I was looking at renting out property in Hounslow. One of the agents says a great deal of confusion has been created by Hounslow’s own licensing scheme which came into force in 2014. The government defines large HMO’s as follows: You must have a licence if you’re renting out a large HMO. Your property is […]

The couple (Joint Tenants) in my flat have parted. The principal wage earning tenant wants to change the tenancy (periodic) into his sole name. Do I simply rip up the existing agreement and start with a new Short Term Assured Tenancy (6 months?). What should happen with the existing deposit? Thanks Norman

I own a one bed flat in a block of eight in East Sussex. I have owned it and let it since 2000. The Freeholder also manages the block and in my view very badly. We pay £150 per year each for management which I appreciate is very little and on top of that we […]

I was horrified to read a prediction on the highly credible Accounting Web that s162 tax relief used to mitigate CGT when incorporating a property letting businesses could be a victim of George Osborne’s Autumn statement next Wednesday (25th November).  If the Chancellor does make such an announcement those landlords currently looking to incorporate can but hope […]

Tenants are willing to pay more if they are allowed to decorate their homes, according to new research. Tenants would be willing to pay an additional £149.52 a year, on average, if their landlords would allow them to personalise the property. The research calculated that there is an extra £530 million in revenue to be […]

Councils are going to be on the front line of this complete disaster and we should all make this clear to them. I don’t just mean detailing our own financial predicament and explaining the mathematics behind it. I mean making clear what we are going to do (be forced to increase rents and/or sell-up) because […]

A little advice requested on if Section 21 is legal regarding the date. The original AST commencement date was the 2nd of April 2000 and expiration date 2nd April 2001. However the rent due date is the 8th of each month. Question is can the S21 be served on the 3rd of expiration date or […]

Many years ago I, and a group of other shareholders, bought a holiday cottage and unlike a timeshare we each owned a piece of the company assets/building and contents. I essentially set up the company and remained as a director until 2010 when my ex-wife decided to take the lead role (I had somewhat lost […]

I have been granted an eviction order on my property for breeches of contract all relating to non payment. Tenants are a couple with two young children however he is the only name on contract and she is a named tenant. Five days to go until the vacation date and I sent them both a […]

18th November 2015 may well be marked in history as the beginning of the end for most private buy-to-let landlords.  Restrictions on the amount of financing costs which can be deducted by individuals, partnerships, trusts and personal representatives when calculating their income from a property business are included in the Act (s 24). The amount of […]

I have found a BMV property which am buying soon. I want to do a redecoration and to sell straight away. I have heard that if I do not wait 6 months nobody will buy as the mortgage lenders won’t give them mortgage . Is there a way I go around that problem excluding cash […]

I have a small limited company (only directors being my wife and myself) within which are the Freeholds of 2 small blocks of flats (10 flats in total). I just own the Freeholds and receive a nominal ground rent. Properties managed by a non related third party company. Have owned for many years, now closing […]

Can form N5b be submitted online or does it have to be posted/hand delivered? Do you just state “County court” on top right of page 1 or name the specific court? How do you decide or know which court to use? First one I’ve had to do, so any advice is appreciated. Many thanks Rob

Over half of tenants who sublet their property do so without their landlord’s consent, according to new findings from the National Landlords Association (NLA). The findings come as the government recently announced proposals to introduce minimum room sizes in order to crack down on problems with private rented accommodation such as unauthorised subletting, which often […]

I have had a tenant for 12 years and currently each 12 months issue a new AST contract raising the rent on average 4%. I am told that I should just let the contract continue without raising anew one each year. Can you tell me the pros and cons of doing this please? Trevor

I have a few queries which I need to iron out as I am receiving different advice all the time. Earlier this year me and my brother decided to invest in the BTL market and now have 4 properties we jointly own. The issue we have now is whether to setup a limited company and […]

I currently have a case with the Sheriffs but the ex-tenant is being evasive and has defaulted on the last 2 payments. Does anyone know if it is possible to trace employment with a National Insurance number and go for attachment to earnings, or is this a backward step once the case has moved up […]

I am a private landlady. My tenants have signed a 6-month Shorthold tenancy agreement and have now been renting my property for 8 months. We are now on a mutual two-month notice rolling agreement which suits us all very well. I need to make some minor adjustments to the tenancy agreement relating to using the […]

I have my property under full management with a well known national letting agency. They have just re-let it on a 6 month AST with all the rent paid in advance because the tenants failed the financial check due to the length of their work contracts. This happened without my knowledge despite my having informed […]

I own a leasehold flat and which I presently Let. The property is a conversion 1930’s standard build split into two flats with own entrance. As the lessee I have an obligation to pay the ground rent due. Over the past 5 years I have submitted my payment by cheque posting it through the freeholders […]

I have a dilema here and I would like your advice. Property Rented to Tenants (Estate Agency) – March 2012 Tenancy Agreement (TA) – Assured Shorhold – 6 months reverted to periodic Landlord took over management – March 2013 New TA (same copy just dates change and rent amount) signed by same Tenants (Husband and […]