69% of all BTL purchases now in Ltd Co names

5th January 2017

Mortgages for Business data shows that for quarter 4 last year 69% of all new Buy to Let purchase applications were made in the name of a limited company. This is an increase of 6% on quarter 3 and a massive increase on the average of 21% in limited company names before Section 24 mortgage […]

Open retention and unknown costs on Repo – Should I complete today?

5th January 2017

We are buying a repossessed freehold property with shared common areas, car park spaces and gardens. The management company have asked for a retention of the purchase price, but they would not specify how much or what for, they also served notice of major works on the complex which contains leasehold flats and freehold houses, […]

Lewisham council tenant desperate for help?

5th January 2017

My sister is a Lewisham council tenant for over 25 years and for the last 8 months her life has been a living hell.  There is water coming into her property, the walls are wet the cupboards are rotting spoiling all her food, the flat smells, she is being sick from the fumes, they came […]

Interest restriction impact on high rate earners – Help?

5th January 2017

My wife and I are both employed full time on basic annual salaries of £45k and £97k respectively. We let out 14 BTL mortgaged properties (avg 65% ltv across the portfolio) generating an annual rent of £215k, expenses of about £50k and mortgage interest of £150k. What options do we have to protect ourselves once […]

Private Landlord Service started by Cheshire West and Chester Council

4th January 2017

Chester West and Chester Council are inviting private landlords to join their new Private Landlords Service. The service will provide landlords with information and resources for including the latest news about the Private Rented Sector, a tenant finding service, tenancy support and sign up services and training and access to property improvement grants. It also […]

Council want proof front door complies with FD30S fire regs?

4th January 2017

I have had a letter from the local Council asking me for proof that the front door to my flat is a FD30S door. This means is it a fire door that is self closing and able to be 30-minute fire resistance. I do not know if the door is FD30S compliant as it is […]

Selling Buy to let and CGT

3rd January 2017

I would like to sell a couple of long term buy to let properties I own in order to purchase another income producing property in another part of the country (Somerset) where I wish to retire too. As I understand it even though I intend to use the proceeds of the sale of my properties […]

Unilateral second charge on my mortgage

3rd January 2017

My current mortgage arrangement ends in June 2017 which means I have to repay my lender, C&G. The property was my sole residence until nearly 2 years ago when I had to move nearer my family (for health reasons). As I could not sell the house for an acceptable price I decided to let to […]

What are the legal issues purchasing a repossession?

3rd January 2017

We are purchasing a repossessed residential property in Gloucestershire and have engaged a solicitor I haven’t used before (the previous two were hopeless). This latest solicitor is also less than impressive thus providing motivation for this thread. I would like to know what legal issues we should be looking out for in a repossession purchase […]

To issue or not to issue an AST

3rd January 2017

Can I please have your advice on a matter that a mate of mine has found herself in? She has a house that her partner has rented out, but has never issued an AST, the tenant has not paid a deposit, so nothing was protected. The rent is very low, and the property now needs […]

PRA, DSCR, FCA, HMO, SPV, SIC Code, ATED – What BTL landlords need to know for 2017

28th December 2016

The numerous interventions from regulators, the EU, the changing lending landscape and even more scrutiny that banks now demand before agreeing terms, has all made for a much more difficult BTL marketplace. You have probably seen this for yourself already. Many mortgage brokers who dabbled in the BTL space have now gone back to their […]

Stupid stupid Banking systems!

28th December 2016

Could not get a £30k BTL mortgage on a £380k house that has had a >95% occupancy since 2002. The conversations with various banks went something like this Ah Hamish, you’ll have had your tea. I have that Banker. We’re here for a modest BTL mortgage and you have various products that interest us. Aye […]

Mortgage to buy an SPV Ltd Company and property it sits in?

28th December 2016

I want to buy an HMO which is already held in a SPV Ltd company. I want to retain the same structure going forward and therefore want to buy the limited company. I’m looking for a lender who understands the transaction, where ultimately they would be valuing the asset held in the limited company and […]

LANDLORDS – Section 24 Tax Is Optional

27th December 2016

If you don’t want to pay more tax as a result of Section 24 of the Finance (No.2) Act 2015, which restricts mortgage interest relief for individual landlords, you don’t have to. In the vast majority of cases it is optional, but only if you take positive action! Throughout 2016 Property118 has discovered and published […]

2016 in Review and Goals for 2017

27th December 2016

Thank you all for your support this year, 2016 has been a good one for us. My wife and I emigrated to Malta, visited the UK and Rome and we are now in Russia celebrating a white Christmas. Above anything else we enjoy spending time with our family and sharing the good life with them, and […]

What to do when your sole trader letting agent dies?

27th December 2016

I’m a landlord of two houses. I use an agent to manage them. He is a sole trader and really the business is him. He was a terrific man and sadly he died last week. I spoke with his widow when the rent for one of the houses didn’t come to me. She explained about […]

Online Estate Agents seem too good to be true?

23rd December 2016

Hello an online estate agent is offering a hard to believe marketing deal to advertise property on all the big sites for an absurdly low £99 until sold. Ive found sites that are costly compared to what it cost say four years ago so how come can these agents undercut everyone? Also why are High […]

Housing Minister Gavin Barwell raises concerns over the UK Leaehold system

22nd December 2016

Gavin Barwell was speaking at a debate on the Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Act of 2002 and said the leasehold system has widespread problems that need addressing and produced results of the National Leasehold Survey 2016, which showing 57% of leaseholders agreed with the statement “I regret purchasing a leasehold property”. Housing Minister Barwell went […]