Page 786 – Property118

Tenant Needs Advice re Housing Association Reposession Order

11th September 2014

I split up with my wife August 2013. She gave notice on our rented property in April 2014 bit didn’t tell me. The housing association had a meeting with me and told me I had to leave in 4weeks and would be seeking a possession order and I would receive everything in writing. All I […]

Blue smoky question mark symbolizing confusion over gas boilers versus heat pumps

Gas boiler ventilation repair before exchange of cotracts

11th September 2014

I’m about to exchange contracts on a purchase this week.  An additional enquiry by my solicitor revealed that the ventilation on the boiler is deemed unsafe and the appliance is not connected. My solicitor advised to get the costing for the repair either on my account or via the estate agent. I have contacted the […]

Can’t trace suspected leak from flat above

10th September 2014

My flat has suffered from a persistent leak, that is coming into my bedroom ceiling from the flat above me. The landlord of the flat above has said this is my problem, as he has had two builders round to check and they have found nothing. In each case a builder came round, apparently opened […]

landlord action

New Deposit Service launched

9th September 2014

As many as 38% of landlords calling the Landlord Action legal helpline for advice on evicting a tenant have failed to place their tenants’ deposits in a government recognised scheme within the prescribed 30 days of receiving it, or have not even heard of the scheme which came into force back in 2007. Landlord Action […]

Should I invest in BTL with a 4 year time frame for my retirement

8th September 2014

We live overseas and will return to the UK on retirement in 2018. We are cash buyers about £500k, but not yet ready to invest in our retirement home – we’ve only narrowed the area down to the SE We are looking for an investment to park funds allocated for the 2018 house purchase. We […]

How could I convert my property so it is no longer an HMO?

8th September 2014

Sometime ago I purchased a large property in Portsmouth. I have converted the property so it has 6 bedrooms but it behaves largely like two flats. 3 bedrooms, a lounge, bathroom, toilet and kitchen are on the ground floor. The ground floor has its own front and rear access as well as a door to […]

I am paying for the management company’s electricity!

5th September 2014

Is there anyone able to advise me on this problem? I am paying for the management company’s electricity! I inherited a flat in 2008. It is one of four self contained. Each with its own metered services, water, gas, electricity.  There is a property management company, which owns the freehold. Each of the four leaseholders […]

Landlord & tenant + Employment issues

5th September 2014

Hello everybody and thank you for reading my article. I’m in need of some direction if you could spare a moment please. I will try to keep this all very summary, as it seems a rather complicated case involving both employment and tenancy issues. My situation is as follows: I work full time in a […]

Recently purchased flat has prior leak into flat below!

5th September 2014

I purchased a first floor flat beginning of August, it was completely redecorated, carpeted and prepared for letting and a tenant moved in 24th August.  A week later the guy renting in the flat below told my tenant that there is a leak in his ceiling from my flat above. Upon inspection the leak has […]

Accidental Landlord Buy to Let mortgages are now to be regulated

5th September 2014

The Government has changed its mind about regulating Accidental Landlord Buy to Let mortgages in a decision to now comply with the EU mortgage credit directive being brought into law March 2016. The Treasury has stated that accidental landlords who did not make the conscious decision to purchase a property to rent it out were […]

European Central Bank cuts interest rate to 0.05% !

5th September 2014

Along with an asset purchase scheme to increase the supply of money the European Central Bank (ECB) has cut rates to 0.05% from its previous low figure of 0.15% introduced in June. After this announcement made yesterday the Euro fell to its lowest point against the US Dollar for over a year at $1.2996. The […]

Where are the best yields in Manchester/NW?

5th September 2014

Hello readers – I’d like to draw on your wealth of experience.  I have circa £50k to invest and already have 2 BTL’s. I’ve collected them by accident in that I’ve previously lived in them both and had never intended to let them (until I did!). I’m interested in approaching this purchase from the other […]

Green Deal Home Improvement Fund voucher?

4th September 2014

Has anybody redeemed their Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF) voucher yet? I’m told [ by someone answering the Phone at GDHIF, so make of that what you want ] that Landlords with more than 5 Vouchers are being double audited and none of that group has redeemed a voucher yet. Only People with less […]

NLA call for extension on deadline for efficiency standards

4th September 2014

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has warned the Government to tread cautiously in introducing minimum energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector (PRS). The NLA has called for an extension to the deadline for rented properties to reach minimum energy efficiency standards after the shambles introducing Green Deal finance into the sector. The warning […]

Commercial Bridging loan converted to Buy to Let in one package

4th September 2014

When looking at financing an investment property that is not immediately suitable for a Buy to Let mortgage the costs and stress of repaying the initial Bridging loan required after 6 month can be high. However Shawbrook Bank offer the ability to switch directly from their Bridging facility to their Buy to Let products with […]

Problem freeholder when selling flat

4th September 2014

For 8 months I have been trying to sell my leasehold flat. I have had two offers but both sales have fallen through at the eleventh hour when the freeholder has sent a long list of grievances to the prospective buyers solicitors. Most were irrelevant and related to previous tenants, whilst others were unqualified statements […]

Tenants have done a runner – what should I do?

3rd September 2014

It looks as if the two tenants in a property of mine have done a runner as the flat shows no sign of occupancy. The next rent payment is due on 7th September 2014 and I don’t expect to see this as there are no personal items in the flat.  What are legal responsibilities regarding […]

CAB giving tenant stupid advice?

3rd September 2014

Hmmm, it never rains, but it pours .. having had a blissful tenant-communication free few months it all happens at once. We had two fighting last week, two separate fridge-freezers gave up the ghost within 3 days – ( I have never had one go before in ten years) , a washing machine had to […]

Tenant just arrived from British Virgin Isles

3rd September 2014

A lady and her daughter have just come into UK from British virgin isles and wants to rent house for a year, she is willing to pay the whole year up front with deposit.  My quandary is … she has no UK bank account as yet because she is living in hotel and guest house. […]