In short, I’ve just used the HMRC web chat to ask whether the rent element of a Sharia mortgage would be treated the same as interest from Apr 2017 or as a fully allowable cost. Their eventual response was: “Based upon current guidance rents (if sub-letting) continue to be wholly allowable in the same way […]

With professional landlords being forced to confront ever-increasing financial and political change, staying informed about changes in the mortgage market is more important than ever. Mortgage Strategy is the UK’s market-leading mortgage news publication, which publishes free news, insight and analysis on its website, www.mortgagestrategy.co.uk Alternatively, Mortgage Strategy sends several free email news alerts a […]

The fence between my property and the neighbours blew down near the start of last year. The fence is believed to be a shared fence as the property deeds do not show a “T” on either side of the boundary and no evidence to dispute this has been found. The neighbouring property is owned by […]

We have a small block of 5 flats, landlord and previous management company did nothing to maintain it, so we have formed a RTM company to manage it ourselves. One of the flat owners claims the landlord and previous management company owe her compensation for various things that were wrong in her apartment from purchase […]

Building Societies are offering substantially cheaper main residence mortgage rates compared to high street banks. Moneyfacts data analysis shows the average 5 year fixed rate at maximum 75% Loan to Value offered by a Building Society is 0.66% cheaper than the comparable Bank product. The average 5 year 95% LTV Building Society mortgage product is […]

Does anyone know how far back I can use a capital gains loss? I made a massive loss in 2011 and never thought to use it, so I am looking if it can be used now? I carried out a google search and it said 4 years, but does anyone know for sure if this […]

The FTSE 250 listed Berkeley Group is completing its first development of 22 Prefabricated or it calls ‘Modular’ Homes in Kidbrooke Village, Greenwich in London. A patent is pending for the new Urban House design using offsite fabrication swapping the back garden for a roof terrace and providing front of house parking and bicycle storage. The […]

I wonder if you can advise or offer some thoughts please on this. My wife and I jointly own a flat which is rented out and the lender is Mortgage Express. The value is £650k. Mortgage outstanding £220k. Rent is around £2.5k p/m.My credit is very bad – with adverse on other properties I own […]

Hi, I am looking at buying a studio apartment with the view to changing it to a one bed apartment by moving the kitchen into the lounge area and changing the kitchen to the bedroom. Trying to get a copy of the lease to see what it says re structural changes. I have found out […]

The National Audit Office issued a report on housing in England on 19 January 2017.  Its head was quoted in the press release: “The need for housing in England has in recent years grown faster than its supply, and housebuilding needs to increase across the country.  The government has responded to this by putting in […]

Hundreds of landlords have now downloaded our tax planning tutorials and forwarded them on to their accountants with a view to making an appointment to discuss the content. By their own admission, the accountancy profession are generally not the best at marketing and forward thinking. Perhaps that’ s because they spend most of their time […]

I have a 3 bed flat and would like to convert it into 2 x 1bed flats. It is above an A1 and an A2 premises. I have been told that as no external changes are being made that it comes under permitted development, but can’t find any literature to back that up. Can anyone […]

Could any one out there tell me how they have got round the benefit cap? I have a single parent who’s got 4 kids and her benefit cap has taken the rent down to £29 a week it used to be £120. I know she can apply for discretionary housing payment, but is there anything […]

Do your accountants save you more than they charge you? Are they forward thinking? We want to know which accountancy practice is the best in the UK according to landlords and to give them the recognition they deserve. To achieve this we need your help. If you think the accountancy practice you use deserves to […]

I have some questions regarding purchasing the freehold title of a long leasehold house. I have issued the initial notice & have arranged valuations etc , so I am ok on that side of things, but I have a few questions anyway. If anyone can help I would be grateful. The house is situated on […]

I’m at the start of my journey as a landlord. The property is full refurbished, have Gas certificate and EPC. I have assigned a letting agent to fully management the property. The Agent has found a tenant and is ready to move in soon. What documents should I be expecting from the agent once the […]

Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to offer advice on this!. I have a rather unusual situation. At the beginning of October I completed on my first property and now have a residential mortgage with the Woolwich. Fast Forward just over 3 months later and Ive fallen in love and married someone […]

Hi guys, I am in a situation where tenant has defaulted 2 months in a row as such she is in arrears for 2 months accordingly. She has been my tenant since mid August and she did not pay last month’s rent as she suggested that she would pay it in January both months combined. […]

The central London rental market is beginning to show signs of topping out as tenant demand slides and landlords look to higher yielding investments in other areas of the UK. New research shows that the number landlords reporting a rise in tenant demand over the past quarter has slipped almost 30 percentage points when compared […]

Following Theresa May’s speech yesterday the pound very quickly gained against the Euro. However, within hours both HSBC and UBS announced they would each be relocating 1,000 of their highest paid bankers to Europe. The BBC reported this would put further pressure on The Treasury due to the loss of income tax receipts. This didn’t […]

There will still be an insufficient supply of housing to meet the demand and the gap between earnings and house prices is still expected to widen, strengthening demand for rental property In terms of the property market, 2016 will be characterised by two events, the additional 3% stamp duty increase on second homes and Britain’s […]