The Leasehold Knowledge Partnership “LKP” recently reported that the Law Commission is going to examine subletting fees charged by freeholders and their managers and speculation is rife that they will be outlawed for good. LKP have advised anyone selling or renting out a flat should keep all documentation with a view to making a claim […]

There is a solution, however, civil litigation or involving the Police is highly unlikely to to provide it.  If a rogue agent has shut up shop after plundering funds owed to clients then you could be throwing good money after bad by instructing a solicitor, especially if the business was a Limited Company with no […]

I have 4 properties in my portfolio and I just try and to a good landlord and hope that my work reaps dividends later.  I should have completed a re-mortgage yesterday (Friday) on a refurbished property that is now let. Actually I have completed the re-mortgage, I just haven’t received my money from my solicitor. […]

Within the last 2 weeks another Letting Agent operating for approx 7 years has gone into receivership. Tenant deposits had not been protected, some landlords had not been paid for at least 7 months and apparently all the money has disappeared!!  They must have ‘managed’ over 200 properties, a fair amount of bond money and […]

We were so impressed with how LettingSupermarket.com manage our own buy to let property portfolio we decided to acquire a substantial stake in the company. LettingSupermarket.com charge just 6% of rent for a full management service. Their letting fees are just £300 per tenant which includes block viewings, tenant referencing, inventory, check in/out, dealing with utility […]

I am a landlord of over 10 years now and I have to say I’m very rarely shocked, but I feel that this particular letting agent has over stepped the mark of what is acceptable behaviour and should be punished.  The only problem is – I don’t know how to go about it and would […]

I am looking to remortgage a BTL property for the first time, which has been renovated. The outbuilding was converted to a sunroom/lounge and have added a shower/WC which is under the permitted development specs.  The house has 5 beds but only 2 floors, apparently some lenders specify that if there are 5 occupants it […]

I am new to the forum and I may even be in the wrong place, but someone out there may be able to advise me or even help me find what I am looking for.  My wife and I are English professionals living in France. We own our house outright. Due to a change in […]

We are new to this forum but were recommended by a work colleague following our difficulties with Haart’s full management service.  Not to go into the whole long and laborious story but we have been using the full management service for the past year and are now coming to the end of the contract. The […]

I am looking to invest into the rental market and have been considering HMO’s. I was looking at a large 8 room 3 storey property, but to comply with the building regulations, fire escapes and licencing just seems far too complicated and expensive so I have decided to go for a smaller property.  Question is, […]

I’m sure there must be an answer to this somewhere on this excellent forum but I have tried searching past articles without success so perhaps I’m doing something wrong or I really am the first to ask!  I have been managing my small portfolio myself for several years now and am looking for a good […]

It has become a popular past-time of late to bash landlords. Day after day there are cynical stories in the media about rich capitalist landlords seeking to exploit poor beleaguered tenants, abuse them and then throw them out on the street for a minor infraction. This type of polarising and partisan approach is frankly divisive […]

I am going through the accelerated possession route to evict my tenant. I have been given a Fixing Hearing by the Judge. He is not satisfied with 3 things on the N5B form. Does this mean that I will have an opportunity to mitigate these? If not, then do I have to resubmit a brand […]

After managing a property portfolio for one landlord for the last 6 years, I am now in the process of setting up my own property management company. I want to get things right from the start, which in my mind includes getting Client Money Protection Insurance. I can go about this by joining one of […]

So, Stelios has thrown his cards into the Property world to “shake up the property market”, as he did with the airline industry.  The site is now launched with initially lettings https://easyproperty.com/ I wondered what the view was within the existing property world – should agents be concerned? Regards Property Typhoon

35% net returns assured over five years in Savills’ 2014 top investment hotspot with the new Vita student development in Westgate, Newcastle. The area is reported to have the largest supply-demand gap in the UK with 1 bed to 5 students. The second highest rental premium anywhere in the UK and an annual rental increase […]

Quite interested to see on last night’s programme that a woman was evicted suddenly by High Court enforcement officers. They said, had the eviction gone through the normal court it would have taken six weeks but if you decided to refer it to the High Court they will do it within 24 hours!  Does anyone […]

I’m a landlord with 10 mortgages that I’ve had over the last 10 years or so, plus I also work full time.  My question is; I have recently changed jobs and my income has changed, do I need to inform my buy to let lenders of my change in circumstances? I suspect I probably don’t, […]

Please could someone advice at your earliest convenience what the above phrase means?  Initially I was in a 6 months contract with house agency. I started living in the house from 1st of the month. However after two lots of 6 months completed, I opted for a month to month contract. I would like to […]

Tenant signed an AST on 11th May 2014 and was handed a Section 21 on 27th may 2014. She has been nothing but trouble, I did the council a favour by taking this girl on when she was homeless and 8 months pregnant.  Since then her boyfriend has broken into the property grabbed the child […]

More and more sales are being conducted by what is termed “Modern Method of Auction”. It is sold as a buyer friendly method of purchase but from what I can see, a non refundable reservation fee of 3.5% subject to a minimum of £5,000 plus VAT needs to be placed which then “secures” the transaction […]