As you may know, my wife and I moved to Malta in March 2016 to help mitigate the effects of changes to finance cost relief affecting individual landlords. This is my latest blog on the subject. Since I began growing my property rental business in 1989 I have become accustomed to high gearing and would […]

I have had lots of people ask how the calculation works for the amount you can borrow after the new rules come into force next year regarding Buy to Let affordability testing. To make it simple as a follow up to the example in the original article below: The maximum you can borrow: Pre January […]

Following the hugely impressive decision in West Brom (well done Mark and team!), I’ve been looking into the position regarding my Nationwide mortgage. This started off as a tracker residential mortgage with Portman in 1996. I moved in 1998 and applied for, and was granted, consent to let. Portman applied a 1% loading to the […]

I am a busy landlady and campaigner for good landlords.  At the moment we are studying this consultation by the DCLG and it is another nightmare of tricks for the compliant HMO operator. We have a chain of HMO’s and it is terrifying. Please Click Here to download the consultation. It was published in mid […]

I’ve been looking through the forum discussions this morning, but haven’t found anything (yet perhaps) relating to freeholder demands for sub-letting fees over the last year or two. I wondered if there have been any changes since 2014? I want to challenge SIMARC’s bill of £120 to allow me to sublet my property. They are […]

I have a lady tenant on LHA in a two bed house for the last two years. She has decided to move her mother in with her 90 years of age suffering from Dementia. She had her own council bungalow and all her rent and council tax was paid as she is on pension credit […]

Hi Mark. As a Property118 Founder Member I took advantage of a free 15 minute consultation with Mr Mark Smith of Cotswold Barristers (The chap who extracted 27.5 million GBPs from the West Bromwich Building Society)  I began by asking him, in view of my circumstances , whether it was worth me incorporating my Buy […]

I have purchased a leasehold flat and the building has a design fault. The builder tried to fix it thrice in warranty and failed. Finally the last contractor sent by the builder has identified the fault as a design issue. Now the builder is refusing to fix as it is out of warranty and the […]

Long time reader of this great forum but unfortunately not having the time to contribute much, but hope that to change going forward. A two part question really for myself who has been a landlord for 6-7 years, but never considered new builds/off plan properties. A) Do people have any tips in regards to due […]

Rumour has it that private taxi drivers will no longer be able to offset fuel costs as an expense against their income, thus preventing them from getting unfair tax relief on their fuel. The Treasury initiative is designed to “level the playing field” with private motorists who have to pay for fuel out of their […]

A big thank you to all readers that have donated so far to the fighting fund and I am delighted to report we have raised £781. This has allowed us to purchase a lobbying database of email addresses for of all MPs, Lords and Baronesses. It allows us to send bulk personalised emails whenever we […]

Can anyone advise how mortgage providers value a house for mortgage purposes? As an example take an HMO which would be valued at £300,000 as a single family home, based on similar properties in the area, and which cost £310,000 including renovations and alterations (with 6 rented rooms) bringing in a total of £36000 in […]

The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) Consultation on landlord ‘affordability’ management is being implemented as guidance to lenders from the 1st of January. The PRA are requiring Buy to Let lenders to take into account borrower’s increased tax liabilities due to Section 24 mortgage interest relief reductions and other outgoings when assessing the amount of loan […]

I currently own 1 property in my name (that I purchased before I got married) which we now let and we are buying a second property as a buy-to-let. I’m a higher earner than my wife. Should I get a deed of trust drawn up on the first property so that we can declare rental […]

I know that LPA Recieves do not have to be appointed by deed, but the document appointing them must be validly authorised. My LPA receivers were appointed by the Kent Reliance Building Society and the Letter of Appointment was signed by one director and not sealed or witnessed. Current information on the Council Of Mortgage […]

The NLA have launched their new campaign to Lobby the Treasury on the Tenant Tax. For those that are visual a picture paints a thousand words. The NLA page Click Here to visit says: “There is a new Chancellor and we need your help to lobby him on the Tenant Tax – otherwise known as […]

Dear All, I have a HMO (my first) about to go ‘live’ as my paperwork has been accepted by my LA. The questions are; Is there a different sort of contract required as I was going to use my AST template for flat rentals? If a couple want to rent can I impose an extra […]

After More than 18 months , Thousands of applications, Flawed application process, Data breaches and illegal Licence conditions, Liverpool city Council have secured their first Conviction under their City Wide revenue raising Licensing sham. ONE CONVICTION. In this instance no tenant has gained from the Prosecution. The Landlord in question was not convicted for any […]

My daughter is the victim of a fraudulent letting agent . This is quite a complicated story, my daughter has a AST for a 12 month fixed term with a letting agency which turns out to be fraudulent! She paid three months rent plus a deposit upfront ( which hasn’t been protected ) which was […]

I have a tenant who at the moment is living alone in my 3 bedroom house. In order to relieve the strain on his finances, he would like a friend to share the house and the bills with him. I do not object in principle, but do not want to start a new tenancy agreement […]

I am about to rent out a flat to a couple who need accommodation due to their own home having been damaged by fire. The rent has been agreed and an AST for 12 months (6 month break) is about to be signed. I have been informed that the insurance company will actually be paying […]