Page 776 – Property118

How do I go about letting my property?

23rd October 2014

I am an owner of several properties. In the past I have worked for a small organisation supporting persons with mental ill health in my own and my company’s private accommodation. In 2012 it was decided that we would cease our contract with local government because of increasing paperwork and returns and reduction in contract […]

Buy to Let Strategy – what to do next!

23rd October 2014

My wife and I have 3 properties in Malta which we rent out – we’ve recently had a baby, and are not sure what to do next in order to position ourselves best for the future.  At the moment, we live in the UK, but may move to Malta at some point (say within the […]

landlord action

Landlords are making more use of the Section 21 Accelerated procedure

22nd October 2014

Since Landlord Action started in 1999, which incidentally is also the year the Section 21 accelerated procedure was introduced, we have never had so many instructions from landlords and letting agents wishing to proceed to court to obtain possession orders under Section 21. Last year, there were 34,080 claims issued under the section 21 accelerated […]

Damage caused by tenants ex – who pays?

22nd October 2014

One of my tenants had her/my house damaged when her recent ex partner (father of her child and on the tenancy up until May 2014) broke in recently. The police were called and they boarded up the house.  I have received a bill from the police for this, do I pay or does the tenant […]

With ZERO capital, how can a newbie ‘get into’ property investment?

22nd October 2014

I’m sure this simple question will attract many answers – some useful, many humorous!  I’ve heard about no money down deals, lease options and similar …. I’ve also read these are a con!!! So what is the truth? Your opinion / input will be welcome. Kind regards Mark With ZERO capital, how can a newbie […]

West Bromwich Building Society Accounts

21st October 2014

The 2013/14 accounts for West Bromwich Building Society show that they appear to have turned a corner and are back into profit.  Or do they? Perhaps that corner is a roundabout! Profits of £2.1 million were declared and their Chief Executive got a very nice thank you in the form of a whopping £134,000 bonus. […]

Poor letting agency but no signed contract

21st October 2014

Within the last month I became a landlord for the first time. I’ve had little or no communication from the letting agency since a verbal agreement to put the property with them and had to chase them for the move in date for the tenants. Their communication is terrible and has resulted in crossed words […]

Who do you know working on R2R strategy?

21st October 2014

Hello Although new to this forum I’m experienced in property and am now looking to extend my network and knowledge.  I’m currently working on the Rent 2 Rent strategy with a view to longer term investment such as a purchase option. My question is: do you know of people finding R2R opportunities in the South […]

£3,000 for BT to install phone line? !!!

21st October 2014

I have recently purchased a bungalow. Originally there was a house with an enormous garden, and about fifty years ago a bungalow was built halfway down the garden, accessed by a narrow drive between the houses about 30m long. This was recently acquired by a developer who extended the bungalow and divided it into two […]

Tenant with AWOL Landlord AND Property Manager!

21st October 2014

Hi folks  Just need a bit of advice please. It’s a long story so please do bear with me. I rent a bedsit in a converted house and have been there about 3 years, no dramas or issues. My bedsit was broken into on Wednesday 15th Oct 2014 by bailiffs looking for an electricity meter […]

Rental taxation query

21st October 2014

I have six rental properties, three in the UK and one each in Australia, France and Spain, producing a net income of around £40,000. Does anyone know if there would be any tax advantages by setting up a company to operate these?  Regards Robert

Issue of electrical installation certificate + part P notification

21st October 2014

I’ve had a lot of problems with my electrician who was refusing to provide an invoice for the entire work ( labour + materials). I paid a deposit of £400, which he used to buy all the materials (smoke alarms, fuse box etc), which he never wanted to invoice for. Because I refused to pay […]

Switching from annual to rolling tenancy – RISKS?

21st October 2014

I’ve had a tenant for the last two years on a yearly tenancy. I have just issued another tenancy for another year because I have always felt more secure issuing a new tenancy every year. However the tenant has asked for a rolling tenancy.   Firstly, what are the implications of putting in a rolling […]

Section 20 renovation works rip off – HELP!

21st October 2014

I’m a leaseholder of a flat in a redbrick Victorian mansion block of six flats in London W6.  My management company has just started section 20 process for “renovation works” and after a short chat with appointed surveyor the costs are estimated to be £48,000 (£8k per flat for renovation works to include front and […]

Mortgage transactions on hold as Bank of England Chaps system fails today

20th October 2014

Currently UK mortgage borrowers are unable to complete on their house purchases as the Bank of England have found a routine maintenance problems that affects CHAPS (Clearing House Automated Payment System) payments. Managing director of CHAPS, Phil Kenworthy said: “CHAPS is currently unable to process payments. This is due to the Bank of England temporarily […]

Tenant Owes 6 Weeks Rent on room in HMO and has moved someone else in

20th October 2014

I have a tenant who hasn’t paid rent for over 6 weeks.  She is a single mother with a child under 4 years old, she rents one room (upstairs) in the house and shares facilities such as the kitchen, bathroom, and downstairs WC. She told me she can’t afford to pay rent as she only […]

Aldermore

Aldermore – Bridging finance and BTL remortgage based on open market value

20th October 2014

Challenger bank, Aldermore Mortgages, entered the bridging finance market this year although they only offered their proposition via one distribution company. Their USP’s include bridging rates from 0.64% but they also allow remortgages within 6 months on to their BTL product up to 80% LTV. Why is this great news for Readers? CASE STUDY EXAMPLES; […]

Should I redeem my Mortgage Express mortgage?

20th October 2014

Hi guys I currently have a mortgage on a London flat which I purchased 9 years. The flat is now worth about £160K – £170K and my outstanding mortgage is just below £100,000.  My lender is Mortgage Express and although I would like to re-mortgage with them to pull out equity from the property I […]

Pitfalls of more than 4 on a single AST?

20th October 2014

The other day a professional letting agent told me that if more than four people sharing a house are joint tenants on a single AST, the tenants after the fourth named person are not legally obliged to pay the rent! e.g. 6 people on the AST, this would apply to the people named 5th and […]

I think I’m being evicted unfairly

20th October 2014

After emailing our agent for months to fix issue in the flat, they have replied and it will be fixed and added at the end of their email to ask if we did receive the section 21. I have never been advised that we were been evicted and the section has never been received. I […]