As winter kicks in, Let Insurance Services are impressing on landlords to have their fire safety measures in place. They say shared housing is “seven times more likely to have a fire in the home.” The company also believe more regulation needs to be implemented to ensure all rented properties are safe; up until now […]

The Bank of England has left interest rates at the record low of 0.5% for yet another month. The result is not unexpected as the Eurozone smoulders after attacks from investors and markets around the world.

The latest buy to let lending figures highlight a rise in landlord borrowing – but the statistics are shrouding an underlying trend. Interpreting the figures comes down to some careful reading of how the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) reports the findings.

Tenants from Hell is my latest amateur production to promote Property118.com and contains music from AC/DC used in the Iron Man movie. One month ago I didn’t know how to operate the video camera on my iPhone so thanks to everybody who’s helped me get this far. I hope you will agree that Property118 is […]

In amongst all the headlines we have got some great news of our own this week and when you visit Property118.com you will discover some significant and beneficial changes. You will immediately notice that the design of the website and our brand identity has changed to reflect the integration of our new strategic partner, Thomson […]

Viewing a house is often an experience tinged with excitement and trepidation – but seasoned investors work to a step-by-step plan. The important point is not to let an estate agent or seller take control of your viewing.

Buy to let landlords evading tax face a crack down from a new HM Revenue and Customs task force. Tax inspectors will target buy to let landlords with portfolios of three or more properties in the North West and North Wales.

Property118.com re-launches on Wednesday the 9th of November and alongside their established Property News, Insight and Due Diligence calculators will be the site’s new testimonials led Property Services Directory run together with Thomson Local. Research showed that 75% of Private Rental Sector landlords would welcome peer recommendations for trades and suppliers. Key to the Property118.com […]

Most readers of my articles know about my work on landlord/tenant law issues. What many of you don’t know is that 50% of my work these days is negotiating with banks to stop repossessions where people are in mortgage arrears, which is a whole different ballgame. You thought landlord-Tenant law was complicated????? In 1904 an […]

Tenants are snapping up buy to let homes within hours in some areas – although the average is 12.7 days, according to letting agent Countrywide. Although homes are disappearing fast, the national agent reckons more homes are coming to the market to maintain supply.

Buy to let insurance does not always offer the top 10 features landlords look for in their policies as standard cover. A review of the market that scrutinised 87 policies from leading suppliers has revealed some of the most popular options are often only available at additional cost.

I know there’s been a lot of mud thrown at lettings agents over the years mainly due to their high charges, limited ability and the fact that most landlords think “anyone can do it”. However, I always gave them the benefit of the doubt as, alongside being a Dartford Tunnel toll booth attenda

There is a lot of talk these days about tenants needing security of tenure and organisations like Shelter would like Government to change legislation to force landlords to give tenants longer tenancies. I acknowledge that tenants do need security and, as a landlord, I want to keep my tenants for as long as possible. Many […]

A London council has won a criminal compensation order against a letting company who failed to licence a house in multiple occupation. In what is believed to be a landmark case, Newham Council claimed rent paid to the company, Sumal & Sons Properties, of Stamford Hill, was a criminal benefit as the property did not […]

Topsy-turvy house prices were up 1.2% in October, but after almost a year of monthly increases and falls they are more or less where they started in October last year. If any truth has hit home in 2011 it’s that the property market is unpredictable. In the past 10 months, the market has gone up […]

The true success story of a business entrepreneur, written in parable style and set to a magical piece of classical music. The Jolly Giant in this story is a real person. His business provides a service to the property sector. This is possibly the most simple corporate video you will ever watch, I hope you […]

The UK will comply with proposals to regulate buy to let mortgages if the European Union decides to include the loans in the forthcoming consumer credit directive. Despite warnings that regulation will change the face of the market from bank and building society trade body the Council of Mortgage Lenders, the Financial Services Authority sees […]

The geography of buy to let is due change as corporate investors move into the private letting market. The warning comes as Sweden’s largest private housing investor has instructed a leading property consultant to buy up 10,000 flats around London. The purchase would create one of the UK’s largest rental portfolios in an open market […]

The building of new homes has slumped to the lowest level ever – running at half the number needed to keep up with demand. The latest government figures revealed 120,000 new homes were built in England last year. Although London has the most resilient housing market, the capital saw the largest drop in the number […]

Thousands of property investors face fines of up to £50,000 for ignoring laws requiring them to sign-up to a landlords register in Scotland. No-one is sure how many rogue landlords are ignoring the law – but the worry is they face a double whammy of tax and fines if they sign the register. The authorities […]

I was going to write a piece about what to do when an HMO tenant goes AWOL (Absent Without Leave) and disappears off the face the earth.  As an “exciting” read as that sounds, I’d rather pick up on the Article 4 directive that has been publicised today. Over the last six months quite a […]