A Press Release submitted to me by a PR agency yesterday really annoyed me, and that was just the headline.  Before you read the press release you might enjoy reading my response ……. “Hi Zoe If this is correct it is absolute proof that the Government tax attack on private landlords is utter lunacy. The private rented […]

Having raised over £500,000 to take West Bromwich Mortgage Company to the Court of Appeal it has been suggested by numerous Property118 members that we should become a Landlords Association. Sentiment appears to be that a group with courage to take legal action against rogue mortgage lenders and poor decisions made by Government is seriously needed […]

Just wondering if anyone can give me some legal advice please? It centres around a property purchase which was due to complete by March 31st, but never completed as it missed the deadline for the 3% stamp duty surcharge. The time line is as follows. Purchase agreed at the end of January. Shortly after I […]

I currently have a couple who have been tenants for the past 3 years, in my 2 bed flat. They have been ideal tenants paying rent on time, the flat is always clean and tidy and there have been no issues with the neighbors. They have had a couple of children whilst in the property. […]

Our town house in London has been invaded by moths. It has woolen carpets throughout and the tenants have some woolen garments, but the place is always immaculately clean. When Moths appeared our Agents had a local pest control Company fumigate the property on two occasions, but the moths remained! A national Company will solve […]

My gas boiler was recently classified “at risk” by gas engineer because following new 2013 ruling the flue cannot be visibly inspected. Property bought in 2008 is one of a number in a Georgian mansion ,conversion completed 2001. I currently live in the property as an Owner but plan to revert to renting the property […]

I have been the main funder of some student properties with a business partner. We have a share of profits from both income and capital appreciation. I put up the deposits for the mortgage, and I paid all the up-front refurbishment costs prior to letting. For the last few years I have been charging each […]

Hello, I’m a landlord due to the fact I’m working abroad so renting out my house whilst I’m not there! So not a professional! I have 3 single male tenants who have rented the house since September lat year. They have always seemed responsible, honest and have looked after the house well so I am […]

HMRC have developed an online e-learning package/guide that professes to help landlords understand what they need to do to meet their tax obligations. I had a quick squizz at some pages and it looked reasonably user-friendly, although judging by the test page on claiming expenses a tad over simplified and possibly patronising (i.e. who would […]

Can anyone recommend a good referencing agency for tenants who have recently lived overseas? I am only aware of one, TenantVerify, and am unable to find any reviews, positive or negative. The tenants I have in mind come from Romania, and all I can find about tenant referencing within Romania is from this EU document […]

Our legal team from Cotswold Barristers and Michael Ashcroft QC were superb at The Court of Appeal. Three judges sat on the panel to hear our case, two Lords Justices of Appeal and one Lady Justice, the most eminent being the Rt Hon Lord Justice Leveson, President of the Queen’s Bench Division and third most […]

For a couple of years now, my unmarried partner and I have been sharing rental income from her old (leasehold) flat, which she owns outright. It never occurred to us that we couldn’t split the income in this way. It was a way of rewarding me for loss of rent-a-room income when she moved into […]

My tenant has been paying their rent six months in advance for the last year. They’ve now asked to pay monthly. Anything I should be aware of, do I need another credit check? Many thanks Ian

Buy to let landlords have experienced total annual returns of 12.2% over the past year assisted by the increase of purchases prior to the stamp duty deadline on April 1st. Average rents across England and Wales now stand at £791 a month, following a 3% increase over the year. The Midlands experienced the fastest rent […]

Could anyone please let me know if it is possible to have a small sum of money deducted from a tenant’s housing or other benefit payment following an eviction where the tenant has got a county court judgment. I know this may seem a futile exercise where a landlord claiming would probably only get a […]

The share offer in LettingSupermarket.com has gone live to the general public via the Seedrs crowdfunding website. Please Click Here The crowdfunded share offer was restricted to Property118 members until now. Well over a hundred Property118 members completed the “Expression of Interest” form and I know that Chris Sheldon (Managing Director) has been busy talking […]

This could be a historic day for all Buy to Let Landlords! The case of MARK ROBERT ALEXANDER (as representative of the “Property 118 Action Group”) Claimant – and – WEST BROMWICH MORTGAGE COMPANY LTD Defendant will be at 10 am on Thursday 28th April 2016 at Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, City of Westminster, […]

A woman rented one of our properties and then left leaving it in a terrible condition. We lodged a small claims court against her and the bailiffs were sent to her fathers house where she lives. He lives in a very expensive house in Cheshire and so could have paid off her debt, but now […]

I have paid our landlord by cheque our service charge less an amount that I am in dispute hence not the full amount asked for. They have refused the cheque and say that it has been shredded and have now employed a solicitor to collect arrears! As far as I am concerned the cheque is […]

Shawbrook Bank are now one of the most popular niche lenders in the property investment market with BTL, refurb, HMO, Bridging and Bridging to BTL products. They are one of the few that will consider loans on a case by case basis and not merely by credit score. They therefore have a very professional insight […]

I have a flat in a small block of 6 flats. We do not have a communal entrance or communal hallways. Each flat has its own individual front door, almost like a house. As per terms of the lease, Freeholders do not provide us with block insurance or any maintenance. We each maintain our own […]