LSE survey of 2500 landlords

15th December 2016

Kath Scanlon and Christine Whitehead of the London School of Economics (LSE) have carried out a survey on 2,500 private landlords with Buy to Let financed properties and unencumbered. The LSE conclusions to the survey said “targeted measures aimed at Buy to Let landlords with mirtgages may impose significant burdens on them without necessarily resulting […]

Can anyone recommend a bank?

14th December 2016

Can anyone recommend any particular bank that is supportive of limited companies in the property business? I’m just setting up a Ltd Co for property renovation and am looking for a bank to use. I’ve used HSBC for business banking in the past but found them particularly inflexible so moved to Natwest who were ok […]

The Tenants must now have their say on Section 24

14th December 2016

I think the Government have their bog standard responses on auto response, we will make very little progress now I think. Happy to be corrected. So, I thought it might be good to let the tenants know what is coming their way and ask them to step up. https://www.change.org/p/the-chancellor-of-the-exchequer-protect-uk-rental-tenants-from-increases-in-rents-or-possible-evictions So please pass this on to […]

The Treasury needs to listen to the economists! Scrap Section 24 now!

14th December 2016

Ever since the Government announced that landlords would no longer be allowed to offset the finance costs of their businesses, prominent economists have opposed this. Immediately following the Summer Budget of 2015, Professor Philip Booth from the Institute of Economic Affairs, as well as Paul Johnson from the Institute of Fiscal Studies were invited to […]

Do You Pay More Than £20,000 A Year In Mortgage Interest?

13th December 2016

If you pay more than £20,000 a year in mortgage interest we DEFINITELY need to talk. We also need to talk if your mortgage interest plus your rental profits and any other taxable income including salary and/or dividends exceeds £43,000 a year. Why? Because you are going to be paying more tax, possibly A LOT MORE […]

Freeholder ignoring my calls to fix leaking roof

13th December 2016

I have bought a flat with a short lease (64 years), above a letting agent. I have noticed the roof is leaking into my flat, and probably the other top floor flat that adjoins mine. I have contacted the landlord to fix it, he has ignored me for 2 months. Is there anything I should […]

Keeping the momentum going against Section 24

13th December 2016

I have decided to adopt a policy of making myself a complete pain in the backside and try to create as much noise around this subject as possible. Not sure it will work but it’s better than sitting around waiting for the inevitable. I have written to my local MP Caroline Dineage and have received […]

Sole property while on missionary work

13th December 2016

I bought my house in, 1982. In 2008 I went to Spain working as a missionary working with a Church. For approximately 5years I rented my house out to fund my mission, and paid my tax on all income from rent. I moved back to my house in Aug. 2014 and carried on with my […]

Section 24 and Mortgage Contracts flaw?

12th December 2016

Having buried my head in the sand so far about the whole situation (I have 17 properties), I am now beginning to get my head around the fact that this is actually going to happen. Dark days indeed. The thing that troubles me more than anything about this is the Government’s justification by stating that […]

Carbon monoxide alarms

12th December 2016

As a responsible Landlord, Non HMO, I’ve fitted Carbon Monoxide Alarms in the boiler room and where there is either a gas fire or gas hob. I’ve just recently had an annual gas cert and service. The Gas engineer passed everything apart from my C M alarms saying they are not up to date with […]

Government sponsored moves to Spain?

12th December 2016

300,000 new homes are needed each year in the UK apparently. On the other hand in Spain there are 388,000 properties that have never sold and are lying empty. It seems to me that people could be incentivised to go and live there instead of the UK. No idea how the plan would work, but […]

Freeholder wants £35k for a Variation of a Defective Lease!

12th December 2016

The story so far…..Bought a 1st floor maisonette for cash. It had a defective lease hence got it for a good price. Lease has around 900 years to run on it with £3 ground rent. Freeholder owns downstairs flat and appeared to be reasonable in early discussions. I offered to pay for his legal costs […]

Refunding Deposit money re section21 – Landlord training

9th December 2016

What can you do if  your tenant refuses to cash a cheque refunding their deposit so you can serve a section 21 notice? Does it mean you can’t serve  your notice, ever? Today’s video clip answers this question.  Note that this is the FINAL DAY to get the Legal Update Video Course at 50% discount […]

Contacted by MX Bradford and Bingley about S24!

8th December 2016

I’ve received a letter telling me about S24, stamp duty and a few other changes happening in the market which I’m guessing some other people might also have received? I must admit I was a little scared by the booklet telling me about all of the things happening in the market right now, I wasn’t […]

Demand for UK property falls towards the end of 2016

8th December 2016

The midlands and northern regions of the UK have benefited the most despite property demand falling by 7% in total. Six out of ten of the biggest leaps in demand occurred in these regions with Solihull in the top spot with demand having increased by 77%. This is followed by Portsmouth at 67% and Bexley […]

Warning to Government that families may be made homeless by Section24

8th December 2016

Former member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee, Dame Kate Barker, has warned the Treasury Select Committee that families could lose their homes as a result of extra tax burdens on landlords through Section24 reduction of mortgage interest tax relief. Dame Kate said that these changes will affect the housing stock and that […]

RICS recommendations for the Private Rented Sector

8th December 2016

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) have produced a Rented Sector Policy Paper for England. To see the full report Click Here The Introduction starts: “Since the 1990s, the UK has undergone significant demographic change: people are settling down later and living longer, incomes of younger households generally haven’t risen in real terms since […]

Retaliatory Eviction – Legal update training for Landlords

8th December 2016

Watch a 10 minute clip of specialist housing barrister Sam Mdage-Wyld explaining retaliatory eviction, taken from the Legal Update Online Video Course (NB special 50% reduction offer ending tomorrow, 9th December) You will find it on this page click here featuring Sam’s online video workshop. You will need to scroll down until you see the […]