I had a dispute last year with my two tenants over the return of their deposit where they wanted a higher rent abatement than I offered them for some major bathroom works that was done while they were there. They therefore failed to pay some rent in their last month.  When they moved out, I […]

My tenants of six months made an emergency call out for a plumber to unblock the kitchen sink. Plumber found a lollipop stick in th U bend which in turn had caused food waste to accumulate.  I am inclined to bill the tenants, but the argue they definitely did not drop a lollipop stick down […]

Can anyone provide any evidence that lenders have refused a mortgage application in an area where the property is licenseable and the reason for the refusal is the licensing scheme please?  EDITORS NOTE – please note that John Daley (author of this post) is responsible for the landlord licensing consultation in Southwark, hence his avatar. […]

I am wondering if a tenanted property with an EPC, that runs out next year, needs to be renewed whilst the tenant is in residence in the property or if it needs to be renewed before marketing the property again at the end of the current tenants tenancy?  I am struggling to find a clear […]

The boiler is one of the key culprits that costs landlords small fortunes in repairs, creates unhappy tenants and drains profit out of an otherwise good let property. Landlord Emergency Cover can solve these problems. With landlord emergency cover, if the boiler in the let property fails, then the tenant can call the 24 x […]

Local councils will no longer have the clout to licence landlords across a whole borough or city after Brandon Lewis, the Minister of State for Housing and Planning announced reforms of Selective Licensing, restricting local decision-making powers. The changes are to come into force on 1 April 2015. Since 2010, local councils have had the […]

I have a postgraduate student tenant in an HMO with a total currently of four tenants (separate contracts, not a group) who repeatedly (and after specific e-mail requests not to do so) causes fire risks e.g. blocking escape routes with his belongings, leaving aerosols and gas canisters on south facing window sills, where they get […]

Manchester is one of the UK’s Buy to Let property hotspots with its population growing by 7% between 2001 and 2011. Our sponsors have launched 10 new development projects recently and sold over 800 apartments with rental assurances on all new properties and prices currently from £94,950. X1 Media City is set to be the […]

I’m helping out a friend who is new to the property world and wants at the moment to stay anonymous. She’s looking for a leasehold of an entire building as a long term investment. The purpose is to run dance teaching classes with social dancing events and dinner shows also.  Location: Ideally Covent Garden/Holborn/West End […]

I am trying to find an agent who deals with renting by the room in NW1.  I have a 4 bed flat and one of the rooms is let, I want to let the other three. Nobody seems to mention it on their website, and all the agents I have phoned will only rent the […]

I am looking to put my property on the sales market and wish to give written notice to my tenant that:- 1) I wish to have an Estate Agent attend and take photos of the inside of the property. 2) Give notice that once the property has been sold they would be required to vacate […]

I took an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement on 19th October 2010. I paid one months rent in advance on 19th October and the next rent payment was 20th November. The tenancy period was 12 months with a two months notice period to end the tenancy. The letting agents have never sent a new Shorthold Tenancy […]

What do readers think of the following e-mail I received from my managing agent?  “VA Property Consultants are now SELLING properties in Luton and Dunstable and would like your help to create awareness for our new sales department. This is why I am contacting you as a valued client as we would like your support […]

I own a flat with my ex, he has not contributed for two years and I don’t believe he is registered on the electoral roll at his new address.  I recently moved out and expect to return at the end of 2018, so I asked some friends to house sit while I got some building […]

I have a tenant on a 12 month AST which ends Mid July, they are a nice couple with a baby. A few months ago, they made me aware that they may not sign-up for another year and may relocate back to their parents, which was fine. I have now just received a note that […]

I have been following this site for a few months now in anticipation of purchasing a BTL shortly. Just wondering when submitting your tax self assessment, would you also deduct overpayments to the mortgage from the income or is this solely applicable to the interest portion of the mortgage payments?  I also plan to open […]

I am hoping someone can explain this better.  I am married, own my own home that my family resides in and own a 2nd home on a buy to let mortgage that is rented out. I would now like to purchase a 3rd property that will be another buy to let investment. As my wife […]

We own one BTL property which we have rented to a couple for the last two and a half years without any problems – rent has always been on time, property maintained very well etc. Initially it was a one year contract which has just rolled on.  Within the last couple of days it has […]

My tenants gave notice a month ago and moved out today, they didn’t agree to viewings during the notice period because they have a young baby which is fair enough. Nevertheless, as soon as I was given notice I advertised the property with Letting Supermarket who immediately began marketing the property for £100 more than I […]

My mortgage company are intending to sell my buy to let property without my permission citing a breach of the mortgage. I have owned the house since 2003 but in 2011 the house was turned into a cannabis farm by rogue tenants resulting in an estimated repair bill of £20,000 which I simply do not […]

I have read many articles on advantages of owning buy-to-let property & related mortgage(s) in personal names, and having a Trust Deed in favour of a limited company to divert rental profits to the Company (20% tax).  I am in the 40% tax bracket with my salary, and my wife is well within the 20% […]