave her notice she was agreed to move by end of the month the when the time was to vacate the room then she suddenly changed she said has nowhere to go refused to move police were called then before the police come she disappeared she left her […]

Tenant wants new AST in order to claim housing benefit?

1st June 2017

I own a single 2 bed terraced property which has been let to the same working single tenant for just over 3 years. The tenant has unfortunately lost his job recently, and reached out asking if I would give him a new 6 month AST agreement which he claimed he needs in order to claim […]