Page 695 – Property118

We go to court tomorrow – wish us Luck! (West Brom Tracker Case)

27th April 2016

This could be a historic day for all Buy to Let Landlords! The case of MARK ROBERT ALEXANDER (as representative of the “Property 118 Action Group”) Claimant – and – WEST BROMWICH MORTGAGE COMPANY LTD Defendant will be at 10 am on Thursday 28th April 2016 at Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, City of Westminster, […]

Tenant disappears after a CCJ was lodged against her?

27th April 2016

A woman rented one of our properties and then left leaving it in a terrible condition. We lodged a small claims court against her and the bailiffs were sent to her fathers house where she lives. He lives in a very expensive house in Cheshire and so could have paid off her debt, but now […]

Refused payment on service charge?

27th April 2016

I have paid our landlord by cheque our service charge less an amount that I am in dispute hence not the full amount asked for. They have refused the cheque and say that it has been shredded and have now employed a solicitor to collect arrears! As far as I am concerned the cheque is […]

shawbrook

Shawbrook Bank produce a report on the evolution of the HMO market

26th April 2016

Shawbrook Bank are now one of the most popular niche lenders in the property investment market with BTL, refurb, HMO, Bridging and Bridging to BTL products. They are one of the few that will consider loans on a case by case basis and not merely by credit score. They therefore have a very professional insight […]

Yellow cube with white question marks on a wooden surface

Small block of 6 flats with no block policy insurance?

26th April 2016

I have a flat in a small block of 6 flats. We do not have a communal entrance or communal hallways. Each flat has its own individual front door, almost like a house. As per terms of the lease, Freeholders do not provide us with block insurance or any maintenance. We each maintain our own […]

Tenant caused extensive damage and now refuses to pay rent!

26th April 2016

I have a tenant who has caused extensive damage to my property on numerous occasions in the last few months. He’s been charged with criminal damage twice; convicted once, and pled not guilty to the latest charge claiming the police broke down the door to the property, therefore they are liable. The reason the police […]

What is the definition of a habitable lounge?

26th April 2016

Does anyone know what would need to be done to a conservatory in order for it to become habitable space? When Hammersmith and Fulham Council granted my HMO license, they said that the house would have to have a room dedicated for use as “tenant lounge” by 2018. They said that they’ve found fewer social […]

Student issues with smoking all kinds of stuff?

25th April 2016

I am sharing flat with a group of people. One of them has consistently demonstrated aggression and constantly smokes all kinds of stuff indoors, including communal space. I have complained to the landlord and they claim that something is been done. However this bad behavior has continued. As we are in a basement flat, I […]

HMO Additional Licence – Potential Housing Crisis?

25th April 2016

I have been renting out a 3 bed property to groups of 3 tenants for the last 10 years. It appears that this is classed as an HMO. Southwark Council have now introduced Additional Licencing which affects any landlord renting out their property with 3 unrelated people living together. You are deemed under the 2004 […]

Landlord Salary to Wife?

25th April 2016

I have a few BTLs now and although I don’t have a company incorporated etc is it possible to pay my wife a Landlord Salary for looking after these properties (I.e. advertising, viewings, point of contact for tradesman etc)? Not sure if it is possible without forming a company, however I also appreciate my wife […]

Rent increase to pay for new windows?

25th April 2016

After 7 years of damp mouldy windows the landlord has finally replaced them, but then wants to put rent up to pay for them. I sought advice and found lots of legal things he hadn’t done correctly. He had missed 4 gas checks, no electric certificate, no energy performance certificate and hadn’t protected my bond. […]

Trying to evict tenant that now has Legal Aid and suing me?

25th April 2016

I have tenant in my property since July 2010, I taken deposit from him in the sum of £1500 which was protected in 24 days. (Although it was required at the time to protect within 14 days). Please note that he is in Statutory Periodic Tenancy and his tenancy has not been renewed since July […]

EDF forced entry into property with warrant on tenant!

25th April 2016

We had some tenants of a property, who moved out at the end of the tenancy. We revisited the property later and found that EDF had drilled out a lock and entered our property about ten days after the Tenants moved out and changed the meters. They were set up so that if any new […]

3% tax and intent at purchase

24th April 2016

We are in the following situation: Have a modest portfolio of BTL properties, but just sold the family home & living in rented accommodation. Was hoping to buy a large family home that we’d like to do a large extension on before moving in. Getting planning permission + architects + builders lined up will take […]

Shares to go on open sale next week

22nd April 2016

Next week the share offer in LettingSupermarket.com will go live to the general public via the Seedrs crowdfunding website. The crowdfunded share offer was restricted to Property118 members for an initial two week period, but this will soon come to an end. Well over a hundred Property118 members completed the “Expression of Interest” form and […]

Clause 24 loophole?

22nd April 2016

Is a potential loophole to Clause 24 a mortgage company giving mortgages at 0% (no interest to offset against tax) but charging an up front arrangement fee equating to the mortgage interest that would be charged over the fixed rate term? The arrangement fee could be added to the mortgage. Technically cost neutral to the […]

Buy to let income essential for many retirees

21st April 2016

According to a poll conducted by Responsible Equity Release ….  72% of pensioners who have an investment property said they would struggle to make ends meet if they did not have the income from their buy to let. 81% of pensioners aged over 65 admit their buy to let properties provide a crucial boost to […]

Enforcing a county court warrant

21st April 2016

Hi Guys  Does anyone know what evidence, if any, a county court judge would expect one to provide (as claimant) as the basis for rejecting a derisory payment offered by a former tenant debtor against whom a CCJ has been secured? The debtor in question has offered to pay £20 per month for a debt […]

Right to Rent rules may change

21st April 2016

Right to Rent checks became a legal requirement for landlords to carry out on tenants from February this year. This controversial requirement has been seen by many landlords as an unnecessary extra responsibility carrying out checks that should be made by customs and immigration. However the RLA have reported that the Government is planning to […]