Page 637 – Property118

Is there an alternative to selling?

23rd October 2017

I bought a freehold property partially converted to flats, which doesn’t meet building regs, but action as a result is unenforceable due to the elapsed time since works were undertaken. I have let the flats individually and am in the process of splitting services and upgrading the conversion. I believe that this will allow me […]

Universal Credit Call Handler speaks of her experiences

23rd October 2017

Since the roll out of Universal Credit many flaws have been identified in the new Benefit. We have heard of claimants experiences along with landlords all been effected by the new welfare reform. Just last week a call handler spoke to The Independent Newspaper of the trials and tribulations she has faced in her job with […]

Trespass by Housing Association

23rd October 2017

Hi, hope someone can advise on this. I am a leaseholder in a block of six flats owning a top floor one. With this flat comes the front garden. Back in the middle of the year the housing association fitted a new condensing boiler to the flat below us (ground floor) and installed the pipe […]

Expat Landlords Tax Planning Opportunity

20th October 2017

This is a case study of how a couple are able to convert a massive tax headache into a £5,000,000 tax planning opportunity. You can read about a similar structure being used by UK resident investors via this link. When landlords become non-resident for UK tax purposes the base costs of their rental properties for […]

Early release of agreement on sold property?

20th October 2017

I’m about to sell a house which is still tenanted. We have Exchanged and Complete in three weeks. Out of the blue, my tenant has said he has to move because of his job, two months before the end of his tenancy agreement. (There are three months left to run.) He would like me to […]

Dairy cows feeding in a barn, symbolizing farmers’ work and property management

Illegal renting and overcrowded housing

19th October 2017

The new law for landlords has been enforced from 6th April 2017, allowing councils to impose fines of up to £30,000 as an alternative to prosecution. However, how many of those cases have been found? Are the people found living in such houses evicted? what’s their future? did the council give them alternative accommodations or […]

Landlord abuses students trust

19th October 2017

I am a landlord who is trying to help 4 students one of whom is a family friend. Two of the students had been renting the property the previous year. In June 2017 they took out a new tenancy for the house with two other students from 1st July 2017 to 30th June 2018. As […]

State Bank of India – 2.84% BTL 5 year fixed 75% LTV £995 fee

19th October 2017

The State Bank of India is carving a niche for itself in the Buy to Let mortgage market with competitive 75% Loan to Value rates and criteria. The Bank will accept applications from first time landlords. They also allow Multiple Units, ie freehold houses which have been converted into multiple flats are acceptable security subject […]

Advice on delay to contracted tenancy start please

19th October 2017

Hi all, I’m a tenant looking for advice. I have signed a fixed term AST and paid the associated deposit and first month’s rent. The contract began on the 18th of October. The letting agent called on the morning of the 18th to delay my getting the keys until the afternoon. At 12pm I was […]

Universal Credit on Pause

18th October 2017

MPs have voted 299 to 0 for Labour’s motion to ‘pause and fix’ Universal Credit before further roll out after the majority of Conservative MPs decided to abstain and some voted with Labour. John Bercow, the speaker of the House of Commons, said: “If you choose not to take part and vote you can’t say, […]

Only two out of ten landlords willing to let to UC tenants

18th October 2017

Just two in 10 landlords say they are willing to let to tenants in receipt of housing benefit or universal credit, according to latest research from the National Landlords Association (NLA). The findings come on the day the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee questions the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions about […]

Is PBSA a risk to Sheffield’s student landlords?

18th October 2017

Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) is nothing new to student property owners or any student letting agent in Sheffield. But nobody can ignore it. The tuition fee hikes, tougher graduate job competition and Brexit have all changed the landscape and demographic of higher education in the last five years or so.  Tighter restrictions around BTL […]

Is there any recourse against the court?

18th October 2017

I have had to request possession of a rented property using a S21. The Magistrate had given my tenants 14 days on top of the court hearing date to vacate. Is a Magistrate allowed to add this extension on as possession is mandatory from the date of the possession order? Bearing in mind I have […]

Iain Duncan Smith MP at National Landlord Investment Show London

18th October 2017

Get your voice heard at the UK’s largest landlord debate, National Landlord Investment Show, London – with speaker panel including Iain Duncan Smith MP. Join 450 landlords and investors for the return of the Expert Property Panel, to be held at the flagship London show at Olympia on Tuesday 7th November. Sponsored by Fast Property […]

Eviction by Bank for landlord mortgage arrears?

18th October 2017

What would the 118 community advice in this situation? My niece, single mum with a 2 year old child, has been renting a 2 bed flat for 2 years via a letting agency. She’s always paid her rent on time and the flat is spotless. A few days ago she received a letter from lenders […]

Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards – EPC rating E by April 2018

18th October 2017

From April 2018 under the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) it will be unlawful in England and Wales to grant a new tennacy on a property with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of less than E. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have issued guidance for landlords and local authorities, because it is […]

CPI inflation hits 3% but Carney says it has not peaked

17th October 2017

The Latest Office of National Statistics (ONS) figures for September show Consumer Price Inflation is now at a 5 year high of 3%. This is up from 2.9% in August, but Mark Carney the Governor of the Bank of England told the Treasury Select Committee that inflation was likely to rise further in the relatively […]

National Landlord Investment Show arrives in Wales

17th October 2017

The UK’s leading property investment event arrives in Wales for the first time on Wednesday 25th October after sparking lobbying in support of landlords and investors. After an unbeatable year so far, the UK’s leading property investment event will bring together local landlords & property investment services in Cardiff. It’s been a successful few years […]

Horror story of a landlord

17th October 2017

Being a landlord is indeed a lonely business far from the perception that landlords are money grabbers of tenants. In forming this perception, there is no consideration of the running costs, challenges and risk landlords expose themselves to in their quest to provide good quality homes for rental. In this article I would like to […]

Help to renew an AST please

17th October 2017

My property Ltd co manages a house as a managing agent for the landlord owner. The first 12 month AST is coming to an end next month and with the landlord’s agreement and the tenants’ agreement, I will be renewing the AST for another 12 months, by reissuing the AST with new dates, and nothing […]