Page 703 – Property118

From Overseas to Overwrought

29th March 2016

I would like to know if I have a case or not. In short, I’m an overseas landlord so employ a lettings agency to manage my property. I had a new boiler fitted a few years back and had nothing but issues with it. The agents brought in workmen after workmen and I paid and […]

Colourful row of house icons representing Section 8 grounds for possession in the Renters’ Rights Bill 2024

Section 8 or Tenant from Hell?

29th March 2016

I inherited a tenant who has been in situ since 2011. An annual Agreement is signed each year for a following 12 months. A recent inspection has found numerous breaches of the Agreement, some of which had been advised as remedied by the Tenant. Quite frankly the damage she has caused through pure negligence and […]

Joint owners but with different entitlements to rental income

29th March 2016

I have a few properties owned jointly with my wife and have always split the rental profits 50:50. However, my accountant suggested for tax planning (I am a higher rate taxpayer and my wife is a non-taxpayer) all the income should be allocated to my wife. To do this, all we need to do is […]

Potential tenant on disability benefit?

28th March 2016

I have a disabled lady who wants to rent a property of mine. She says it is suitable for her and that the benefit office will cover the rent. They are doing so now in her existing rental property. As she has an incurable illness, I assume the housing benefit will be long term. Her […]

Started in construction and want to start my own portfolio

28th March 2016

So I got into property at 18 but from a different angle, it was the construction side not the investment avenue I so passionately strive to be in. While it has served its purpose working for investors and property dealers for years I would be covered in all sorts of construction debris while they strolled […]

Implied restrictive covenant breach on Ex LA student let in Norwich

28th March 2016

I am wondering if anyone else has come across this problem with Ex Council Houses. I am purchasing additional ex Local Authority houses around the University in Norwich as going concerns which are let to students on single AST’s. My Conveyancer picked up on a restrictive covenant within the deeds and queried this through a […]

Buy to Let starting out – Families DSS Student HMO?

28th March 2016

Firstly hello everyone. I am a 55 year old single man. I lost my job a year ago, and it was recently suggested to me I look at BTL as a business idea. I have my own home with clear equity of £200k, and liquid savings of approx. £60k. I am expecting an inheritance to […]

£1000 Council tax black hole!

24th March 2016

£1000 council tax bill for my ’empty’ property up for sale for a year, ouch! This really ‘grates’ as one next door on benefits pays nothing and not worked for years! I assume some of it can be clawed back as an expense but it wouldn’t amount to £1000. I’ve racked my brain trying to […]

Leaving previous owners lawn tools and PAT testing?

24th March 2016

My wife has just completed a house purchase which she is to let out. The previous owners or their relatives (owner has moved into a care home) have left a number of tools and other items in the shed including an electric lawn mower and strimmer. The lawn mower is in working order as I […]

6 Months to assess HB claimants rent increase and still no answer!

24th March 2016

Can anyone with a good knowledge of the housing benefits system give me some insight and information of the redress available to me following my attempt to increase the rent of a housing benefits tenant. I am still awaiting a decision on the increase almost six months later! In my previous experience LHA’s will deal […]

LettingSupermarket.com 4% for Full Management – New Kent Coverage

23rd March 2016

You might be forgiven for thinking that a 4% fee for full management (minimum £24.99 pcm plus VAT) would involve cutting corners. You’d be wrong! ARLA bonded agent Letting Supermarket have been doing it successfully for years. If you need a recommendation you may take comfort in the fact that they manage my entire portfolio. […]

Is Cambridge the best place to invest right now?

23rd March 2016

House prices in Cambridge have risen at a faster rate than those in any other town or city in England and Wales since 2010, according to official data. The Office for National Statistics has also revealed the growing north-south divide in property values. The median price paid for a property in the city increased by […]

Landlord kept property left behind and acting maliciously?

23rd March 2016

I have now left my rental property where I was living and now moved to a new rental property, I discovered after leaving that I had left 5 valuable statues in a cupboard at the old property and have called and emailed my old landlords but they are not answering my calls or emails, I […]

Transfer of Equity on former residential home back to sole name

23rd March 2016

My husband and I are joint owners of one rented property plus our residential home. I bought the property in 1990 and lived there for 10 years. I then moved in with my now husband and have let the property since June 2000 to various tenants, the latest of which has now been with us […]

Can rent portion of Universal Credit be payable to landlord

23rd March 2016

I have been renting to Housing Benefit tenants (HB) and have always had the rent paid to me even after the regulations changed in 2008 so that the benefit had to be paid to the tenant. As those who rent to HB will know, it was possible for the HB to be paid directly to […]

Lack of housing but an abundance of property development finance

23rd March 2016

There is a frighteningly lack of housing in the UK and the highest demand for houses for 14 years. This along with the fact that base rate has been held at an all-time low for a full 7 years and the fact that the Government has confirmed that Permitted Development Rights (PDR) are here to […]

What is Rent Guarantee Insurance?

22nd March 2016

Rent Guarantee Insurance in a nutshell is a financial product that protects you against loss of rent if your tenant stops paying. There are many reasons why a tenants may stop paying rent. They may no longer be able to afford it. They may decide they are not going to pay it anymore because of […]

Stamp Duty on partnership transfers after April

22nd March 2016

I’m looking into the possibility of using a BICT to transfer the beneficial interest of my personally held buy to lets to a company and believe I’m well placed to claim capital gains relief as I manage the portfolio myself. However the SDLT payable would be very high and make structuring my business in this […]

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Tenant referencing guide for landlords

22nd March 2016

There’s no way to guarantee a tenancy will be problem-free. But carrying out a thorough reference check of tenants should minimise the likelihood of there being issues. What is tenant referencing? Carrying out correct tenant referencing is one of the most important processes a landlord undertakes when choosing to let a private property. Professional tenant […]

Owner of a Leasehold maisonette has offer to buy Freehold?

22nd March 2016

I am a owner of a upstairs maisonette in the London area. Price is about £350K for 2 bed I have the back garden and the downstairs own the front. The freeholder used to live downstairs but sold approximately 18 months ago and when she did she could not sell the freehold the the new […]

Should I convert my 3 flats to an HMO?

22nd March 2016

We have a property in Nottingham. It is currently 3 flats (one on each of the 3 storeys). Each flat contains 2 bedsits a shower room and a kitchenette. Each flat is connected to the central stairwell (and ground floor flat also has a dedicated entrance. I am currently refurbishing and making each room en […]