I am a 40% tax payer and rent out two properties. To minimize my tax bill I want to allocate some of the income from the properties to my wife who is currently not earning and so has her full tax free allowance. I have two residential mortgages on the properties as I previously lived […]

This Department for Communities and Local Government DCLG discussion document considers what more can be done and how best to tackle rogue landlords, without negatively impacting on the good ones. This is the first stage of the review and comments are invited before the 21st March. Please note these are not policy or legal changes […]

Hi all, I wonder if any of the more legally minded here could help… The house next door to one of my renters appears to be vacant, maybe going through probate I’m not sure.. Several roof slates have slipped from their roof at the rear and have lodged in the guttering pushing it away from […]

The background to the Tracker Rate Campaign is that at least two mortgage lenders have used ambiguities within consumer protection legislation to increase their profit margins on some of their tracker rate mortgage products for both homeowners and small buy to let landlords. For example:- 12,200 Bank of Ireland mortgage accounts whereby a mixture of […]

The RLA has recently received an email from Ipswich Borough Council confirming it has started to refund Landlord Licensing fees after the Westminster Court of Appeal sex shop case. The Court of Appeal found in favour of a European Services Directive which clamps down on purposes fees can be charged by local authorities for landlords […]

I have a property which was converted in to flats twenty years ago but the conversion stopped before any heating was put in. There isn’t any hot water or heating in either flat so is it possible to get a grant to install boilers, and would it also be possible to get a grant for […]

I spoke to someone on the NLA helpline this morning who told me that the law is unambiguous – landlords registering deposits later than one month after receipt are liable to be sued for three times the deposit amount. Looking online, I am unable to find definitive reference to this, and, most importantly, how are […]

Mark Harper the Immigration Minister who took the Immigration Bill through Parliament in autumn 2013 has resigned for continuing to employ his cleaner when she no longer had a right to reside in the country. The Immigration Bill which was hotly debated on Property118 requires Landlords to carry out reasonable checks and take copies of […]

In 2012, I bought my first house from Places for People – long story short, I am now looking to move in with my girlfriend to her house and rent my property out. Therein lies the problem. In my Title Deeds, Places for People have included a restriction that states that I may not rent […]

I have joint tenants who signed a 12 month assured shorthold tenancy agreement. They have been in the property nearly five months. They have always been late paying their rent and have not paid this months rent. A few days ago I had a call from a neighbour to say the Police had been there and arrested […]

According to SpareRoom.co.uk there are around 15 million spare rooms in the UK. Letting just 10% of these could go a long way towards solving the UK housing crisis. Against this backdrop I was delighted to read today that housing charity Shelter are supporting a campaign by SpareRoom.co.uk to increase the “Rent A Room” tax […]

How does the Data Protection Act apply when it comes to landlords and tenants details ? With regard to the utilities, I have always notified the gas, electric and water suppliers and council tax office to advise them I will no longer be responsible and I have new tenants. They have always asked who they are, and […]

Hello All, I’m hoping someone can maybe help me. I’ve recently moved to Brighton, where the property market is very buoyant. I am moving into a property next week with a Letting Agency. There are some (what I consider to be) very OTT clauses in the agreement, and I’m wondering if anyone knows if they […]

In an announcement that seems to make no sense, the Nationwide who own their own Buy to Let arm “The Mortgage Works”, have said they will no longer accept remortgage applications from Nationwide customers where the purpose of an increased loan is buying investment property. A Nationwide spokeswomen said, “as part of Nationwide’s move to […]

Sponsored Article :- Currently in construction and 85% sold out, Trinity Church has been designed as a high-end refurbishment project, which will comprise of 82 luxurious apartments, set over three buildings. Offering an assured rental yield of 9% for the first two years and within walking distance of the city centre, shops, restaurants and amenities, […]

I am an expat, renting out my former residence in the UK. I am considering ‘donating’ the property to an off-shore company in my name. This is because CGT for expats is under review. I would do a ‘donation’ as opposed to outright sale because the country I reside in right now has global taxation […]

Conduct of Mortgage Lenders Having been lobbied heavily by their constituents Jason McCartney and David Morris are both delighted with the cross party support of EDM976 regarding the Conduct of Mortgage lenders, there are 39 signatories as of 6th February 2014 – see http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2013-14/976 The background to this is that at least two mortgage lenders […]

Personal Touch Financial Services Ltd (PTFS), one of the UK’s largest financial services network, has singled out Property118 sponsor H D Consultants to be the winner of the coveted ‘Buy To Let Mortgage Firm of the Year, 2013’ award at a Gala Dinner and Awards ceremony attended by hundreds of finance professionals, advisers, lenders and […]

My wife and I jointly own several BTL properties, but one is owned solely in her name in order to maximise tax relief by using her basic rate unearned income tax allowance. We are proposing to sell one of our properties and my question is regarding changing ownership of the property which is in her […]

Following divorce I have found myself owning the former marital home in Newcastle but with my kids having moved to Manchester.  For entirely non-financial reasons I jacked in a very good job there and moved to be with my young kids who live with me half the time.  I guess I’ve become an accidental landlord.  […]

We have three properties which we let out via a letting agent. My husband works full time and I have no other income. I am told that the tax man treats these properties as “investments”, (such as buying stocks and shares to quote them) rather than a business, thus limiting the type of expenses we […]