Our BTL mortgage is currently in joint names. As a higher tax payer, I am looking to mitigate my tax costs going forward but am confused as to whether a Declaration of Trust would work in our scenario? What options are available to us? My husband pays tax at 20%. Plus what would the CGT […]

My wife and I put some of our properties with an agent, but have since taken them back due to abysmal service.  The tenants have received the bond back. Is that normal practice and if so what next? Many thanks Peter

Many landlords are experiencing issues with Universal Credit. The communication is poor, landlords are putting in APAs, but unable to communicate with DWP to find out the process of the APA. As a result many landlords have tenants with high rent arrears – the system needs changing as landlords seem to be punished for providing […]

I use an agent to manage my properties and they are starting to use Tenant Shop to manage tenant changes for utility companies etc. I have googled them and they seem to get reasonable reviews, they make their money by moving tenants utility providers, and seem to give a kick back to the letting agents. […]

This is an unusual one. I’m the MD of a Right To Manage company who look after the management, maintenance and service charges for a block of 10 flats of which I own one. One of the landlords has now failed to pay the service charge for the last year now totalling arrears of £400. […]

Hi Mark, I have been reading your articles on Tax Planning for some time now, wonder if you can provide any assistance on the following scenario. I currently own a redundant nursing home in a limited company, we are looking at carrying out building work to convert to 17 self contained apartments and houses to […]

We are offering a money making opportunity for people to help us to promote a proven Property118 product, and without you having to provide any up-front capital whatsoever. This isn’t a “job”, it’s the beginning of a small business opportunity. It’s a project you will be able to do in your own spare time and […]

New lender to the market Octane Capital, set up by the founders behind Dragonfly Property Finance, has launched its Buy to Let lending with a no “off the shelf” product offer. Instead of a range of prices based on Loan to Value and criteria Octane Capital will base the cost of the mortgage on the […]

We fully refurbished the flat 2 years ago after the purchase. The tenant now leaving, but a year after moving in we were told at an annual inspection that the washing machine had broken and they had got rid of it and purchased their own. We were never told of the breakdown or removal. When […]

I am about to let one of my properties to a couple who are both deaf. The property has two smoke alarms already but the new tenants would not be able to hear them. I feel I have a moral obligation to install something like the Fire Angel W2 SVP 630 system which provides a […]

Recently, we were approached by a landlord after he had not received rent for 3 months. Why? His tenant had switched from Housing Benefit to Universal Credit. The claimant was a disabled man on High Rate DLA. His wife was his full-time carer and they had two children. The family moved to the UK from […]

My name is Grace and I am a TV Researcher working on a new BBC One programme about landlords. The aim of the programme is a journey which will allows landlords to improve their knowledge of today’s rental market – and their own properties – by experiencing them first-hand as a tenant. It is also […]

The biggest risk landlords can take when incorporating their business is to believe what they are told on the basis that it’s what they want to hear.  Tax planning is perfectly legal providing you follow the rules, including legislation known as GAAR which is an abbreviation for General Anti Abuse Rules. Famously, Lord Tomlin said on […]

I currently hold freehold interest in my companies name. I wish to close down the company due to total inactivity. The freehold produces no ground rent nor deals with maintenance or insurance. I don’t want to sell the freehold interest because of its considerable worth – the related leaseholds are very short and located in […]

Caridon Property are a fast growing, award winning property letting and management firm based in Croydon, South London. We own and manage 1000 properties across London and the South East and are looking for hard-working, professional, organised individuals to join our team. Our business specialises in social housing tenants on Housing Benefit & Universal Credit […]

Our tenant has moved (we believe) to Portugal, leaving behind various items ranging from rubbish to a washing machine and tumble dryer. Including a large sofa and chair. Obviously we need to remove all these items in order to relet the property. There is damage to paintwork and carpets, and 2 weeks’ rent owing so […]

We have had a case taken against us for what is supposed to be no payment of service charges. We have disputed the charges and so the landlord has issued proceedings against us, but we have now received a letter from the court stating the the judge has sent it to the first tier tribunal. […]

QUICK SITUATION REPORT. I am renting a 4 bed flat as a 5 rooms as the living room has been partitioned to create a room and there is a separate dining room for all. There is 5 tenants. 1 bathroom WC. 1 Toilet WC. 1 kitchen. This is where I am in my situation with […]

If anyone else benefits from the 5k dividend allowance that was reduced to £2k in the budget, there may be some good news. It looks like the proposal was pulled from the finance bill as they were rushing to get more important measures through. I have looked at HMRC and it does show the allowance […]

If you are a higher rate taxpayer, then you get money back. E.g. if you give £100, then the charity can claim gift aid of £25 (which assumes you are a 20% tax payer) and if you pay 40% tax, you get another £25 back (see https://www.gov.uk/donating-to-charity/gift-aid ) On my tax returns charitable gifts increase […]

In 2014 I bought a flat with a 999 year lease. I am the only owner without a share in the freehold. A Right to Manage company had just been set up that excluded the person I bought the flat from as he was the freeholder and they took him to Tribunal to gain the […]