My daughter moved to Manchester for work on a temporary contract in March 2013. She stayed with friends initially but found a flat to share in June 2013. As she only had a temporary contract the letting agents would only allow her to take the property if she paid the rent upfront for first six […]

Okay readers. I’m a buy to let newcomer looking to spend approx £25k, hopefully on two BTL properties priced up to £50k, thus 25% deposit.  I have considered Bootle in Merseyside and Rochdale/Oldham area with the new metro link. Any thoughts as to where to find the best priced properties as I hear there are […]

CAMPARI stands for Character, Ability, Means, Purpose, Amount, Repayment, Interest and Insurance  It was also a popular drink in the late 70’s and early 80’s but that’s not what this article is about LOL If you are applying for a commercial mortgage facility, chances are the person making the decision will be trained to use the […]

I am a student that will be studying in the United Kingdom soon. I really need some advice on whether I should rent the property that I found through a website. The agent to that property is insisting on 12 months rent in advance and an extra 1 month rent as deposit. They also charge […]

As everyone knows bedroom tax is not  tax, but the above is a handy way to refer to it.  Earlier this year I received a simple very clear brief about this, written by the chief housing officer of Purbeck District Council..  The essential features of the measure are: It only applies to people of working […]

I am employed full time and have one buy to let property managed by a letting agent.  I have claimed £4 per week for using my home as office but the tax man is telling me that I cannot claim this. Can somebody tell what the correct position is please? Thanks in advance James Cunningham

We’re a professional couple with a limited company which provides a technology solution to the NHS. It suits our circumstances to rent at this moment in time.  We had a 4-year rental of a lovely apartment until last Summer, when the owner decided to downsize and move back into the property. It was a good […]

OK This is a complex one for all you experts out there. I rented a property on an AST contract. The property ‘cottage’ is a relatively large property by UK standards. Separate structure, fully self contained, kitchen, reception room(s) bed(s) bath(s). A superior property with a substantial rent and substantial deposit prepaid!  Let me start by […]

This Facebook discussion between a letting agent and a concerned Mum is well worth sharing in my opinion. Please feel free to discuss.  Concerned Mum – I wonder if you could give me some advice what documents would a 21 year old student would have to show to rent a house after university and would they […]

One of my tenants has been charged with racially abusing one of my other tenants. Can I ask him to leave immediately because if he returns to the house there are going to be obvious problems or must I give him notice? He has a standard tenancy agreement which clearly prohibits antisocial behaviour likely to […]

My letting agent served a section 21 notice soon after the tenant moved in, but only told him verbally a few months before the date on it, that he needed to be finding somewhere else to move to – rather than sending him a letter requiring possession!  Would I be right in thinking that if […]

The alternatives to Landlord Licensing Schemes require joined up thinking, changes to data sharing protocols within local authorities and revised high level directives and strategies which must begin at Government level.  Perhaps the first question to ask is what is Landlord Licensing all about? Is it really about raising standards or is it more to […]

We have just put our freehold maisonette up for sale. It is ex local authority and ground floor, the property above is still local authority, although I believe the adjoining two are private. Buyers will not be able to get a mortgage, because it is freehold. This has never been a problem to us (cash […]

I have purchased a property recently but have no keys for it.  The previous landlord says she cant find them. I have tried to contact the tenant on several occasions but with no joy. If I give her 24 hours notice in writing that I intend to visit the property to have the boiler checked […]

I am working as part of a legal group to solve an issue for landlords which I hope to be able to talk about later this month.   I’m learning a lot and loving it! The issue of contract vs Deed came up in a meeting I had yesterday. Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreements “AST’s” can […]

WARNING – this article might make you want to cry, it might make you want to laugh and it will probably make you angry, and for many different reasons depending on who you are.  This is one of those articles which I would like to be read by every landlord, every letting agent, every tenant […]

We landlords are not in the business of lending money to our tenants but that is in effect what we are doing when they run up rent arrears. The trouble is it is far easier for someone NOT to do something than it is to DO something, ie it is far easier NOT to pay […]

Borrowers are still being frustrated by the banks’ continued reluctance to lend on development finance projects, but reality is that if you know who to ask they are actually eager to lend on profitable projects to experienced developers. It is navigating a way around the maze of lenders, different products and finding the finance that […]

I thought it might be helpful to other readers to post a blog on an eviction process.  In one of my HMO’s, I have just had a Section 21 expire and my tenant still present… Joy. He is 29, able-bodied, and plays for a local cricket team, but has never done a stroke of work […]

Firstly, my partner and I are looking to purchase our first BTL property and I wondered what criteria to use for optimum location. My research tells me that first timers usually buy close to where they live and this is what we initially thought. However, for the cost of what we can buy in an […]

Hi, I have been finding this forum extremely useful and know it will probably save me thousands so would like to donate but can’t find any button or link to this,can you please advise I am probably being blind. Thanks Sally Lloyd