Page 70 – Property118

When Refinancing Beats Selling | Landlord Guide

1st September 2025

When Refinancing Beats Selling (And When It Doesn’t) Selling can simplify life. Refinancing can improve cash flow without giving up good assets. The smart move is to compare the true net proceeds from a sale with the cash-flow uplift and resilience you could achieve by refinancing and de-gearing to a sensible target LTV. This article […]

Wooden house with stacked coins and rising arrow symbolizing UK house price growth

House prices continue annual slowdown – Nationwide

1st September 2025

Property prices across the UK saw a slight slowdown last month, with annual growth easing to 2.1%, down from 2.4% in July, according to Nationwide’s latest figures. It says the average house price is £271,079, reflecting a modest 0.1% month-on-month decline after seasonal adjustments. This cooling trend matches what Halifax recently noted with an annual […]

BTL Mortgage Blog featured image showing a house, key, calculator, percentage sign and pound coins on a teal background.

What Landlords Need to Know About Buy-To-Let Affordability Tests in 2025

1st September 2025

Buy-to-let landlords are facing a very different mortgage market in 2025 compared to even a few years ago. While demand for rental property remains strong, lenders have become far more cautious about how they assess whether your rental income can support the mortgage payments. Even seasoned portfolio landlords are finding that affordability tests can block […]

When a Tenant Turned the Garden into a Rubbish Tip

1st September 2025

Landlords expect to see gardens a little overgrown between tenancies. What one landlord found, however, was more like a fly-tipping site than a backyard. Household waste, broken furniture and even bags of rotting food were piled against the fence, creating a health hazard and attracting vermin. The discovery The tenant had kept the inside of […]

Property expert discusses landlords’ growing concerns about the future of the private rented sector

Surge in limited company landlords fuels BTL mortgage growth

1st September 2025

One in five landlords now holds at least one rental property through a limited company which has boosted the buy to let mortgage sector. That’s according to Pegasus Insight’s latest Landlord Trends research which found that 20% of landlords own properties within a limited company structure. Also, 7% of landlords manage their entire portfolio this […]

Student listening to music while cleaning living room with mop

The DPS launches social media drive to help students be good tenants

1st September 2025

The Deposit Protection Service (DPS) has rolled out a fresh initiative called ‘Renting 101’ designed to demystify the renting process for student tenants. There are nine concise videos in the campaign aimed at students and their families. The minute-long clips, shared across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn, cover essential topics. These include […]

Comparison of leasehold and freehold property ownership with a question about selling a house

Right for refusal to purchase freehold?

1st September 2025

We are leaseholders of three flats within a block. Beneath its are some shops. We found out by accident that the previous freeholder had sold off the freehold of our building to a new freeholder without notifying us. We as leaseholders have an interest and would have liked to purchase the freehold which, as I […]

Neil Cobbold discusses councils’ failure to enforce EPC regulations in the private rental sector.

Letting agents alarmed by Renters’ Rights Bill challenges

1st September 2025

Letting agents are deeply concerned about the impending Renters’ Rights Bill, which is set to create a complex compliance landscape for the private rented sector (PRS). According to Reapit’s Property Outlook Report 2025, the Bill’s regulations, which could become law this autumn, is the top concern for 60% of property professionals. The Bill will scrap […]

Scottish flag, model house and money bag

Scotland’s property taxes hit record highs

1st September 2025

Scotland’s property taxes have reached record highs of £714.9 million, increasing by 18.2% over the 12 months from August 2024 to July 2025. That’s according to DJ Alexander, Scotland’s largest letting and estate agent, almost a third of this total, £221.3m (30.9%), came from the Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS), which is paid by second homeowners […]

Hooded scammer at laptop with “Scam Alert” warning symbol.

Surge in rental scams targeting young tenants

1st September 2025

Young tenants are being warned about a sharp rise in rent scams with scammers increasingly targeting them amid a growing housing crisis. Experts at Tiger.co.uk, a home insurance comparison site, are highlighting critical warning signs for those navigating the property hunt. Their advice is aimed at those aged 18 to 29, who made up 48% […]

leaseholder didn't send invoice, money worries

Law firm alleges that ‘rogue landlords’ exploit tenants

29th August 2025

The vast majority of landlords won’t recognise the sector from a survey carried out by a law firm which alleges that ‘millions of tenants are living in fear of eviction’. The firm, Duncan Lewis Solicitors, also says that tenants endure unsafe housing conditions and some are being asked for sexual favours or unpaid labour in […]

Angela Rayner wearing a "Vote Labour" necklace standing in front of a campaign bus.

Angela Rayner ‘dodged’ £40,000 Stamp Duty bill on new flat

29th August 2025

The Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, has come under fire after allegedly ‘dodging’ £40,000 in stamp duty on an £800,000 seaside flat in Hove, East Sussex, by declaring it her primary residence. According to The Times, Ms Rayner removed her name from the deeds of her Greater Manchester home weeks before purchasing the Hove property, […]

a wooden slice of a house with EPC grades and money flowing from a piggy bank

The cost of EPCs and minimal returns?

29th August 2025

I have just obtained an EPC C rating for a small (75 sqm) three-bedroom pre-war semi-detached house in a London borough. It scraped a 70C score, and the certificate gives a potential score of 79, which is 2 points below a B rating. The steps I could take “to save energy” are set out below, […]

Bold headline over symbolic housing image warning of NI tax impact on rents.

Critics hit out at proposed National Insurance for rental income plan

29th August 2025

Chancellor Rachel Reeves reported targeting of ‘unearned income’ from landlords with a controversial plan to impose National Insurance contributions on rental income, has sparked an outcry. Labour wants to raise £2 billion to tackle a £40 billion public finance deficit, according to Treasury sources quoted by The Times. The move will avoid breaching the government’s […]

Property approval document with miniature house model and GetAgent logo.

UK housing market hits three-year high – GetAgent

29th August 2025

The UK property market is at its strongest point in three years, claims estate agent. Estate agent comparison website GetAgent.co.uk reveals both mortgage approvals and transactions are at their highest average monthly levels in three years. Using data from HMRC and the Bank of England, GetAgent analysed residential property transactions and mortgage approvals in England, […]

Molo and NatWest cut buy to let mortgage rates with bold campaign-style graphic.

Molo and Natwest cut their BTL mortgage rates

29th August 2025

Molo and NatWest have introduced changes to their buy to let (BTL) mortgage offerings, with Molo cutting rates to enhance affordability for UK landlords. Its two-year fixed rates for standard BTL products now start at 2.68%, while five-year fixes begin at 4.34%, available to both individual and limited company borrowers. These reductions apply exclusively to […]

Houses with london in the background and an up arrow

London’s PRS thrives with record listings and strong demand

29th August 2025

London’s private rented sector is delivering a strong performance, driven by a big rise in available properties and a robust surge in tenant interest. According to Foxtons’ latest data, nearly 50,000 new rental listings flooded the market, marking a 4% rise from June and a 12% jump compared to July 2024. This influx represents the […]

Fleet Mortgages executive discusses new rate cuts and market trends.

Fleet unveils Renters’ Rights Bill guide for landlords and advisers

29th August 2025

Fleet Mortgages has launched a comprehensive guide called ‘Getting Landlords Renters’ Rights Ready: A Guide for Advisers’. The resource aims to assist advisers in guiding landlords through the upcoming Bill which is expected to gain Royal Assent this Autumn and take effect in early 2026. The guide provides practical checklists to help advisers deliver clear, […]

Selective licensing rubber

Selective Licensing and looming enforcement notice?

29th August 2025

Ok, so here goes my dilemma, I have housed a family of 4, a couple and their 2 young kids. The kids are from the lady’s first marriage, so the couple is recently married. That’s not an issue, the kids, however, one 15 and the second 9, turning 10 soon. I have a 3-bedroom property, […]

Lawyers reviewing a disputed lease agreement with legal documents and gavel on desk

Commercial Office Compulsory Purchase Order?

29th August 2025

I have a client who eventually may be facing a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) on a converted semi-detached house into offices many decades ago. 29% is in a trust where that rent is paid to a third party as a pension, so the building would be without vacant possession due to a 30-year verbal agreement […]