Page 702 – Property118

Damp problems everywhere and electrocution!

14th March 2016

My family and I are in a bit of a situation with our letting agent and landlord and we are hoping that somebody on here may be able to either offer a bit of advice or let us know where they think we might stand? So, we have been living in our rented property for […]

UK Tax implications and plan for present non-UK resident

14th March 2016

I was wondering if anybody can offer me some guidance. I left the UK for work just over 3 years ago, and it is most likely that I will return to London sometime in 2020 once my current employment contract ends. I have 2 properties back home in the UK – one BTL, and one […]

Tea anyone?

14th March 2016

Has anyone else received an invitation from Conservative Campaign Headquarters, asking for your support? I received an email and felt compelled to respond (see below). If you are receiving similar emails from the Conservative Party, you might like to send a similar response so that they start to get the message. Dear Mr. Mabbutt, I […]

PLC and stamp duty

11th March 2016

We have a PLC in which we bought land, developed it into a camp site and now run it. We jointly own our residence.  I want to buy a property for investment. A new build for rent. Is the extra 3% stamp duty a tax deductible cost? And, as a PLC can we claim interest […]

Going it alone

10th March 2016

If I go back 5 years in my property journey I couldn’t understand why anybody would pay people to do things that they could do themselves? Why pay cleaners, workmen, agents, accountants etc. I thought I was unique in my stance of doing everything myself and that this gave me an advantage over anyone, as I […]

Four times as many landlords looking to sell in the last 6 months

10th March 2016

The proportion of landlords in central London who intend to sell property has quadrupled since last year’s Budget, according to new research from the National Landlords Association (NLA). Just 4% of landlords in central London had plans to sell property when surveyed before last year’s Budget. However, the figure has almost quadrupled, rising to 19% […]

Freehold in Company – Outvoted on decisions

10th March 2016

I have a BTL property with a share of freehold. This BTL property has two other properties below it which consist of one whole building. The freehold for the whole building is held within a company (to which I am a shareholder and director) and the two other landlords of the properties below (freeholders) are […]

How should I demand ground rent?

10th March 2016

I would appreciate any help or advice on how I should demand ground rent. I currently own the freehold for my 1st floor maisonette and the ground-floor maisonette which is owned by someone else. I am now entitled to demand ground rent from the owner of the ground-floor flat however I don’t know if there […]

Growing a Portfolio and not overcooking it?

10th March 2016

I am looking to grow my portfolio, but only have experience in Bath and London, I would like to expand my area search as neither are within my price range anymore, and yields are coming down. How do you gain knowledge on other areas, has anybody had any really good mentors who have helped them […]

Increasing rent by section 13 when there is a CPI clause?

10th March 2016

We have a rental property that was rented out on an initial 3 months short term assured tenancy. That period ended and the tenant has been there for nearly 2 years. We now need to increase the rent and she has said it must be done in accordance with the contract which says it will […]

Tenants and Housing Benefit and the lender

10th March 2016

I have a client doing a re-mortgage on an existing let; lender is Skipton Building Society. They stipulate the tenants must not be in receipt of DSS. They’re not, but it raises the question: “What if a tenant goes on to claim benefits, including housing, after the tenancy has commenced?” Logically thinking, this must cause […]

Are my Letting agent fees too high?

10th March 2016

We have 3 properties with an agent for the last 12 years. We are generally ok with the service of the agent but now realise that the fees that we are paying for their services are too high, compared to other agents. Their site states 18% but we are paying 12%. Having phoned a few […]

Good news from Scotland re 3% property tax increase

10th March 2016

Not good news for all, but helpful for those in Scotland wishing to move their property into a ltd company. Hopefully the UK government will follow suit and help landlords survive the changes. Deputy first minister John Swinney said “Our priority is to make sure first time buyers have the greatest possible chance to get […]

When does an unregulated mortgage become a regulated mortgage contract?

10th March 2016

If a property is bought (as a family home) with a buy to let mortgage, and has always been more than 40% occupied as a dwelling by the borrower and their relatives. Does the mortgage contract then become regulated? I have checked the FCA handbook and PERG section 4.1 seems to confirm the above (the […]

How long should tenants paperwork be kept for future reference?

10th March 2016

I am trying to find out if there is a minimum time the paperwork from previous tenants has to be stored by the landlord in case a legal challenge is brought out against them. Once the tenants has moved out and paperwork destroyed there will be no proof that the landlord has followed procedures and […]

Paul Shamplina is co-hosting a new radio show ‘The Property Hour’

9th March 2016

Paul Shamplina is co-hosting a new radio show ‘The Property Hour’ alongside Clive Bull on LBC (97.3 FM). The show will discuss the latest housing issues/trends, and listeners will be invited to phone into the show as well as join in the debate online using #LBCPropertyHour. The Property Hour will be broadcast every Thursday for […]

The Gateway Buy to Let Salford Quays – 100% occupancy across 22 developments!

9th March 2016

X1 The Gateway is situated right in the heart of Salford Quays, overlooking the area’s stunning waterfront and neighbours four incredibly successful sold-out projects. The success of these highly sought-after developments is testament to the triumph of Salford Quays as a prime residential area. Since the creation of MediaCityUK (Europe’s leading digital hub), the city […]

West Yorkshire Buy to Let from £60,000 and with 10% Yields

9th March 2016

The last Prime apartments are available at Bentley Court, Keighley West Yorkshire, centrally located, with excellent transport links, providing massive rental appeal. These investments can be offered with a unique 50-50 easy payment plan with no requirement for a mortgage. The above product allows the opportunity to purchase prime UK stock at utilising a range […]

Let to Buy breach of mortgage conditions

9th March 2016

We are about to buy a residential house to live in, partly financed by taking out a new residential mortgage, and partly financed by taking out a Let-to-Buy mortgage on our existing home and releasing equity from it. The house we are buying is in very poor condition and is not habitable until some essential […]

Rights against unauthorised deductions by Managing Agent from rental income?

9th March 2016

In January 2015 I bought two properties and contacted a letting and management agency to help in marketing the properties. They also offered a service to manage refurbishment works for a fee. Part of that service was to get competitive quotes etc. After they arranged an initial meet with a builder to initially spec the […]

How can you protect your assets from civil court claims?

9th March 2016

I’ve just been on a health and safety course through my employer and a part of the course covered civil claims by individuals against their employers and other employees. This got me thinking about what would happen if this situation should ever arise in the future. Is there a way to protect your assets in […]