With the proposed increase in stamp duty (additional 3%), restriction of tax relief on interest payments and changes to the wear & tear allowance; 2016 has never been a more important time to have your portfolio professionally reviewed. Whether it be via moving your property into a limited company structure, making new purchases before the […]

In most eviction cases tenants and squatters remove everything they own from the property – and sometimes plenty of items they don’t own! But there are instances where the occupant has disappeared and left belongings behind. So where does that leave the landlord – can he dispose of them or does he have a legal […]

I am in the process of buying a second property (eighth actually) and will be “Completing” prior to 1st April 2016. I understood that this would mean avoiding the additional stamp duty tax BUT I was advised last night by a fellow landlord that NOT ONLY has a second property to be “Completed” by 1st […]

We are about to start building 8 flats, it is in fact an extension on to the rear of an existing commercial unit in a town centre. Conversion of 2 flats above the commercial unit and 6 flats on a new build extension at the rear. My architect told us a while ago that law […]

For the first time since 2012, London has slipped out of the top 10 best cities in Europe for property investment to 15th place as a result of high prices and a crunch on yields. Berlin and Hamburg came out on top in 1st and 2nd place, while Birmingham was 6th according to the Emerging […]

I have 4 BTL’s and have decided against buying any more, but I have a niggling feeling that I shouldn’t give up so easily on property. There are people out there making a living using many different strategies, so I am thinking of trying something different – buying refurbishing and selling. Nothing too ambitious to […]

It is still very rare to meet a property investor who has sufficient life cover to protect the level of their property related debt. Even more surprising is that there are still a large number of people that haven’t even considered taking life cover for this purpose. The need for life cover is something that […]

Chris Cooper and Steve Bolton have provided this official update on the Judicial Review of Clause 24 – “Alice in Wonderland Tax Grab”. Please share. The story so far  The initial phase of funding for our Judicial Review of Clause 24 “Alice in Wonderland” Tax Grab was completed in a matter of days. We hit […]

I remember an agent explaining there is a difference in a valuation if the property is tenanted or vacant at the time, but I can’t remember which yielded the higher and lower valuation. Can anyone please advise, thanks in advance Stamples

Our tenants owes us in excess of £5000 in unpaid rent. Is 11 months from possession date too long to instruct bailiffs? We used the accelerated possession procedure to get a possession order, which was granted January 2015. The tenant then attempted to start paying the rent, so we held off instructing the bailiffs in […]

Tenant on periodic after an initial 6 months AST. Rent has been spasmodic resulting in nearly £2000 in arrears on a £520 monthly rent! She is always quick to go to the CAB if I mention notice. I’m going to serve Section 8 (10, 11) and 21, but although I know 21 needs 2 months […]

As it’s my birthday today I thought a bit of self indulgence might be forgivable.  I’ve been visiting my in-laws in Yelets in Russia since 27th December and return to the UK this weekend. This is what I’ve been up to. Our little studio apartment – Svetlana’s project for the last three months … Here’s what […]

More than a decade after setting up SpareRoom.co.uk, founder Rupert Hunt is using his own site to find housemates to share his East London home. The six-bedroom, five-floor Georgian house in Spitalfields – complete with a grand piano, taxidermy bear and Aga – has been Rupert’s home since 2013. It’s in prime celeb spotting territory […]

I am a private landlord working abroad but will return to live in my flat in mid-March. I have issued an S21 and the AST expires on 02 February. My tenant, who is on benefits, has approached the local authority (Hounslow) to be rehoused only to be told they will act only after a court […]

I rented a property privately and have since moved. The landlord of the previous property went into the property several times without permission while I was moving things to the new property. How do I stand in retrospect to complain about this, as it was upsetting to know he had entered while the house was […]

I’m one of the many ‘accidental landlords’ with a single property that was my primary residence until a work relocation abroad. That prompted a period of rental at the aforementioned and with emotional ties to the property now severed (i.e., no longer a home) I am in the process of withdrawing equity to purchase a […]

We live in a largish development of flats, town houses and commercial properties. The owners of the freehold have approached the leaseholders about the possibility of purchasing a share of the freehold. Alternatively the freehold will be sold at auction. Some of the leaseholders are interested, but would like to understand the implications. We will […]

This free eBook has been written for commercial landlords, property lawyers, commercial agents and landowners. Find out all the details on the eviction of squatters, trespassers and activists in our free eBook, covering eviction via a writ of possession or by Common Law. Simply enter your details in the form below and we will email […]

LANDLORDS IN ENGLAND GET READY FOR RIGHT TO RENT Landlords are being reminded that there is less than a month to go before ‘Right to Rent’ goes live across England. The new law means that from 1 February 2016, landlords will have to carry out quick and simple checks to ensure potential tenants have the […]

A fifth of tenants consider cost-effective central heating to be a must, according to a new study. As the winter weather worsens, it is not only home owners who are concerned about the increasing costs of keeping warm. Double glazing is seen as the top priority for the next rental home for 80% of tenants, […]

The Housing minister, Brandon Lewis, opposed a clause in the new Housing and Planning Bill that would have required all letting agents to carry Client Money Protection insurance. Teresa Pearce, Labour MP for Erith and Thamesmead, who proposed the clause indicating that there was industry support said,”The new clause is designed to protect both parties […]